Cultural Heritage News, Iran
April 8 2007

Initial File of St. Thaddeus Church Accepted by UNESCO

St. Thaddeus Church The file of St. Thaddeus Cathedral, also known
as Qara Kelisa which was submitted to UNESCO has attracted the
approval of the experts of this international organization its
initial phase.

Tehran, 8 April 2007 (CHN Foreign Desk) — The dossier of the Church
of Saint Thaddeus, locally known as Qara Kelisa in the Iranian
northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, which was prepared by
experts of Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO)
in an attempt to inscribe this ancient monument in UNESCO’s list of
World Heritage Sites in 2008 has been accepted by experts of UNESCO
in the initial phase.

Qara Kelisa had previously been put up by Iran for UNESCO world
registration in 2007, however due to lack of substantial documents
including those pertaining to the value of the building and maps of
its precincts, the Organization turned down the application

Announcing this news, Mohammad Hassan Khademzadeh, head of research
centers of Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization in all
Iranian provinces told CHN that the representatives of the
International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) will pay a
visit to this historic church to study its situation in two weeks and
then a team of UNESCO’s experts will come to Iran within a few months
in order to see the condition of Qara Kelisa and the other historical
churches in the province such as St. Stepanous Cathedral in Khoy and
Zoorzoor Church in Chaldoran as annexes to St. Thaddeus Cathedral for
being registered in list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites.

Khademzadeh believes that Iran has made a lot of effort to prepare
all required conditions for St. Thaddeus world registrations and
expressed hope that if nothing extraordinary happens, this ancient
church to be registered as the 9th Iranian historical site in list of
UNESCO’s World Heritage sites.

The Thaddeus Church, locally known as Qara Kelisa or the Black Church
is considered one of the oldest churches in the world, whose
construction began 1700 years ago. Historians believe that the Church
is the tomb of Thaddeus who is said to have been one of Christ’s
disciples who traveled to Armenia, then part of the Persian Empire,
for preaching the teachings of Christ.

Today the church is known as Qara Kelisa and belongs to the Armenian
community of Iran. It has an international reputation and hosts
annual meetings of world Armenians each year in July-August. Enjoying
special features such as antiquity, its unique architectural style,
as well as its religious importance among the world Armenians and the
rituals which are held annually in this church has made Qara Kelisa
worthy for being inscribed in list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Soudabeh Sadigh

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