Monastery of Saint Thaddeus

{{about|an Armenian monastery in Iran|the church in Armenia|St. Thaddeus Church, Ddmashen}}

{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site

| WHS = Monastery of Saint Thaddeus
{{nobold|Սուրբ Թադեոս վանք}}

| image = Northwestthaddes.jpg

| image_upright = 1.2

| caption =

| official_name =

| location = Qareh Kelisa, Chaldoran County, Iran

| part_of = Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran

| criteria = {{UNESCO WHS type|(ii), (iii), (vi)}}(ii), (iii), (vi)

| ID = 1262

| coordinates = {{coord|39|5|32|N|44|32|40|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| year = 2008

| area = {{convert|40|ha|sqmi|abbr=on}}

| buffer_zone = {{convert|311|ha|sqmi|abbr=on}}

| locmapin = Iran

| map_caption =

}}

The Monastery of Saint Thaddeus ({{Langx|hy|Սուրբ Թադէոսի վանք}}, Surb Tadeosi vank; {{langx|fa|کلیسای تادئوس مقدس}}, Kelisā-ye Tādeus moghadas) The "Holy Tadeosi Cathedral" is an ancient Armenian monastery in a mountainous area of West Azerbaijan province, Iran. It is believed to be one of the oldest church buildings in the world.

Also known as Kare Kilisa (the "Stone made Church"){{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kuNpj2UcuFMC&q=Ghara+Kelisa&pg=PA157|title=The Many Faces of Iran|isbn=9782867701535|last1=Korbendau|first1=Yves|last2=Parker|first2=Claire|last3=McElhearn|first3=Kirk|date=2008 |publisher=ACR Editions |location=Paris}} (Kare in Armenian translates to "stone," and Kelisa is the Persian word for "church"), this historic site is located approximately 20 kilometers from the town of Chaldiran in Iran, in the region historically referred to as Ancient Armenia in the East.{{cite web|url=http://armenianstudies.csufresno.edu/iaa_architecture/thaddeus.htm |title=St Thaddeus Monastery |website=Index of Armenian Art: Armenian Architecture |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610193536/http://armenianstudies.csufresno.edu/iaa_architecture/thaddeus.htm |archive-date=2010-06-10 }}{{cite book |title=Jude: A Pilgrimage to the Saint of Last Resort |first=Liz |last=Trotta |isbn=9780060682743 |date=1998 |publisher=Harper Collins |location=San Francisco}} The monastery and its distinctive Armenian conical roofs are visible from long distances.{{cite web|url=http://www.armenica.org/cgi-bin/armenica.cgi?552636107118755=2=ba=1====baz0010===|title=Thadeus Monastery|website=Armenica.org}}

The Monastery is the site of the Pilgrimage of St. Thaddeus which in 2020 was added by UNESCO to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.{{Cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/pilgrimage-to-the-st-thaddeus-apostle-monastery-01571|title = UNESCO - Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery}}

History and architecture

File:Map of Qara Kelisa.gif

According to the tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Saint Thaddeus, also known as Saint Jude, evangelized the region of Armenia and Persia.{{cite book |last=McBirnie |first=William Steuart |title=The Search For the Twelve Apostles |publisher=Tyndale Momentum |location=Wheaton Ill. |date=1973 |pages=154–157 |isbn=9780842358392 }} According to Moses of Khorenatsi, an Armenian historian writing in the 5th century, Thaddeus suffered martyrdom in Armenia under King Sanatruk,{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=Executive Summary: The Armenian Monastic Ensembles in Iranian Azarbayjan |url=https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/nominations/1262.pdf |access-date=26 April 2022 |website=UNESCO}} and is revered as an apostle of the Armenian Church. Legend has it that a church dedicated to him was first built on the present site, also the site of his tomb, in AD 66,[https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/nominations/1262.pdf The Armenian Monastic Ensembles in Iranian Azarbayjan], UNESCO, 2007 with another source placing the foundation in AD 239 by St. Gregory the Illuminator. Another tradition states that Thaddeus built a monastery at the site for his followers, who buried him there upon his death. The exact date of construction is unknown.

The monastery was damaged in 1231, during the Mongol invasion of Armenia, and the Persian Empire, and again in 1242.

Little remains of the monastery's original structure, as it was extensively rebuilt after an earthquake damaged it in 1319, during which 75 monks died. Nevertheless, some of the parts surrounding the altar apse date from the 7th century.

