While excursion to Urmia's beautiful villages in green fields, you occasionally come across a church, which either stands still and firm, as an eye-witness to zealous presence of Christianity, or lost a wall or ceiling due to the lapse of time, crying out loud the oppression of the world's first Christian nation: Assyrians.

According to some traditions, most ecclesiastical buildings in Urmia and its villages belong to one of the world's most ancient churches: Assyrian Church of the East, now known as "The Holy Apostolic Catholic (Global) Ancient Assyrian Church of the East", originated by the time of the Lord Jesus Christ's life on earth!

Its being eastern separated it from all other churches during the first centuries of Christianity. In another word, the major part of the Christian world was on one side, in Roman Empire; and Assyrian Church of the East, on the other, within the Persian Empire.

Perhaps that is why we can rarely find a particular or detailed historic references to this church or generally to the history of church in East—Iran and the rest of Asia—in the literatures of church history, authored by western Christian. Nevertheless Church of the East has retained a shiny background and impressive influence on Asia, the vast and ancient continent, for many centuries.

Most of the traditions and old histories attribute the commencement of Christianity, among Assyrians in east, to Orhi or Edessa. Orhi, a small kingdom on eastern coast of Euphrates in Syria, was one of the semi-independent cities, remaining from Assyrian Empire after the collapse of Nineveh in 612 B.C.  It was called Edessa by Hellenic people after the time of Alexander. The books "Ecclesiastical History" of Eusebius, and the "Teaching of Addaï," describe how Edessa converted to Christianity as the first Christian city out of the borders of Roman Empire. Abgar Ouchama (or swarthy), local potentate at Edessa, invited the Lord Jesus to protect him from evil plans of his enemies. Of course Abgar also needed to be healed of his sickness—probably leprosy. Jesus, seemingly, in reply to his letter, declines and explains that his mission is something else, but promises to send a messenger, endowed with His power, namely Thaddeus (or Addaï), to heal him after reaching to His glory. The tradition of a cloth, on which there was an image of the Lord, kept in the church of this city, refers to this event.

Addaï, one of the seventy disciples of Jesus, travels to Edessa after the Lord's resurrection and founds the domicile of Christianity in east by healing Abgar and conversion of the city to Christianity (Luck 1:10). Church of the East's traditions emphasize on the role of Thaddeus, the apostle, who traveled to east and passed to north of Iran (Azerbaijan) through Syria and Mesopotamia, and finally took Christianity to India, where he was martyred and buried. Eastern Christians in south of India still call their church after his name: "Saint Thomas Church".

Irbïl (ancient Arbela), a city in upper Mesopotamia, and then Ctesiphon, the capital city of Sassanian government in Iran (near by ancient Babylonia and Seleucia-Ctesiphon) respectively became the center of Church of the East. The bishop of Ctesiphon retained his seat of independent patriarchy and was called Cabolicus after the fifth century and relation broke off with Patriarch of Antakya (or Antioch).

Assyrian Church of the East in Iran was developing despite the problems, difficulties and persecution caused by Sassanian kings and fanatic priests. This church expanded its activity toward the Far East after the domination of Arabs over Iran and sent missioners to central Asia, Turkistan, India, China and Mongolia. Footprints of eastern Christianity have been even observed in Japan 13 centuries ago.

Church of the East had been the only lantern of Christianity in Iran and the whole Asia during many centuries. This church carried the torch for gospel by evangelical activities throughout Asia especially during the seventh to thirteenth centuries. There were more than twenty Episcopates in Mesopotamia and Iran in 225 A.C., and increased to 40 by 410 A.C. The number of Episcopal regions are reported more that 66 in Iran. Church of Iran covered an area from Caspian Sea in north to Kharg Island in Persian Gulf and from Mesopotamia in west to Transoxiana (beyond the river) in east. Ray, Isfahan, Neyshabour, Marv and Harat cities had a distinct bishop. There were more than twenty bishops dwelling in the east of Geyhoon River. Kashgar and China were considered as Archbishop Regions. The names of Iranian preachers and the details of their services were written in Aramaic and Chinese languages on a memento column, which dates about 781 A.C, in Sianfu (Xi'an) city in China. Worshiping ceremonies of Armenian Churches had been in Aramaic language until the invention of Armenian alphabet by the fifth century. Their bishops were assigned by the patriarch of Ctesiphon. Eastern Christianity spread to some tribes in Saudi Arabia in the beginning of the seventh century. Church of the East's dominion, which was centralized in Ctesiphon, stepped beyond the borders of Iran and ministered Christianity throughout an area including Central Asia, India, Mongolia and China.

