Istanbul-Armenians to elect new religious leader

The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople  (Istanbul) has announced a plan to disable Patriarch Mesrob Mutafian from duties.

In a statement published on its official website, the Patriarchate says they are now preparing for the new religious leader’s eelction.

Mutafian has not been the Armenian community's de-facto patriarch since falling into a coma in 2008. Archbishop Aram Ateshian, who was elected by the state (instead of the community), has been fulfilling his functions ever since.