YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Ahead of the final stage of the election of the 85th Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul, on December 8 the representatives of the Armenian community voted to elect secular delegates.

Two candidates run for the election of a Patriarch – Bishop Sahak Mashalyan and Archbishop Aram Ateshyan.

According to the final results of the December 8 voting, the delegates representing Mashalian received majority of votes -9008, where Ateshyan’s delegates received only 3529 votes.

The election of an Armenian Patriarch will take place on December 11. During the election day Mashalyan will have 89 secular delegates and Ateshyan – 12. On the election day these delegates will be joined by 17 spiritual delegates elected in advance.

After the voting Mashalyan met with his supporters at the Armenian church and thanked them for the support.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan