Iran: Whether the Catholic Church baptizes Muslims and converts them to Christianity, and whether Tehran has a Catholic church called Marmariam Church
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRN30700.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iran: Whether the Catholic Church baptizes Muslims and converts them to Christianity, and whether Tehran has a Catholic church called Marmariam Church, 1 December 1998, IRN30700.E, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac854c.html [accessed 25 January 2017] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
No information on whether the Catholic Church baptizes Muslims and converts them to Christianity could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Please note that Country Reports 1997 states that "Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians are legally permitted to practice their religion and instruct their children, but may not proselytize Muslims" (1998, 1445).
The Research Directorate could not confirm the existence of a Catholic church called Marmariam Church in Tehran.
However, please note that the Arabic and Farsi version of the name "Mary" is "Mariam" or "Maryam" (The Encyclopaedia of Islam 1991, 628; Haim 1983, 795).
St. Mary's Cathedral (of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East) is located at
No. 121 Babakhanloo Brothers Avenue Sepah Square Tehran (Assyrian Church of the East 1996; Iranian Christian Churches)
The following list of Tehran's Christian Churches called St. Mary was downloaded from the Apadana Institute Website:
St. Mary's Church # 29 The 6th Street, Shahid Abkar Street, Mirdamad Ave. Tehran 3
St. Mary's Church # 26 Amir Tehrani st., 21st Street, Seyed Jamaleddin Assadabadi Tehran 6
St. Mary's Church # 158 Khoramshahr Avenue Tehran 7 Tel.: 543353
St. Mary's Church # 121 Babbakhani Bros. Street, Sepah Square Tehran 7
St. Mary's Church # 75 Next to Italian Embassy, Nofle le Chateau Street Tehran 12 Tel.: 673210
St. Mary's Church Mirza Kouchak Khan Street, Jomhouri Avenue Tehran 12 Tel.: 676318
St. Mary's Church # 29 The 6th Street Tehran 12
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Apadana Institute. n.d. "Churches, Synagogues, Adrians." [Internet]
Assyrian Church of the East. 1996. "Iran." [Internet]
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997. 1998. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Press.
The Encyclopaedia of Islam. 1991. Vol. 6. New Edition. Edited by C.E. Bosworth et al. "Maryam." Leiden: E.J. Brill.
Haim, S. 1983. Vol. 1. English-Persian Dictionary. Tehran: Farhang Moaser.
Iranian Christian Churches. N.d. "Iran: Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East." [Internet]
Additional Sources Consulted
Amnesty International Report 1998. 1998.
Critique 1996. 1997.
Encyclopedia of Religion. Various dates.
Human Rights Watch World Report 1998. 1998.
Iran: A Country Study. 1989.
Iran: A Travel Survival Kit. 1992.
Middle East Report [Washington]. Bi-monthly. 1998.
The Middle East and North Africa 1998. 1998.
Middle East International [London]. Fortnightly. April 1998-present.
The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. Various dates.
Persia Update [London]. Biweekly. January 1998-present.
Research Directorate. International Media Review [Ottawa]. Weekly. January 1998-present.
Resource Centre. "Iran" country file. November 1997-present.
_____. "Iran: Amnesty International" country file. October 1997-present.
Electronic sources: Internet, IRB Databases.
