QARE KELISA REPLICA READY FOR DISPLAY
Iran Mania, Iran
Aug. 27, 2006
LONDON, August 28 (IranMania) – A replica of Qare Kelisa (Black
Church) in Maku, West Azarbaijan province, which was renovated by
Tehran Municipality’s Cultural and Artistic Organization in a period
of over 40 years, will go on public display at Imam Ali Museum of
Religious Arts, according to IRNA.
Reporting this on Friday, the museum’s Public Relations Department
said that the replica was founded in the 1960s and was modeled on
the original design of the historical structure.
The church, which is also known as Saint Tadi, is located in Qare
Kelisa village, a suburb of Seyyed Cheshmeh in Maku.
Qare Kelisa consists of two distinct sections namely; Black Church
and White Church, which is bigger and newer than the former.
The Armenians affiliated to ‘Qare Kelisa’, which is also known as St.
Thaddeus Cathedral, believe that the church is the first that was
built upon the order of Jesus Christ’s disciples.
Since the Armenians consider martyrdom as a great blessing for
humanity, they hold a ceremony in Qare Kelisa to mark the martyrdom
anniversary of Saint Tadi and his Christian followers.