Qara Church

Qara Church the world’s first Christian church, is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historical and spiritual significance. This church is located about 20 kilometers northeast of the city of Chaldoran, near a village of the same name, in the south of Maku. The word “Qara” means “black” in Turkish. Historians from the 8th century AH sometimes refer to it as the church of Thaddeus and call it “Qara Kelisa” because the eastern part of the building is made of black stone. Thaddeus the Apostle, one of the disciples of Christ, came to the region of the Armenian Highlands to preach Christianity. In 66 AD, Thaddeus, along with St. Sandoukht, the daughter of the king, and some others who had converted to Christianity, were arrested by order of the Armenian king and were tortured and martyred. Thaddeus was buried in the current location of the church.

The main parts of the church include the main church, the bell tower, the entrance, the tower, the eastern courtyard, the western courtyard, and the warehouse. Qara Kelisa is significant not only among Iranian Armenians but also among Christians in other countries such as Syria, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Austria, France, and Armenia. In their religious ceremonies, people travel long distances to Qara Kelisa to worship at this sacred site.