On January 11, 2020, His Grace Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Canada, attended the enthronization of His Beatitude Sahak Mashalian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, held at Istanbul’s Sourp Asdvadzadzin (Holy Virgin) Armenian Cathedral.
Patriarch Mashalian was elected as the 85th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople on December 11, 2019.
The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, established in 1461, is one of the four hierarchical sees of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church. The other three are the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual centre of all Armenians and the residence of Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia; and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.