mass deportations of its Armenian population and the Armenian genocide. In this critical period, the post of the Patriarch remained vacant from 1915 to 1919 to be restored for a brief period from 1919 to 1922 with Patriarch Zaven I Der Yeghiayan residing. Four Armenian Patriarchs served under the rule of the Young Turks. After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, and despite a huge diminution in the number of its faithful during the Armenian genocide, the patriarchate remains the spiritual head of the largest Christian community presently living in Turkey. Today, the Armenian Patriarchs are recognized as the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Turkey and he is invited to state ceremonies. Five Armenian Patriarchs have served after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. The last patriarch Mesrob II (Mutafyan) (Մեսրոպ Բ. Մութաֆեան) was retired by the synod on October 26, 2016, because of his illness which continued more than 7 years. A new patriarch was due to be elected. On 11 December 2019, Sahak II Mashalian was elected new patriarch. See also List of Armenian Patriarchs of Constantinople Armenians in the Ottoman Empire Armenian Apostolic Church Armenians in Istanbul Notes References External links Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople Gandzasar Monastery, Nagorno Karabakh Christianity in the Ottoman Empire