Turkish-Armenians disagree on the issue of electing a new patriarch of the Turkish-Armenian Apostolic Church in light of Mesrob II's illness, the Turkish Haber7 television channel reported today.
Doctors prescribed bed rest to the current Armenian patriarch this week.
Some circles in the patriarchate claim that Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, who heads the Spiritual Board, should replace the patriarch, while another group of Armenians and the Armenian Agos weekly are in favor of electing a new patriarch.
After several months of disputes, the Istanbul municipality appointed Ateshyan as the deputy patriarch. Such a post does not exist in the hierarchy of the Armenian Church.