YEREVAN, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS. The media reports, according to which Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II plans to nominate and support the candidacy of Primate of the Diocese of Gougark, Archbishop Sebouh Chouldjian in the Armenian patriarchal election of Istanbul, have nothing to do with the reality, Father Vahram Melikyan, Director of the Information department at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, told Armenpress.

“All the clergymen are servants under the care and spiritual authority of the Catholicos of All Armenians. In this sense, the Catholicos has never put a difference between the clergymen. In this case all those persons who meet the requirements can participate in this election. There is no private candidate nominated by the Catholicos of All Armenians. Those, who meet the demands, will act in equal conditions”, he said.

Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul, Archbishop Mesrob II Mutafyan has passed away at the age of 62 in early March after suffering from dementia for many years.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan