Iran's new metro station honours Virgin Mary

Shiite Islam may be the official religion in Iran, but entering Tehran's brand-new Maryam Moghaddas metro station, you could be forgiven for feeling as if you're stepping inside a Christian church.

Maryam Moghaddas in Persian translates as "Holy Mary". And the station's vaulted and arched concourse, with a dome decorated with Persian motifs, features religious frescoes and artworks honouring Christianity's Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ.

Mary is also a venerated figure in Islam. And she is depicted here in prayer with her eyes closed, a white dove hovering just above her head.

Another artwork, along the platform, depicts her son Jesus Christ, who appears to be watching over passengers as they wait for their train.

The Virgin Mary enjoys universal respect in Iran, and she is a figure seen to be able to foster ties between believers of whatever religion.

Maryam is also one of the most common female names in the country.

"Every single element you see at this station was designed so that when someone passes through here, they understand that our goal was to respect other religions, Christianity in particular," Tina Tarigh Mehr, the artist behind the works, told AFP.

"This bird (the white dove) is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The olive tree is a symbol of peace and friendship," she said during a tour organised for the press on Saturday, ahead of the station's upcoming public opening.

Woman and 'purity'

In Iran, a vast multicultural country, Shiite Islam is the official state religion. However, the Constitution recognises Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity as minority religions, each of which has its own representatives in the Iranian parliament.

Christianity was present in this part of the world long before the rise of Islam during the Arab conquest of Persia in the 7th century AD.

"This station recalls the divine woman who awakened the world through her purity and by nurturing a great prophet," said Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani on X.

He added that the building was designed to "showcase the coexistence of divine religions in Tehran."

The official number of Christians living in Iran is unknown, but various sources estimate it at between 130,000 and one million.

In Tehran, a metropolis of over 10 million people, the Saint Sarkis Cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church is one of its most visible symbols.

It is located near the new station, the construction of which began 10 years ago.

The first metro line in Iran opened in Tehran in 1999 and currently the Iranian capital has approximately 160 operational stations.

Several are renowned for their artistic finesse, a clever blend of modern architecture and traditional Persian elements.