By Faranak Bakhtiari
TEHRAN – Iranian Christians will not hold the New Year celebrations and ceremonies in crowds and gatherings, maintaining social distancing and health protocols to help prevent the coronavirus transmission.
COVID-19 prevented the New Year to be celebrated in the same way as in previous years due to the outbreak of the global coronavirus epidemic.
“Armenian Christians in Iran will not celebrate the New Year due to observing health protocols,” Ara Shavardian, the representative of the Armenian Christians of northern Iran in the majlis (Iranian Parliament), told Fars News Agency.
Due to the special circumstances made by the pandemic, Armenian Christians do not hold New Year celebrations to avoid any gathering and the possibility of transmitting the virus, he highlighted.
Charlie Anouyeh, the representative of Assyrian and Chaldean Christians in Majlis, stated that Assyrian and Chaldean Christians of Iran do not celebrate the New Year due to the observance of the health protocol and the implementation of the guidelines defined by the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control.
“We have always been free to hold our religious ceremonies in all years, and while benefiting from the support of the officials of the country,” he highlighted.
This year, New Year celebrations are not held like the previous years for people’s health, he emphasized.
The celebrations of the birth of Jesus Christ (PBUH) and the New Year start from December 25 until January 7.
The Assyrians celebrate December 24 as the birth anniversary of Jesus (PBUH), while the Armenians celebrate it on January 5.
Every year, the streets and shops in special parts of the cities across the country were decorated with the beginning of the New Year and Christmas celebrations, but this year, the pandemic made people lose the opportunity to celebrate the big occasions as always in gatherings.
So, Armenian Christians, along with other Iranian compatriots, emphasized that this year no decorations or ceremonies will be held on the occasion of the New Year 2021 to curb the disease.
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