St. Stephen's Church

St. Stephen's Church is the second most important church for Armenians after St. Thaddeus Church. It is located 17 kilometers west of Jolfa city, about 3 kilometers from the southern bank of the Aras River, in a place known as Qezel Vank, which means "Golden Monastery." This church was originally built in the 9th century but suffered significant damage from an earthquake. It was restored during the Safavid era. In 1962, during the Pahlavi period, it was registered as a national heritage site in Iran under the number 429. The church is situated in the border area between Jolfa and present-day Azerbaijan. St. Stephen's Church is highly respected by Christians, but it primarily belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Regardless, all Iranians, regardless of their ethnicity, nationality, or religion, hold this sacred place in high regard.

Name Origin of St. Stephen's Church

The church is named in honor of the first martyr of Christianity. Many Christian countries have churches named after him. Due to the extensive damage it has suffered over the centuries, it is also known in Armenian as "Kharaba Church," meaning "ruined church." St. Stephen, or Saint Stephen, is recognized as the first martyr of Christianity, who was stoned to death by Jews in Jerusalem on December 26, 36 AD.

History and Architectural Style

There are differing opinions regarding the construction date of this church. Some believe it dates back to the early Christian centuries, while others link it to the Safavid period. However, the architectural style, building materials, and interior decorations suggest it was built between the 10th and 12th centuries, around the same time as churches like Qara Kelisa. The architectural style is a blend of Urartian, Parthian, and Roman influences. After the construction of St. Stephen's Church, the Armenian architectural style became well-known through structures like the Cathedral of Echmiadzin in Armenia and Qara Kelisa. 

Building Features of St. Stephen's Church

The church is surrounded by a tall wall with seven watchtowers and five cylindrical stone turrets, resembling strong Sassanian fortresses. It is built in a natural and expansive area. The entrance gate is located in the middle of the western wall and features a wooden door reinforced with iron. On either side of the archway, stone carvers have created intricate reliefs depicting Mary and the infant Jesus. The exterior walls of the church are adorned with many reliefs illustrating Christian themes, such as the stoning of St. Stephen and the crucifixion and ascension of Jesus. The church consists of three main buildings and various auxiliary sections. The three main parts of this ancient structure are:

1. The main chapel
2. Daniel's Hearth
3. The bell tower

Main Chapel in St. Stephen's Church

The chapel measures 16 by 26 meters and has a beautifully crafted wooden entrance adorned with exquisite decorations on the western side. This precious door was likely made during the Qajar era and gifted to the church by Abbas Mirza, the son of Fath Ali Shah. The carvings on the bases, columns, and half-columns, as well as the arches, are exceptionally beautiful and are considered masterpieces of stone carving from that time. Reliefs of apostles, saints, and angels can be seen on the arches of the sixteen sides of the chapel's dome. The dome itself is pyramidal and features a 32-sided style placed on a star-shaped plan with sixteen points. Windows are placed alternately in the arches of the dome, and above each window, there is a relief of one of the apostles within a rectangular frame.

Above the entrance door, there is an inscription that dates the construction of the building to 1245 AH, mentioning the purchase of the village of Darreh Sham Jolfa by Abbas Mirza for 300 tumans from Mojabali Beg of Nakhchivan, and its donation to the church. This red inscription is located above the entrance door and is inscribed in Persian Nastaliq script. The interior of the church is basilica-shaped, consisting of two parts: the prayer hall and the altar. This prayer hall and altar were built during the Qajar era.

Bell Tower

The bell tower is located on a two-story porch connected to the southern wall of the church. It features an eight-sided pyramidal dome supported by eight cylindrical red stone columns with beautiful capitals. This structure was also restored by Abbas Mirza, and it is said that the bell was taken by Italians for repairs but was never returned. The arches between the columns are decorated with reliefs of angels, crosses, floral motifs, and eight-pointed stars. In the tower's courtyard, there are graves of prominent Christian figures. On the northern wall of this tower, which is part of the southern wall of the church, there are reliefs of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. In the courtyard of this tower, several graves can be seen, believed to belong to notable Christian figures.

Daniel's Hearth and Benjamin

This space is connected to the northern part of the church and measures 6 by 20 meters, divided into three equal sections. Daniel's Hearth, separated from the hall by a wall, is named after St. Daniel, a well-known saint from the 5th century. The central hall serves as a gathering space. At the eastern end of the hall is the baptismal area, featuring a raised platform with a stone baptismal table in the center. Next to the church, there is a religious school or monastery, considered a masterpiece of architecture, dating back 900 years. Four rooms were built around this area, with the upper floor serving as resting quarters for pilgrims and the lower floor for keeping their animals. This building is currently undergoing restoration. There are various opinions about the construction date of this building, but based on the motifs, architectural style, and decorations, it can be inferred that this church was built around the same time as the Holy Cross Church and Qara Kelisa. Around this church, many inscriptions have been installed, which will certainly help experts identify the individuals and communities that lived in this area.

In 2005, experts from the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, while restoring the building, discovered the bones of apostles among the arches of the church. According to historical documents and accounts, these bones were preserved in this church. Among the remains, several pieces of wood related to the boxes that held these bones, some yellow and brick-colored fabric, pieces of wax, ochre clay, and incense grains were also found. The Archbishop and the Armenian Patriarch of Tehran and Northern Iran considered the discovered bones valuable and suggested that they might belong to the body of Prophet John. Undoubtedly, this site is one of the most significant pieces of evidence for the existence of Christianity in Iran, making it a beautiful and fascinating place to visit. Visiting this site offers a glimpse into history that is very appealing and provides a unique experience for visitors. If you plan to travel to East Azerbaijan and have enough time, make sure to visit St. Stephen's Church. The specialized team at Sana Persian is ready to assist you, dear travelers, as soon as possible. Just contact Sana Persian, and you will receive a prompt response.

Our experts at Sana Persian treat you like family, and just one call to our team will ensure your questions are answered and your reservations for flights, transportation, accommodation, and meals are taken care of, whether before or during your trip. We look forward to seeing you in Iran, East Azerbaijan, and St. Stephen's Church very soon!