 Archbishop Aram Ateşyan had been the Locum tenens (Pokhanort in Armenian) since 2010 because of ill health of the Patriarch.On 26 October 2016, Mesrob Mutafyan was retired by the synod because of his illness which had continued for more than 7 years.As tensions escalated leading to the resignation of head of Patriarchate's Religious Council Bishop Shahak Mashalian, Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians summoned the lead clerics including Ateşyan, Mashalian and Bekdjian from Istanbul to Etchmiadzin for a mediated solution in February 2017.