Cathedral of Santa Maria (Urmio)

Marian Invocation of Urmio (Province of Western Azerbaijan)
Recognized by the Church

The Cathedral of Santa Maria de Urmia is a temple of the Caldeo rite (eastern Syrian) and one of the four Caldeas Catholic cathedrals operating in Iran, making it one of the most important pieces of the Caldeo-Iranian Catholicism. The Christian presence in Persia is very old, with active dioceses already in the third century. The available sources do not detail the date of foundation or the entire historical program of the temple, which is as is not recorded.

Main data

Origin and history

The Cathedral of Santa Maria de Urmia is a temple of the Caldeo rite (eastern Syrian) and one of the four Caldeas Catholic cathedrals operating in Iran, making it one of the most important pieces of the Caldeo-Iranian Catholicism. The Christian presence in Persia is very old, with active dioceses already in the third century. The available sources do not detail the date of foundation or the entire historical program of the temple, which is as is not recorded.

The image and the sanctuary

It is a living Caldea cathedral, not a mere historical monument, dedicated to Santa Maria. The specific details of his headline image and iconographic program are not reflected in the sources consulted, although Marian devotion is part of the traditional piety of the eastern Syrian rite.

Sponsorship and coronation

Its title is Marian (Santa Maria). There is no canonical coronation or a documented specific patronage.

Party and devotion

As a cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria, its title is Marian, but the local concrete feast is not recorded in the sources provided. In the warm rite devotion to the Mother of God is a central element of the piety of the faithful.

Link to the Rosary

As a Chaldean seat dedicated to St. Mary, the veneration of the Mother of God articulates her liturgical life. The Chaldean Marian prayer, with its own forms, shares with the Rosary the trusting contemplation of Mary as a mother and intercessor.