The Great Old Churches of Iran

As Christmas approaches, IranWire takes a look at four of Iran’s oldest churches.

The Church of Ghare Kelisa

This church was built by Armenians living south of Makou, 20 kilometers north of Chaldoran and near a village of the same name.

The church was originally black— “ghare” in Azeri — due to the color of the stones used to construct it, but over the years, and after a number of refurbishments, parts of the church now appear white.

The Ghare Kelisa is thought to have been built by apostles and 3,500 Christians during the Parthian Empire (247 BC-224 AD). The church is also known by the name “Tataoos.”

St. Stepanos Monastery

The Armenian monastery of St. Stepanos is located in a deep canyon about 15 kilometers northwest of the city of Jolfa in East Azerbaijan Province, northeast Iran.

It was built in the 9th century and rebuilt in the Safavid era (1501-1722) after enduring damage from several earthquakes.

Holy Mary Church

The Holy Mary Church, also know as ZoorZoor, is located in West Azerbaijan province, 12 kilometres north of the Ghare Kelissa Church.

Holy Mary was originally erected next to a river, but, during major development work in the area, it was moved to higher ground to avoid floods.

Holy Savior Cathedral

The Holy Savior Cathedral, also known as Vank Cathedral or the Church of the Saintly Sisters, is located in Isfahan, Iran’s third largest city. “Vank” means "monastery" or "convent" in Armenian.

It was one of the first places of Christian worship set up in the Jolfa district of the city, and was founded by Armenian deportees displaced during the Ottoman War (1603-1605). The cathedral, with its range of architectural influences, reflects the rich heritage and diversity of the city, which was home to settlers from around the world.