The Vank Cathedral was one of the first churches to be established in Isfahan by Armenian immigrants settled by Shah Abbas I after the Ottoman War of 1603-05.Posted on 01/02/2011 5:59:20 PM PST by sionnsar
The Vank Cathedral was one of the first churches to be established in Isfahan by Armenian immigrants settled by Shah Abbas I after the Ottoman War of 1603-05.
Church construction is believed to have begun in 1606, and completed with major alterations to design between 1655 and 1664 under the supervision of Archbishop David.
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Vank means “cathedral” in the Armenian language.
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The cathedral consists of a domed sanctuary, much like a Persian mosque, but with the significant addition of a semi-octagonal apse and raised chancel usually seen in western churches. The cathedral’s exteriors are in relatively modern brickwork and are exceptionally plain compared to its elaborately decorated interior.
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The interior is covered with fine paintings and gilded carvings and includes a wainscot of rich tile work. The delicately blue and gold painted central dome depicts the Biblical story of creation of the world and man’s expulsion from Eden.
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The cathedral has greatly influenced the architecture and decorative treatment of many subsequent and smaller Orthodox churches in the entire Persian-Mesopotamian region.
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At a corner of the large courtyard of the cathedral, offices and halls have been built to accommodate guests, the Esfahan archbishop and his retinue, as well as other important Armenian religious hierarchy in Iran.
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The church compound also includes a museum that is located in a separate building. The museum displays preserved historical records and relics, and the edicts of Iranian kings dating back to the time of Shah Abbas the First. It also contains an interesting collection of art work.
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Esfahan has other historical churches, the most important of which is the Church of Beit-ol Lahm (Bethlehem) at Nazar Avenue. There are also the Saint Mary church at Jolfa Square and the Yerevan church in the Yerevan area.
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Vank is also known as The Church of the Saintly Sisters.
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Armenian Diaspora
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Jolfa in Isfahan – Armenian Churches and Armenians in Iran
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Photo Sources: Amirmassoud Abri from IIPA & Azizallah Moshfeghi from Bornanews
Orthodox ping
Awesome....I’m speechless....God Bless and protect them!
Kolokotronis, thanks for the ping.
Beautiful!
Thanks.
You are all so welcome. Christianity survives in so many adverse societies — we really do not know how easy we have it here; some of those pictured here may well die for their faith.
I think that was dated 2008. Not much Christian in it, outside of the Madonna and child graphic, but much about the "trappings" of Christmas.
The "tolerance" of Christianity throughout the predominantly-Muslim world does seem to be in major decline.
Valentine's now? Let's see how well that works out...
Thanks for the ping.
In 2007 & 2008, Iranian authorities, also, shut several shops selling Valentine’s Day products, saying they were an insult to Islam...
“By ASSOCIATED PRESS, Cupid beware: Iran says it’s cracking down on the symbols of Valentine’s Day.
The annual homage to romance on Feb. 14 has become popular in recent years in Iran and other places in the Middle East.
But Iran’s semiofficial ILNA news agency reports Sunday that a state directive now bans any cards, gifts, teddy bears or other tokens of the day — which tradition says is named after an early Christian martyr.
The backlash in the Islamic Republic is part of a drive against the spread of Western culture..........” (Jan 2, 2011)
http://www.iranpressnews.com/english/source/089796.html
BTW, there is an ancient Iranian, partly pre-Zoroastrian, celebration, which can be considered almost an equivalent of Valentine’s Day. It is called Spandarmaz, Sepandarmaz or Sepandarmazgan. It is, nowadays, usually celebrated at the end of the Persian month of Bahman around Feb 18 or 19. Although, it used to part of Espandgan (persian month of Esfand) in the old Zoroastrian calendar. I don’t think it is well known among most Iranians, only mostly Zoroastrian Iranians.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepandarmazgan
http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/1047918
Ditto.
They are brave Christians.
The Armenians are tolerated because they don’t proselytize. Even if the mullahcracy were not so brutal-—they just don’t seek converts. The same for the tiny Zoroastrian community as well. There is an undergroud Evangelical church in Iran which is bitterly persecuted. I have seen documentaries on You Tube (a few years old at last viewing)
Also, most Iranian Armenians, although do not hold Armenian citizenship & are Iranians, because of religious, and many cultural ties to Armenia, are tolerated by the mullahcracy - Armenia, following the demise of USSR, has been a key trading partner of the Mullahs’ regime.
The number of Iranian Armenians is no longer in millions in Iran. Latest I’ve heard & read is significantly less due to immigration to other countries particularly the U.S., and discrimination, similar to other religious minorities in Iran by the regime.
In fact, the largest non-Shia-muslim community in Iran are the Bahais (approx. 500,000).
It is true about the persecution of the underground Evangelical church in Iran. But, the Iranian authorities, VERY OFTEN, employ more subtle means of persecution thru discrimination such as social & economic pressures against religious & ethnic communities in Iran. For example, forcing children in Christian schools to the read the Koran (Quran), not permitting ANY religious minority group to have any tv or radio or public broadcast of their religious beliefs, inheritance taxes that discriminate against non-moslems vs. moslems, discrimination in employment, entering universities, housing, social services, and the list continues....
BTW, for obvious reasons, the Zoroastrian Community in Iran may not ‘seek’ converts, but does, most definitely, accept them. The Zoroastrian community that has been mostly against conversion to Zoroastrianism is the Parsi (Zoroastrian) Community in India - even so, the Parsi community has been open & accepting in the recent decade, but has its ‘Orthodox’ sub-group against conversion to Zoroastrianism.
inheritance taxes = inheritance laws
ping to #30 & 31.
Thought you might be interested in some other real parts of today’s Iran.
Thanks. I’m surprised at the number of Bahais, though. I’m given to understand Muslims really hate them.
Actually, I should correct the actual no. - it is 300,000, not 500,000, but still the largest non-muslim religious community in Iran today.
“Last updated: 20 December 2010
Note: This report is provided as a service to news media and others desiring current information about the Baha’is in Iran. All details have been verified by the Baha’i International Community.
Words in italics have been altered or added since the previous update on 2 December.
The Baha’i community of Iran, numbering about 300,000 people, is the largest non-Muslim religious minority in the country.”
http://news.bahai.org/human-rights/iran/iran-update/
My wife and I attended a Christmas/? party mostly of local Iranian Baha'is a few years back. A very pleasant evening, though when it came time to sing/perform something for the group we were stumped -- until we thought of singing the Gaelic waulking song "An Toll Dubh." Completely appropriate? Not entirely sure. (It's linked to cultural repression, and surely the Bahai's know that.) But it's a rousing song (there's a but of a joke in that).
It's certain that we were the only ones in the room who understood the words.
I would dearly love to visit Iran, but not until they get a new government.
I’ve to brush up on my Gaelic since part of my heritage is Irish (Republic of Ireland). As far as I know “An Toll Dubh” (Scottish gaelic?) means “the Dungeon”? >>”Completely appropriate?”<< Don’t know, but interesting connotations & reference ... I guess you know that Bahá’u’lláh was imprisoned in a dungeon in Tehran in the mid 19th century..
You are correct. Literally it is “the black hole” but means “the dungeon.”
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