Strikes Damage St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Tehran
Missile strikes in Tehran damaged St. Nicholas Orthodox Church ahead of Pascha, with no lives lost.
TEHRAN, IRAN — Strikes in the Iranian capital on April 1 damaged the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, according to a statement from the Russian Embassy in Tehran, though no casualties were reported.
Officials said two strikes occurred in the immediate vicinity of the church, causing damage to the main building, almshouse, and several technical facilities. Images released by the embassy showed a partially collapsed ceiling, shattered windows, and debris scattered throughout the structure. An adjacent nursing home housing elderly residents also sustained significant damage, including a collapsed roof.
"The shock wave smashed the central entrance gates and one church window (other windows burst open), as well as a glass icon case," the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate said. "Plasterwork fell off in some of the premises. In the outbuilding, where a cleric of the church, Hegumen Varlaam (Dulsky), lives, the glass door got broken. Father Varlaam escaped unharmed."
The church, designed by architect Nikolai Markov and listed as a cultural heritage site, was struck during Great Lent, just prior to Pascha. The embassy condemned the attacks, stating that ongoing military actions are increasingly affecting civilian infrastructure and religious sites, limiting access for the Orthodox community in Iran.
Some sources have attributed the strikes to the U.S. and Israel, which remains unconfirmed at this time.
Previously, the UOJ reported that a Divine Liturgy was held amid explosions at an Iranian cathedral.
