Sahak Maşalyan

The Armenian population in Turkey, which makes up the largest Christian community in the country, "resembles an iceberg melting in the sea" with its some 60,000 members, the newly elected Armenian Orthodox Patriarch of Istanbul has said.

Turkey's president received Sahak Maşalyan, head of Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, at the presidential complex, on Jan. 14.

The meeting was closed to press.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also hosted Maşalyan and congratulated him for being elected as the 85th Armenian patriarch in Turkey.

Çavuşoğlu wished the best for the Armenian community and Turkey.

Sahak Maşalyan (Mashalian), the 85th Patriarch of Turkey's Armenians, was enthroned as Sahak II in a ceremony held at the Surp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchate Church in Istanbul on Jan 11.

Born in 1962 in Istanbul with the Turkish name Şahin Maşalı, he was ordained a priest in 1992, receiving the name Sahak.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey declared its support for the Turkish army in Operation Peace Spring on Sept. 11. Sahak Maşalyan, head of Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, spoke to the press in Istanbul about the ongoing operation.