National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan Visits Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Meets with Community and Media Representatives

ISTANBUL — Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan visited the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople on April 18, where he met with His Beatitude Sahak II Mashalian to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

According to a statement from the Patriarchate, Patriarch Mashalian expressed concern over what he described as “unproductive tensions” between the Armenian Church and state authorities over the past year. He voiced hope that these issues would soon be resolved, leading to renewed harmony and cooperation between the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Government of Armenia.

Patriarch Mashalian also emphasized the importance of ensuring the steady development of relations between Turkey and Armenia, highlighting the need to establish and strengthen diplomatic ties in the future.

During the visit, Alen Simonyan, accompanied by the Patriarch, visited the Surp Asdvadzadzin Church and toured the Patriarchate complex.

Following the visit, Simonyan met with representatives of Armenian media outlets operating in Istanbul, including Jamanak, Marmara, Agos, Loys Media, Paros magazine, and TET Ajanda.

During the meeting, the Speaker provided updates on Armenia’s domestic political developments and foreign policy priorities, while also responding to questions from journalists.