Election of değabah starts

The election started at 3 pm in the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul. Electing the değabah is considered as the first step of patriarchal election. Elected by clerics, değabah is responsible for managing the election process as planned. 

30 clerics who are the members of Clerical Assembly will vote in the election. 

It was expected that General Vicar of the Patriarch Aram Ateşyan, Bishop Sahak Maşalyan and Armenian Primate of Germany Archbishop Karekin Bekçiyan will be candidates. However, Maşalyan, in a statement before the election, declared that he will withdraw for supporting Bekçiyan. Ateşyan is supposed to step down after the election. 

The result of the election is expected to be announced in the evening.