Elections for the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Armenian Apostolic Church will be conducted from December 23 to 25, Very Rev. Fr. Papken Anoushian—who is one of the candidates—informed during a press conference on Friday.

The other candidates are Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Archbishop Nurhan Manukian, and Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.     

In Fr. Anoushian’s words, the Patriarch will be selected by the Congregation members, which currently comprises 34 members of the Armenian clergy. 

To note, Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, had passed away on October 12 at the age of 93. Following his death, the General Assembly of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem had elected Archbishop Aris Shirvanian as Patriarchal Locum Tenens of the Patriarchate.