Interfaith Coexistence

Millions of Iranians paid tribute to the architect of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini on Tuesday on the 30th anniversary of his passing.

This legendary Vank Church in the Iranian city of Isfahan is also known as “Holy Saviour Cathedral and Church of the Saintly Sisters”.

The Saint Gregory the Illuminator (Surp Grigor Lusavoritch) Church in Tehran hosted hundreds of Iranian Christians on Sunday for the Easter celebrations.

Avvenire, an Italian newspaper affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, has run an advertisement of cultural and religious tours of Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says no power in the world can cause rift between the two neighbouring nations of Iran and Iraq.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has rejected the “hostile” and “hollow” remarks made by US Vice President Mike Pence likening Iran to the Nazi government.

Siamak Morreh-Sedgh, the representative of the Jewish community at the Iranian Parliament, says Jewish Iranians have been peacefully living along with other Iranian people for around 3,000 years now.

New Year celebrations for Christians in Iran are different from those of Christians in other parts of the world. In Iran, the Christian culture has been mixed with the Iranian culture.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has expressed condolences on the demise anniversary of the ancient Iranian Prophet Zoroaster.

Homayoun Sameyah, the head of Tehran’s Jewish community, says Jews in Iran enjoy complete freedom and great facilities, as the Iranian government believes they are separated from Israel and its extremist ideology.

The first festival of “Yalda and Christmas” was held in the Iranian capital Tehran on the eve of the Yalda Night, the longest night of the year which has long been celebrated on the last night of autumn by Iranians since ancient times.

Armenians in Iran recently marked the Surp Minas Day in the Surp Minas Church of the capital Tehran, in a ceremony attended by Sepuh Sargsyan, the Archbishop of the Armenians of Tehran.

On the occasion of the birthday anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), about 400 different cultural programs and art events will be held across the Iranian capital from November 20 to November 25.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has strongly denounced a Friday terrorist attack on three buses carrying Egyptian Christians, which killed and wounded 26 people.

Iraq's top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has urged the Shiite forces of Hashd al-Sha’abi to sacrifice their lives to protect Sunni families who are under relentless attacks by ISIS, an Iranian official says.

A ceremony was recently held in Tehran’s St. Georg church in commemoration of St. George, during which the Eucharist rite was also performed.

A Zoroastrian cleric from the city of Yazd says the Iranian followers of Prophet Zoroaster highly respect the third Shiite Imam, Hussein Ibn Ali, because of his historic defence of the oppressed and the truth.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has condemned an anti-Iran statement released by foreign ministers participating in the US’ Religious Freedom Summit.

A top Zoroastrian cleric in Iran’s Isfahan province has dismissed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claims that religious minorities in Iran do not have freedom, saying that such statements are futile and groundless.

Iranian authorities have ruled that members of religious minorities living in the country can be elected as members of city and village councils, reaffirming an existing law that had been rejected by the Guardian Council.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has strongly denounced the recent racist law approved by the Israeli Knesset, which recognizes Jewish supremacy over Palestinians.

Ancient Zoroastrians believed the dead body should be put in particular structures to be feasted upon by birds of prey, because the burial or burning of the corpses would cause water and soil to become dirty, which is forbidden in the ancient religion.

Bishop Krikor Chiftjian, the Prelate of the Diocese of Iran’s East and West Azarbaijan provinces, has referred to Iran as a great model for peaceful coexistence among monotheistic religions in the world.

Intense preparations are underway by related Iranian organizations for holding the 64th annual religious ceremony of Armenians in Qara Kelisa or St. Thaddeus Complex in Chaldoran, northwest of Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has expressed condolences on the demise of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in the Roman Curia.