A famous Armenian church in Isfahan has again cancelled its popular Christmas celebrations due to purported “restoration work”.

Christmas decorations and a fireworks display on New Year’s Eve are an annual tradition at the Vank Church, drawing huge crowds.

But in a statement on its official website on Saturday, the church announced that “no special ceremonies or decorations” would be held this year, nor “touristic provisions”, due to works purportedly related to the church’s hopes of official recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Celebrations were also cancelled at Christmas three years ago, in the wake of the protests that swept the country following the death in custody of a young Kurdish woman, Jina (Mahsa) Amini, arrested for her “improper” hijab.

That year, too, the declared reason for the cancellation was “reconstruction work”, but the decision was viewed by some as a sign of solidarity with protesters. When Iranians attempted to congregate outside the church on New Year’s Eve, they were told to “move on” by armed police.

This year, the move has been seen by some as a reaction to growing interest in Christianity in Iran – and opposition to the regime – at a time when Iranians from non-Christian backgrounds may be drawn into the celebrations.

At Christmas 2023, the crowds outside the church shouted “Jesus, open the door!” – a reference, presumably, to the fact that most Iranians (aside from ethnic minorities) are not permitted to attend church services, nor are any permitted to take place in the national language of Persian.

On Christmas night in 2023, a poignant scene unfolded behind the Holy Savior Cathedral, affectionately known as the Vank, in the ancient city of Isfahan, Iran. Hundreds of Iranians, their hearts heavy with a blend of hope and disillusionment, stood together, their voices rising… pic.twitter.com/8QSdFzZemz

— Kayhan Life (@KayhanLife) December 26, 2023

Many of the churches that once offered such services have been forcibly closed in recent years, and have had similar signs pinned to their doors, claiming “repair works” were taking place, when in actual fact they had simply been ordered to close. One such example is the Central Assemblies of God Church in Tehran, which was once the largest Persian-speaking church in the whole of Iran, before its forced closure in 2013. 

Article18’s director, Mansour Borji, commented: “It is not uncommon for churches to temper their festive displays or scale back programmes to accommodate major renovations. Yet, to cancel all activities—particularly during the celebration of Christ’s birth—feels significant. 

“Such a decision inevitably invites suspicion, especially given that this cathedral has drawn thousands of Iranians in recent years during the festive season. This growing interest may well have unsettled ultra-conservative supporters of the Islamic regime, who could view the trend as an implicit promotion of Christianity.”

In Iran, Christians of Armenian or Assyrian descent are officially recognised in the constitution; provided with political representation in the parliament; access to churches; and freedom to worship in their own ethnic minority languages – though not to open their doors to converts, or to preach in Persian. 

On the other hand, unrecognised converts to Christianity, who are believed today to far outnumber the recognised Christians, face vilification as alleged “security threats”; lack any place to worship; and are arrested for praying and worshipping together in their homes, in what are termed “illegal gatherings” of “enemy groups”. At the time of writing, there are at least 21 Christians serving sentences related to their participation in such gatherings, which are commonly referred to as “house-churches”.