Much of the present structure dates from 1811, when the Qajar prince Abbas Mirza aided renovations and repairs. Simeon, Father Superior of the monastery, added a large narthex-like real Armenian architecture, west extension to the church.

The west extension duplicates the design of Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church.{{cite book |author1=Patrick Donabédian |author2= Jean-Michel Thierry |title=Armenian Art |location=New York |publisher=Harry N Abrams |date=1989 |page=308 |isbn=978-0810906259}} The 19th century additions were constructed from ashlar Ashlar masonry stone. The earliest sections are black and white stone.

In July 2008, the Monastery of Saint Thaddeus was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List, along with two other Armenian monuments in the same province: the Monastery of Saint Stepanos and the Chapel of Dzordzor.{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1262/ |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}

File:Zakariya church-West Azerbaijan 001.jpg

Notable details

= Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew =

According to Armenian Church tradition, the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew traveled through Armenia in AD 45 to preach the word of God, where many people were converted and numerous secret Christian communities were established.

The ancient Christian historian Moses of Khorene told the following story, considered a legend by most modern historiographers.{{cite book|first=David |last=Wilmshurst|title=The Martyred Church: A History of the Church of the East|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zfxNtwAACAAJ|year=2011|publisher=East & West Publishing Limited|isbn=978-1-907318-04-7|pages=7–9}}

Thaddeus converted King Abgar V of Edessa. After his death, the Armenian kingdom was split into two parts. His son Ananun crowned himself in Edessa, while his nephew Sanatruk ruled in Armenia. About AD 66, Ananun gave the order to kill Saint Thaddeus in Edessa. The king's daughter Sandokht, who had converted to Christianity, was martyred with Thaddeus. Her tomb is said to be located near the monastery.

= Events =

The annual ceremony and pilgrimage in the St. Thaddeus Monastery was held 14–16 July 2016. It was held by the Armenian Diocese of Atrpatakan. In December 2020, UNESCO added the pilgrimage to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Gallery

Qareh kelissa.jpg|The compound

Ghara kilisa(2).jpg

Armenian Monastery of Saint Thaddeus - closeup.jpg|The monastery

Qara kelisa iran.jpg|Another view of the monastery

Eastern facade detail of the opening.jpg

Closer view of the domes.jpg

Facade detail 22.jpg

Gara Kelisa 17.jpg

Gara Kelisa 18.jpg

Bell tower and northern facade.jpg

Bell tower and western facade.jpg

Bell tower from north.jpg

Detail of northern apse.jpg

Gara Kelisa 8.jpg

Detail of the south east column of the bell tower.jpg

Detail of the south west column of bell tower.jpg

Detail st michel qara kelisa iran.jpg

Facade detail 07.jpg

Facade detail 11.jpg

Monastery of Saint Thaddeus 13.jpg

Facade detail 19.jpg

Detail croix qara kelisa iran.jpg|Details of craftsmanship

25005251 196656597558717 9211796447157026816 n 05.jpg

Gara Kelisa 10.jpg

Gara Kelisa 13.jpg

Gara Kelisa 12.jpg

Gara Kelisa 11.jpg

9080339-HDR.jpg

Interieur qara kelisa iran.jpg|Interior view

9080314-HDR-2.jpg

File:Armenian Monastery of Saint Thaddeus - panorama.jpg|Panoramic view from the outside

References

External links

[https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1262 UNESCO World Heritage: Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran]
[http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Thaddeus_Monastery Thaddeus Monastery at Armeniapedia]
[http://www.armenica.org/armenica.cgi?=2=1====baz0010 St Thaddeus at Armenica.org]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20100610193536/http://armenianstudies.csufresno.edu/iaa_architecture/thaddeus.htm Armenian Architecture studies]
Hamid-Rezā Hosseini, Sound of the Ancient Bell, in Persian, Jadid Online, October 31, 2008, [http://www.jadidonline.com/story/31102008/frnk/iran_qara_church آواى ناقوس کهن | جدید آنلاین]
A shorter English version: Iran's World Heritage Monastery, Jadid Online, December 25, 2008: [http://www.jadidonline.com/story/25122008/frnk/iran_qara_church_eng Iran’s World Heritage Monastery | جدید آنلاین]
Slide show (with English subtitles): [http://www.jadidonline.com/images/stories/flash_multimedia/Iran_qara_church_eng_test/qara_high.html Untitled Document] (5 min 41 sec)