Assyrians have always formed the main body of the Church of the East, but this church has also focused on her global mission to invite other nations to Christianity as well. Most of Zoroastrian Iranians not only were accepted by church, when they converted to Christianity, but also they retain chief positions in church, even patriarchy. Mar Abba, who was a Zoroastrian prince before converting to Christianity, is a good example to this fact. Mar Yahab-Alah (Khodadad III), a Mongolian Christian from the Church of China, was selected as the Patriarch of Church of the East during the domination of Mongolia over Iran in 1281. Of course they necessarily need to read and hear the gospel in Aramaic, due to the nature of the church, and in case of reaching to senior ranks they used Assyrian names and titles. Nevertheless there were parts of Holy Bible in Pahlavi language. Dyatsron by Tatian is the oldest Persian version of a manuscript related to Bible, which is translated from Aramaic to Farsi in 13^th century.

Church of the East was also called the Church of Martyrs, whose names reminds us of devotion to Christianity in many churches and monasteries, which were named after them during a specific period of the Christian history. Sassanian Empire persecuted Iranian Christians, as suspected alliances with the enemy Roman Empire that accepted Christianity in the 4^th century. This hostility reaches to its peak point, when Simon Catholicus along with 5 bishops and 100 priests were martyred. Resistance of Christians made Shapour the King to feel enough infuriated to command prosecution and persecution of the Christian inhabitants of his own county.  Christians had been massacred for ten days and women and children were martyred. The death of Shapour II Dreadful ended up this massacre, however prosecution continued for many churches of the East. Christian's freedom command was issued in 409 A.C. This command could have had an impact like Milan's Command by Constantine in 313 A.C., but the mistake of a priest called Hasho, who destroyed a big fire temple, flared up the hostility again, and made Yazdgerd I and Bahram V infuriated to torment Christians. Many of Christians, including Hasho, and also many of Christian courtiers and companions of Bahram Gour were martyred. Yazdgerd II, who was graceful to Christians in the beginning, turned his face and ordered Christian persecution command in 446 A.C. These torments in Kerkuk were severer than anywhere else, and Christians were crucified. Petyon, preacher of the whole area from Tigris to Kurdistan Mountains, is an outstanding example among Martyrs. The buildings of most churches in Mesopotamia were constructed again on the tomb or after the name of these Martyrs.

Christianity in Iran was actually eradicated during the invasion of Mongolians. The invasion of Mongolians and Tamerlane were vast and demolishing enough to destroy lots of ancient churches in Middle East. Nevertheless most of the shrines and old churches were gradually restored or new churches were constructed after the subsidence of the chaos. Most probably Assyrian churches shared a similar destiny. It also deserves attention to remember theological schools, which belonged to Church of the East in Edessa and Nasibin. According to a routine followed up by Church of the East, a school was build nearby any newly constructed church. Outstanding clerics and authors were instructed in schools of Nasibin and Seleucia cities. These cities along with Jondi-Shapour, in present Khozestan, were known as pivotal Christian scientific centers, later during the kingdom of Abassian. Church of the East's religious authorities, who gained complete proficiency in Aramaic, Hellenic and Arabic languages, played an essential role in transmission of ancient science and culture to Islamic world, which later played the same eastern scientific transitional role for Greek and European civilization, awakened of middle age, after the crusades, until renaissance. For instance, there were some known names: Hanin bin Isaac, and Bakhtishou family expert in translation and Medicine among Christians. Church of the East has been able to develop under the genius patriarchy of Mardinkha IV Excellency, former bishop of Iran, who retained his patriarchy in 1976. The seat of patriarchy was relocated to San Francisco and then to Chicago, in the United states of America, after the chaos, and massacre of Assyrians in Samil of Iraq and exile of patriarch of the time in 1933. Mardinkha Excellency administers all churches under his supervision throughout America, Canada, England, Sweden, Russia, Armenia, Syria, Iraq, Iran, India, New Zealand and Australia efficiently form Chicago.

The church of Saint Mary, in Urmia, is one of the Christian worth seeing places. According to some people, it was built on one of the Magi tombs, which dates about the first century. If we take this tradition as true, then it must be the first church ever built, even older than Church of Nativity, built by Helena, mother of Constantine, in Bethlehem in 4^th century. Assyrian Church of the East, due to its specific doctrine, does not permit to decorate churches with saint's icons or statues. That is why the inner and outer façade of the most churches are plain and ingenuous, causing a specific spiritual environment, as evidence for their age and nobility.

Assyrian Church of the East, in Iran, has two churches in Urmia and Tehran cities, a vice-bishop called Excellency vice (Khori) bishop Domara Benyamin, three priests, who minister in churches of Ahvaz, Shahin-Shahr, Bandar-Abbas cities, and some deacons.