Patriarch Archbishop Sahak Mashalian
Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople
His Beatitude Archbishop Sahak Mashalian was born in 1962 in Istanbul. Name at Baptism: Shahan.
In 1983, he began to serve at the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
From 1983 to 1987, he studied in the Department of Philosophy at Istanbul University.
In 1986, he was ordained to the diaconate by His Beatitude Archbishop Shenork Kaloustian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople.
From 1989 to 1994, he studied at the University of London.
In 1992, he was ordained a celibate priest by His Beatitude Archbishop Karekin Kazanjian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople.
From 1994 to 1997, he served as Dean of the Holy Translators Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
From 1997 to 1999, he continued his advanced studies at the University of Dublin, Ireland.
From 1999 to 2005, he served as Head of the Inter-Church and Inter-Religious Relations Department of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople. He also served as a spiritual pastor in the Armenian churches of Constantinople.
In 2005, he lectured on “Introduction and Interpretation of the New Testament” at the Gevorgian Theological Seminary at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Vaskenian Theological Academy.
On April 21, 2006, at the Mother See, he defended his doctoral thesis entitled “Belief and Miracle” and received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) from Archbishop Shahan Svajian at the St. Mesrop Church in Oshakan.
From 2007 to 2010, he served as Dean of the Gevorgian Theological Seminary.
In 2008, Father Sahak was consecrated a bishop by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 2011, he was appointed Chairman of the Inter-Church and Inter-Religious Relations Department of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
On July 4, 2019, His Grace Bishop Sahak Mashalian, Chairman of the Religious Council of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, was elected to serve as Patriarchal Locum Tenens at a meeting held at the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
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 His Beatitude Sahak Mashalian as the 85th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople was held at 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 through a Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, in appreciation of his diligent service.
