Patriarchal locum tenens Bekchyan arrives in Istanbul: Religious assembly held without participation of Archbishop Ateshyan

YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenian patriarchal locum tenens of Istanbul Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan arrived in Istanbul on June 20, Istanbul’s Armenian ‘Zhamanak’ daily reports.

He was welcomed by Bishop Sahak Mashalyan and a group of people at Ataturk airport.

After a three-month pause, a Religious assembly was held in the Armenian Patriarchate in the morning of June 21 chaired by Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan. The meeting focused on issues related to the election of a patriarch and formation of Initiative agency.

Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, who resigned from the post of patriarchal vicar, didn’t attend the meeting.

Bekchyan told ‘Zhamanak’ that he will be fully engaged in the organization works of the election of patriarch in the upcoming days.