An Iranian citizen journalist, who writes under a pseudonym to protect her identity, wrote the following article on the ground inside Iran.
Most people probably know that Armenians celebrate Christmas on a different day than most other Christians around the world. The majority of Christians, including many in Iran, celebrate Christmas on December 25. Armenians, however, celebrate Christmas on January 6.
“If you have an Armenian friend, remember that you should not call to wish him a ‘Merry Christmas’ on December 25, the day when all radios and TVs and newspapers talk about Christmas and congratulate Christian fellow citizens on the birth of Christ. There are no celebrations on December 25 in any Armenian home,” writes Iranian-Armenian documentary filmmaker Robert Safarian. “For Armenians, Christmas is on January 6, a day on which probably nobody calls them to wish them a Merry Christmas. Most Christians in the world, including Catholics, Protestants and some followers of Orthodox churches believe that Jesus Christ was born on December 25, but the Armenian church is an independent church.”
This year, as always, the Vank Cathedral, built in 1606 in Isfahan’s Christian Jolfa district, celebrated Christmas on January 6. The cathedral is one of the most important places of worship in the district, and a few days before the holiday, a number of Christmas trees and two statues of Santa Claus were installed in its courtyard. Also present was a live Santa Claus who took pictures with visitors and wished them a happy holiday.
Christmas is also visible in the streets and alleys around the cathedral. Most shops are decorated with Christmas trees, Santa Claus dolls and other new year decorations.
Babken Charian, the Armenian archbishop of Isfahan province and southern Iran, celebrates Holy Communion every year with other members of the church and the local congregation, gathering under the cathedral’s dome, which resembles the domes of many Iranian mosques.
The interior of the cathedral is covered with pleasing colors, tapestries and murals that depict stories about Jesus Christ and his disciples. Vank was also the first known publishing house in the Middle East and published its first book, the Psalms of David, in the 17th century. A copy can be found at Oxford's Bodleian Library.
“Historically, all churches in the world initially designated January 6 as the day when Jesus Christ was born and baptized,” says a Vank church official. “But for various reasons, in the fourth century the Catholic Church decided to move the date 10 days back to December 25. But Armenian and Orthodox churches kept to the original date and continue to celebrate Christ’s birthday and Baptism on that day.”
By custom and tradition, Armenians begin preparing for Christmas a month before January 1. Anybody who can afford it decorates his home, inside and out, for the coming celebrations.
When it comes to other Christian holidays, there are also differences between how different Christians celebrate. But when it comes to the new year, all Christians everywhere celebrate it the same way.
A ceremony of thanksgiving is held after midnight on January 1, and the archbishop recites new year’s prayers and asks for peace around the world. On the same day, religious leaders conduct the rites of the Eucharist.
On the evening of January 5 and the morning of January 6, Armenian churches celebrate the birth and the Baptism of Jesus Christ. The congregation receives communion.
Like other Iranians, Armenian Iranians spend the new year holiday visiting each other and exchanging gifts. This year on January 6, the mayor of Isfahan visited the Vank Cathedral and wished Archbishop Babken Charian and all Armenians a merry Christmas.
Melody Khachaturian, Citizen-Journalist, Isfahan
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