An Introduction To Irans Armenian Christian Community

Iran is home to many ethnic minorities, among them Armenians. Just take a stroll through one of these neighborhoods in Tehran or other cities, and you’ll be met with stores and café signs in both Persian and Armenian. Read on to discover a brief introduction to Iran’s largest Christian minority population.
Armenians have been in Iran for centuries, and their presence dates back to the Persian Empire. The modern-day Armenian Republic was once part of Iran during the Qajar era until 1828, making it one of the largest populations until the 20th century. These days, the exact number of those with Armenian ancestry in Iran is unclear as statistics tend to combine them with Assyrians, Catholics, Protestants, and Evangelicals, but the majority of the estimated 150,000 Christians living in Iran are thought to be Armenian, thereby making them the largest of the Christian minority. Compared to about 50 years ago, though, this community has greatly diminished, mainly due to emigration, as many left for North American and Europe after the Revolution of 1979.

In present-day Iran, the Iranian-Armenian community is generally concentrated in and around Tabriz, the Jolfa quarter of Esfahan, and Tehran, which is home to the largest population. In the capital, there are famous neighborhoods where the Armenian heritage is vibrantly seen through its stores and churches, but at no time is it felt more strongly than during the Christmas celebrations. Similar to Orthodox Christians, Iranian-Armenians celebrate Christmas on the Epiphany on January 6th, and the days leading to the festivities are full of excitement around these areas which are full of decorated trees, nativity scenes, and Santa Clauses. Municipal authorities have even put up banners in recent years celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Many of the oldest Armenian churches, monasteries, and chapels also lie in Iran. Three of these churches concentrated in the East and West Azerbaijan provinces—St. Thaddeus Monastery, Chapel of Dzordzor, and St. Stepanos Monastery—were established between the 7th and 14th centuries and are among those that make up the UNESCO-listed Armenian Monastic Ensembles.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.