Merry Christmas from the cities of Iran

In this corona time, the Christmas atmosphere can be sensed in Tehran and Isfahan cities having the most Christian citizens. Majidiyeh, Ararat, Mirzai Shirazi, and Karim Khan are among Tehran’s most prominent Armenian neighbourhoods. Mainly famous for its numerous doll shops, Sanai neighbourhood, Mirzai Shirazi street becomes a beautiful Christmas market in December. Christmas is celebrated by Christian minorities in the Sanaa neighbourhood in Tehran. The Evangelical Church dedicated to Protestants locates on Mirzai Shirazi Street.

Artificial pine

In Germany, pine trees for Christmas are grown by farmers, and they are not related to environmental issues. As there is no pine tree planting industry in Iran and pine trees’ cutting is linked to environmental protection, people mostly use artificial and plastic pine.

Many world countries are asked to refrain from attending gatherings due to the Covid 19 pandemic. It is announced by the Armenian Caliphate Council of Isfahan and southern Iran that Armenian Christians, along with other Iranian compatriots, will not hold any New Year 2021 celebrations this year at Vank Church and the Julfa Armenian Quarter in Isfahan.

Christmas and inflation

Economic turmoil and high inflation have also affected Iranian Christians. There are limited possibilities for many families to celebrate and give gifts on New Year’s Eve.

Differences in the celebration date

Some Iranian Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25 and the New Year on January 1, while Armenians celebrate Christmas and the New Year simultaneously on January 6.

The Christian community of Iran

It is estimated by the International Christian Organization “Open Doors” that the population of Iranian Armenians is 475,000. Four hundred years ago, when Armenians entered Iran, there was no problem with practicing Christian beliefs. Based on the Catholic News Agency, novice Christians (born Muslim and have become Christians) are in grave danger in Iran.

Rising popularity among non-Christian Iranians

Christmas celebration is growing in popularity among non-Christian Iranians. Fars News Agency wrote in a report in 2019 that according to a survey, 90% of people buying Christmas pine are not Christians and about six billion tomans of pine trees have been sold in Tehran in recent days.”

Good news: Pilgrimage to Thaddeus, on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List

At the meeting on Thursday, December 17, 2020, the case of the pilgrimage to St. Thaddeus was jointly discussed by Armenia and Iran, and the judges of the committee unanimously agreed to register this ritual as an intangible human heritage. This church locates in West Azarbaijan province, Chaldoran district, and in Qara Kilisa village, 20 km northeast of Siahcheshmeh and 7 km north of Chaldoran-Qarah Zia-ud-Din road.

_{Source: DW Persian}

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