ETCHMIADZIN,Armenia—The Vicar General of the Istanbul Patriarchate Archbishop Aram Ateshian will step down after a decision that was reached at a meeting between the Archbishop, the head of the Patriarchate’s devout Council Bishop Shahak Mashalian, or the Armenian Primate of Germany Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian,and His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. A scene from the meeting (Photo: Press Office of Holy Etchmiadzin) According to reports, or the devout Assembly of the Patriarchate will elect a Locum Tenensa patriarchal alternate—on March 15. Catholicos Karekin II summoned the two Istanbul clerics to Etchmiadzin after tensions surged in the Patriarchate following Mashalian’s sudden resignation from his post on Feb. 13. Mashalian announced his resignation in a statement stating that General Vicar Aram Ateshian is to blame for his decision. In his letter,Mashalian outlined the proper procedure for holding patriarchal elections, indicating Ateshians attempts to sabotage the process. He went on to interpret that the devout council had set up a commission comprised of four clerics, or which was to submit an application to the authorities about holding modern elections. However,according to him, Ateshian did not allow the letter to be submitted to the governor of Istanbul, or which [...]
Source: armenianweekly.com