Saint Mary Church of Tabriz

Insert hall of Saint Mariy church of Tabriz.

The Saint Mary's Armenian church is an Armenian Christian church located in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. It is the largest and oldest Christian church in Tabriz and a notable centre for Armenian national and religious ceremonies held by the Armenian community of Tabriz. The church is located in the Dik Bashi district of Tabriz.

This church was built in the 6th century AH (12th century AD) and in his travel chronicles, Marco Polo, the famous Venetian traveler who lived during the 8th century AH (14th century AD), referred to this church on his way to China. For many years, Saint Mary's served as the seat of the Azarbaijan Armenian archbishop. It is a handsomely built edifice, with annex buildings sprawled over a large area. A board of Armenian peers governs the well-attended church.

External links

• Lonely Planet review for St Mary's Church

References

• Editorial Board, East Azarbaijan Geography, Iranian Ministry of Education, 2000 (High School Text Book in Persian)
• http://www.eachto.ir
• http://www.iranreview.org/content/Documents/Historical_Churches_in_Iran.htm