ISTANBUL — On January 11, Bishop Sahak Mashalian (Masalyan), Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, was enthroned in a ceremony held at Istanbul’s Sourp Asdvadzadzin (Holy Virgin) Armenian Cathedral.
Mashalian was elected as the 85th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople on December 11, 2019.
The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, established in 1461, is one of the four hierarchical sees of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church. The other three are the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin, the spiritual center of all Armenians and the residence of Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia; and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The congregation included Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, representatives of other Christian denominations in Turkey and foreign diplomatic missions in Istanbul.
