History Christianity in Iran

qara kelissa, west azarbaijan. believed have been first built in 66 ad saint jude. local armenians believe , simon both buried here. in 1329, church reconstructed after earthquake destroyed structure in 1319.

according acts 2:9 in acts of apostles there persians, parthians , medes among first new christian converts @ pentecost. since there has been continuous presence of christians in iran.

during apostolic age, christianity began establish throughout mediterranean. however, quite different semitic christian culture developed on eastern borders of roman empire , in persia. syriac christianity owed preexistent jewish communities , aramaic language. language spoken jesus, and, in various modern eastern aramaic forms still spoken ethnic assyrian christians in iran, northeast syria, southeast turkey , iraq today (see assyrian neo-aramaic, chaldean neo-aramaic , senaya language).

from persian ruled assyria (assuristan), missionary activity spread eastern rite syriac christianity throughout assyria , mesopotamia, , there persia, asia minor, syria, caucasus , central asia, establishing saint thomas christians of india , nestorian stele , daqin pagoda in china.

early christian communities straddling roman-persian border in midst of civil strife. in 313, when constantine proclaimed christianity tolerated religion in roman empire, sassanid rulers of persia adopted policy of persecution against christians, including double-tax of shapur ii in 340s. christians feared subversive , possibly disloyal minority. in 5th century official persecution increased once more. however, reign of hormizd iii (457–459) serious persecutions grew less frequent , church began achieve recognised status. through battle of avarayr , out coming treaty example, empire s large amount of armenian subjects gained official right profess eastern christianity freely. political pressure within persia , cultural differences western christianity blame nestorian schism, in church of east labelled heretical. bishop of capital of sassanid empire, ctesiphon, acquired title first of catholicos, , patriarch independent of roman/byzantine hierarchy.

persia considered have been briefly officially christian. khosrau married christian wife, , son nushizad christian. when king taken ill @ edessa report reached persia dead, , @ once nushizad seized crown , made kingdom christian. rumour prove false, nushizad persuaded persons appear have been in pay of justinian endeavour maintain position. action of son distressing khosrau; necessary take prompt measures, , commander, ram berzin, sent against rebels. in battle followed nushizad mortally wounded , carried off field. in tent attended christian bishop, mar aba i, , bishop confessed sincere repentance having taken arms against father, act which, convinced, never win approval of heaven. having professed himself christian died, , rebellion put down.

many old churches remain in iran days of christianity. assyrian church of mart maryam (st. mary) in northwestern iran, example, considered historians second oldest church in christendom after church of bethlehem in west bank. chinese princess, contributed reconstruction in 642 ad, has name engraved on stone on church wall. famous italian traveller marco polo described church in visit.

the arab islamic conquest of persia, in 7th century, beneficial christians protected minority under islam. however, 10th century religious tension led persecution once more. influence of european christians placed near eastern christians in peril during crusades. mid-13th century, mongol rule relief persian christians until mongols adopted islam. christian population gradually declined small minority. christians disengaged mainstream society , withdrew ethnic ghettos (mostly assyrian aramaic , armenian speaking). persecution against christians arose again in 14th century; when muslim warlord of turco-mongol descent timur (tamerlane) conquered persia, mesopotamia, syria, , asia minor, ordered large-scale massacres of christians in mesopotamia, persia, asia minor , syria. of victims indigenous assyrians , armenians, members of assyrian church of east , orthodox churches.

in 1445, part of assyrian aramaic-speaking church of east entered communion catholic church (mostly in ottoman empire, in persia). group had faltering start has existed separate church since consecration of yohannan sulaqa chaldean patriarch of babylon in 1553 pope. assyrian catholics in iran today members of chaldean catholic church. aramaic-speaking community remains independent assyrian church of east. both churches have smaller memberships in iran armenian apostolic church.

the number of christians in iran further boosted through various policies of subsequent kingdoms ruled 1501. example, in 1606 during ottoman-safavid war (1603-1618), king abbas resettled 300,000 armenians deeper within modern-day iran, establishing own quarter in then-capital isfahan, still largely christian armenian populated 4 centuries later; new julfa district. other hundreds of thousands of christian georgians , circassians furthermore deported , resettled during same safavid era including qajar era within iran, although both communities exclusively muslim nowadays.

in 18th , 19th centuries, protestant missionaries began evangelize persia. work directed towards supporting extant churches of country while improving education , health care. unlike older, ethnic churches, these evangelical protestants began engage ethnic persian muslim community. printing presses produced religious material in various languages. persians subsequently converted protestantism , churches still exist within iran (using persian language).

in 20th century, once again iran s stable , extant christian population boosted due effects of assyrian genocide , armenian genocide, many tens of thousands of refugees poured in. however, both massacres drastically negatively affected iran s christian population ottoman troops crossed iranian border in later stages of world war i, , massacred many tens of thousands of armenians , assyrians within iran s borders well, in west azerbaijan province, adjacent provinces. vibrant, huge , millennia old native christian communities in these parts of iran virtually shattered ottoman actions, being reduced formerly composing majorities in of regions, little though noticeable surviving community. prior world war , assyrian genocide, urmia 40-50% christian, example. nowadays, number same city lies @ 1-2%.

in 1918, during persian campaign, half of assyrians of persia died of turkish , kurdish massacres , related outbreaks of starvation , disease. 80 percent of assyrian clergy , spiritual leaders had perished, threatening nation s ability survive unit.