Monastery of saint thaddeus
The Monastery of Saint Thaddeus is an ancient Armenian monastery in the mountainous area of West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. It is believed to be one of the oldest church buildings in the world.
Also known as Kara Kilise (the "Black Church") , it is located about 20 kilometers from the town of Chaldiran. The monastery and its distinctive Armenian conical roofs are visible from long distances.
The Monastery is site of the Pilgrimage of St. Thaddeus which in 2020 was added by UNESCO to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
History and architecture
According to the tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Saint Thaddeus, also known as Saint Jude, (not to be confused with Judas Iscariot), evangelized the region of Armenia and Persia. According to Moses of Khorenatsi, an Armenian historian writing in the 5th century, Thaddeus suffered martyrdom in Armenia under King Sanatruk, 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, with another source placing the fondation 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 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 western extension to the church.
The western extension duplicates the design of Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church.The 19th century additions were constructed from ashlar sandstone. The earliest sections are of 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.
