Patriarch Archbishop Sahak Mashalian
His Beatitude Archbishop Sahak Mashalian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople
His Beatitude Archbishop Sahak Mashalian (baptismal name Shahan) was born in 1962, in Istanbul, Turkey.
In 1983, he began to serve in the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
From 1983 to 1987, he studied at the Department of Philosophy of Istanbul University.
In 1986, he was ordained to the diaconate by His Beatitude Archbishop Shenork Kaloustian of Blessed Memory.
From 1989 to 1994, he studied at the University of London.
In 1992, he was ordained as a celibate priest by His Beatitude Archbishop Karekin Kazanjian, and given the priestly name of Sahak.
From 1994 to 1997, he served as the Dean of the Holy Translators Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
From 1997 to 1999, he continued his advanced education at the University of Dublin, Ireland.
From 1999 to 2005, he was the Head of the Inter-church and Inter-religious Relations Department of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople. He also served as a spiritual pastor to the Armenian faithful in Istanbul.
In 2005, he was called to serve as a guest lecturer at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Vaskenian Theological Academy at Lake Seven in Armenia. He taught "Introduction and Interpretation of the New Testament".
In April 2006, he defended his doctoral thesis entitled "Belief and Miracle", and received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) by Archbishop Shahan Svajian, in the St. Mesrop Church of Oshakan.
From 2007 to 2010, he served as the Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary.
On August 24, 2008, Father Sahak was consecrated as a Bishop by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 2011, he was appointed to serve as the Chairman of the Religious Council of the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul.
On 04 July 2019, His Grace Bishop Sahak Mashalian, the Chairman of the Religious Council of the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul; was elected to serve as a patriarchal Locum Tenens at the meeting being held in the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul.
On December 11, 2019, the National Parliamentary Assembly elected His Grace Bishop Sahak Mashalian as the 85th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople.
On January 11, 2020, the Enthronement ceremony of the newly elected Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople His Grace Bishop Sahak Mashalian was offered in the Holy Mother of God Cathedral of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
On the same day, His Beatitude was elevated to the rank of Archbishop by the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; in appreciation of his diligent service.
