Iranians Celebrating Christmas
Iranian Christians:
Most Christians in Iran have ancestors from Armenia, a country north of Iran, or Assyria, an ancient land that once stood to the west. However, there are at least 10,000 Iranian Christians. Mainly Gregorian Armenians, living in the capital, Tehran, as well as major Christian communities in Isfahan, Tabriz, Urmia (Rezaeiyeh) and many other Iranian cities. Even the Shiite holy city of Mashhad once had an Armenian Christian community. There are still quite a few left there, but in too small a number to be called a community. Several picture galleries on major news agencies such as ISNA, show people during Christmas shopping in Iran. And it is not just for Christians, as most young Iranians find celebrating Christmas fashionable and an opportunity to enjoy and celebrate life and love.