YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. Bishop Sahak Mashalian, president of the spiritual council of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, says the note sent by Istanbul Governor’s Office put the Armenian Church in a difficult situation, Agos reports.

Mashalian said it is necessary to organize a meeting in the Governor’s Office as soon as possible.

“We have faced a historical day. We convened a meeting in accordance with our traditions, religious laws and elected a locum tenens. All accepted what had happened, welcomed it, however, the message sent by the Governor’s Office after that turned our spirit. I don’t know in what path we will go, but here a misunderstanding exists. The message contains points that need clarification. We will ask the Governor to meet with us in near future and we will demand from him clarifications, as well as we will present our own clarifications. This is a religious issue. The state interference in the religious matter disappointed all of us”, Mashalian said.

Mashalian stated that under the church laws Aram Ateshian is no longer a vicar. “By Ateshian’s resignation everything will be settled. The Council, who elected Ateshian as vicar, also elected a locum tenens. As far as his election as vicar is legitimate, Garegin Bekchian’s election as locum tenens is also legitimate. We need to say this to the Governor’s Office. By the election of locum tenens, all powers of the vicar are suspended and in fact are suspended. Now we face a big problem: we have a vicar who is already not a vicar, and a locum tenens who is unable to be locum tenens”, Mashalian said.

He informed that Ateshian stated that he will send a written request on March 17 to the Governor’s Office to organize a meeting, however, all know how such meeting requests end. As long as this issue with the state is unresolved, Garegin Bekchian cannot assume his post.