Before leaving today for Tehran for the third and finally time, I
will go to Vank Cathedral here at Isfahan to check out what
Anglican/Episcopal Sunday services are available to me to attend
for divine worship on this the first day of Advent.
As an Anglican and Christian, I have encountered no religious
intolerance or prejudice here against me in Shia Iran. In fact,
Christianity has long been rooted in such cities like Isfahan and
Shiraz and Tehran with the Armenian Orthodox Church very
active in its permanent presence in Persia for centuries. I
have already visited the Armenian Orthodox Cathedral while
I was last in the capital of Iran.
Here at Isfahan, I have been treated so well by all who I have
met and my walkabout yesterday in town produced pretty
sore feet for me since I walked for miles around this truly
historic city ... I found a number of antiques shops, too.
Some wonderful old photographs from the late 19th
century I saw and so badly wanted that depicted,
among other subjects, Armenian Orthodox Patriarchs
and Archmonks and also oddly enough finely attired
and swaggering English gentlemen with walking
canes and gold fobs and waistcoat watch chains ...
The dealer wanted about 100 pounds for the
photo album of 12 images. Not too bad, but
too much for me to pay ...
Must run again since my guide and able driver
Zabihollah Saki, 63, is here at my rented computer
ready to take me to Vank Cathedral now,
which I am looking forward to greatly ...
Faithfully. Monty.
+First in Advent, 2oo7
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