INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Thaddeus to observe an annual ritual and pilgrimage after two years of hiatus due to coronavirus restrictions.Baptism of children and
youngsters along with performances of traditional songs and dances are amongst the highlights of the event, which will be held from July 28
to 30.The pilgrimage, called Badarak, is traditionally made by travelers from Iran, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, the Netherlands, France,
Austria, Germany, Canada, and some other countries.The event is of high importance for Iranian-Armenians who mostly come from the cities of
Tabriz, Urmia, Tehran, Isfahan, and Qazvin, to stage the reunion in groups and families
It also provides them an opportunity to go on holiday and visit distant relatives.Furthermore, the attendees commemorate the martyrdom of St
Thaddeus, one of the twelve disciples killed while he was preaching the Gospel
The legend says a church dedicated to him was first built in 68 CE where Qareh Klise is standing
Thaddeus was an apostle of Christ and the ceremony is rooted in the last supper with Jesus Christ on the night of his arrest and execution
It is situated in Chaldoran county some 20 kilometers from Maku, adjacent to the borders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey
It bears verses from the Old and New Testaments in Armenian calligraphy as well.Together with St
All three sites are located in West Azarbaijan and are of high significance from historical and cultural perspectives
They bear credible testimony to interchanges with the ancient regional societies in particular the Byzantine, Orthodox, and Persian
UNESCO has it that the churches bear examples of the outstanding universal value of the Armenian architectural and decorative traditions.AFM
