Chapel of Chupan

Due to the presence of a significant population of Armenian Christians, there are many historic churches in northeastern Iran some of which are world-famous. The Chapel of Chupan (lit. Shepherd’s Chapel is a small, historic Armenian church in a mountain valley west of Jolfa near the Aras River in the East Azarbaijan Province of Iran. It is, in fact, part of the Saint Stepanos Monastic Ensemble.

Population of Iranian Armenians

About 80,000 to 120,000 Armenian Christians live in Iran. East Azarbaijan Province is one of the most important centers of Armenians in Iran; although groups of Armenians also live in such cities as Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. There are 187 churches and chapels belonging to Armenians in Azarbaijan, which shows that Armenians have had a large presence in this province for a long time. In the post-constitutional revolution Iran, and after the establishment of the Legislative Assembly, the Armenian community has always had an independent representative in the Iranian parliament since 1909 AD. Presently, the Armenians of the south and north of Iran nominate their representatives to the Islamic Parliament of Iran.

History of the Chapel of Chupan

This church was established during the Safavid rule (16th century AD) and is more than 500 years old. Some experts have mentioned the exact date of the construction of the church as 1518 AD. This church is located in the “Darreh Sham” area, where Armenian shepherds used to graze their cattle and visit it to offer their prayers. According to another tradition, the reason for choosing this name was that it was founded by two shepherd brothers. Based on this narration, these two brothers established two similar chapels, the other one of which was located on the other side of the Aras River.

Architecture and Features of the Chapel of Chupan

Although its dimensions are 770 x 570 cm, it looks like a cube from the outside. The entrance to the chapel is from the western part and its altar is located in the eastern part. There are some ruins near the entrance of the chapel that were probably a part of it.

The church has been built from rubble stone, which was the main material in the area. The surface of the inner walls is covered with plaster, but the outer walls have retained their stone appearance. The inner walls are connected to the roof with tessellated arches. A small circular dome stands out on the roof of the church. There are skylights in this dome that allow sunlight inside during the day. This dome has been recently renovated with a color that is brighter than the main body of the church. The interior of the church is very small such that only a group of 10 people can stand in it simultaneously to offer prayers.

This chapel has undergone restorations several times the most important of which dates back to 1836 AD. Certain restoration operations were also carried out in 2015 and in the same year, this chapel was consecrated in memory of Armenian martyrs. Presently, the Armenian Apostolic Diocese of Azarbaijan manages the affairs of this chapel.

Where is the Chapel of Chupan Located?

This chapel is located near the Aras River and in the west of the city of Jolfa in the north of East Azarbaijan Province.

This chapel was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 2003 and was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 2008.

According to another tradition, the reason for choosing this name was that it was founded by two shepherd brothers. Based on this narration, these two brothers established two similar chapels, the other one of which was located on the other side of the Aras River.