Ancient churches in Persia

The city of Urmia (Urmiyeh), in northwest of Iran, is considered one of the ancient cities of the country and a Cradle of christian civilization.

Mart Maryam Church - Urmia - 1st c.

Since establishing the Assyro-Chaldian Catholic patriarchy in Urmia and during the patriarchy of Mar Shimun 12th 1556-1662, faithful Assyrian Chaldian would worship together at the old St Mary Church, the only church in the city of Urmia at that time.

After Mar Shimun 12th death, Mar Shimun 13th separated from Eastern Assyro Chaldian (Catholic) church and returned to the old Eastern Church and moved his Patriarch seat to Ghochanos in the mountain of Hakkary. These changes in leadership and the increased number of parishioners in a small church belonging to Lazarian missionaries whom had arrived in Urmia 1841, urged the faithful parishioners to follow through their plans of building a new church.

This was the beginning of the history for the “St Mary the Mother of God” parish.

According to Fars Lazarian missionaries, chapter 3 Page. 429, written by Fr. Chautalier, the following is a brief history of the beginning of construction of the Catholic Church of Urmia. Highly ambitioned His Excellency Bishop Augustine Clozel, special ambassador of His Holiness Pope, started the prime construction of the Catholic Church of Urmia on (September 8th 1874- August 12th 1882).

After completion of the church, His Excellency’s next ambitious plan was to build grand Cathedral of Urmi. His objective was to build a structure as beautiful as grand Cathedral of St Givargis (St Georg) of Salamas known as pearl of Salamas Valley that was mesmerized by every visitor, even local Muslims.

The bloody civil war, which was in 1918 forced Christians to leave Urmia, many were hidden at the homes of their Muslim friends and neighbors and about 3000 Christians took refuge at St Mary Catholic Church of Urmia. Unfortunately, barbaric acts of rebels resulted in the massacre of women, children, young and old in the Church, including His Holiness Pope' representative Sontag on 31st of July,1918.

The Catholic Church of Urmia was consecrated on Jun 4th of 1954by His Excellency Mar Joseph Shaikhu, Tehran’s Archbishop Mar Zaia Dashtu, His Holiness Pope ambassador Forni and a huge enthusiastic Christian crowd from all over the city.

This church structure is considered to be the oldest existing church building in the world(with minor renovations).

The people of urmi is famous for their deep devotion to marth mariyam, Marthoma , St. Cyriacus (Mar Kuryakus).

List of other important churches

Holy Mary (Mart Maryam) Church - Urmia - 1st c.
St. Cyriacus (Mar Kuryakus) Church - Urmia - 18th c.
Holy Mary (Mart Maryam) Church - Urmia - CharBakhsh - 5th c.
St. Sarkis (Mar Sargiz) Church - 5 km SW of Urmia - Seir - 5th c.
Holy Mary (Mart Maryam) Church - 8 km E of Urmia - Golpashan.
Holy Mary (Mart Maryam) Church - 32 km E of Urmia - Mavana.
St. Daniel (Mar Danial) Church - 25 km N of Urmia - Nazlu River - 5th c. - destroyed in World War I, rebuilt
St. John (Mar Yokhnah) Church - 45 km N of Urmia - Jamalabad - 5th c.
St. John (Mar Yokhnah) Church - 40 km N of Urmia - Gavilan - 5th c.
St. Thomas (Mar Toma) Church - 30 km W of Urmia - Balulan - 7th c.
St. Cyriacus (Mar Kuryakus) Church - Salmas - Kohneshahr - 12th c.
Vank - 2 km S of Salmas - Khosrowabad - 5th c. - The Holy Cross of Jerusalem was kept here for a while.
St. George (Mar Gevargiz) Church - 2 km S of Salmas - Khosrowabad - 1845
Holy Mary (Mart Maryam) Church - Sehna
St. Thomas (Mar Toma) Church - Teheran (Amirabad) - 1967