During my visits to Tbilisi, Georgia, I discovered some aspects of the Armenian presence in the city. Let’s explore some of these hidden finds in this amazing city, which reflect the tension between Georgia and Armenia today.
[Read more…] about When Stones Cry Out: The Lost Memory of the Red Gospel Armenian Church in Tbilisi
The Vanishing Church and Forgotten Armenian History of Tbilisi
A dormant church stands in the Jvaris Mama complex, fueling ongoing contention between the Armenian and Georgian Orthodox churches. This abandoned church reminds visitors how the city often overlooks Armenian history. Let’s explore the beauty of this church and uncover its rich story.
[Read more…] about The Vanishing Church and Forgotten Armenian History of Tbilisi
Persian Shadow in Tbilisi: The Role of Residencies and Consulates
Tbilisi’s nineteenth-century history is visible everywhere, yet some of its most compelling stories are found in lesser-known places. Two surviving Persian sites from this era quietly reflect the city’s shifting powers, cultural exchanges, and political ambitions. Visiting these locations is not just a step into history, but an encounter with a Tbilisi shaped by diplomacy, trade, and foreign influence. Each Qajar residency holds the memory of those who shaped the city’s identity, offering travelers a unique chance to experience Tbilisi’s rich, layered past beyond the usual sightseeing.
Mirza Reza lived in the city and desired to make quite a mark. The Persian Qajar influence on the arts, designs, and housing is widespread. This diplomat resided in two different places.
Mirza Reza was a Persian diplomat and official who was active in Tbilisi in the late 19th century. He is known for serving as the first secretary at the Persian Consulate in Tbilisi, and these locations became the center of Persian maneuvering due to Russian imperial influence and control. In Tbilisi, he worked at the Persian Consulate from the 1870s onward, eventually becoming a senior diplomatic representative and living in what became known locally as the Palace of Mirza Reza Khan (pictured below)
Here is a visit to his Diamond Palace.
Later, he served in higher diplomatic roles, such as Minister Plenipotentiary to Russia and ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Outside Tbilisi, his career included a time in Saint Petersburg, an ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and living in Europe before returning to Iran, dying just two years after the naming of Iran as a country in 1937.
On the gates at two different locations, there are pairs of metal emblems that read “Mirza Reza Khan #10” in Farsi.
1896 to 1901 Persian Consulate
Walking along the southern ridge, I came upon a former residence of the Qajar Diplomat. Not much is known about the place, but here is my visit to the site.
Walking tour of Persian Sights in Tbilisi
This location appears to indicate that Mirz Reza Khan moved the embassy to 16 Pavle Ingorokva Street (as indicated by the QR code posted on the building) when he moved to St. Petersburg to serve as the Persian Envoy to the Russian Court. During these years, he most likely maintained his residency at 11-13/2 Daniel Chonqadze St, Tbilisi, when he visited the city.
Mirza Reza Khan’s History in Diplomacy
Mirza Reza Khan Arfa ad-Dowleh began his government service in the 1860s and 1870s, a period when the Qajar state sought to strengthen its administration and manage growing pressure from the Russian and British Empires. As a young official from Tabriz, he gained a reputation for his education, language skills, and ability to interact with foreign powers. At that time, Persia depended heavily on skilled diplomats who could navigate the increasing political influence of Russia in the north. Mirza Reza Khan learned Russian and entered state service, working in foreign affairs and military administration. His early experience earned him the trust of the Qajar court and prepared him for greater diplomatic responsibilities beyond Iran’s borders. It is possible, though not confirmed, that he visited Tbilisi during these early years.
In the late 1870s and throughout the 1880s, Mirza Reza Khan became increasingly active in the Caucasus, particularly around Tbilisi, the administrative center of the Russian Caucasus. The city served as a crossroads of Persian, Georgian, Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Russian cultures, with many Iranian merchants, intellectuals, and officials passing through. Mirza Reza Khan operated in this cosmopolitan environment as a Persian representative and intermediary with Russian authorities. His work focused on diplomacy, political communication, and the protection of Persian interests among the Muslim communities of the Caucasus. These experiences solidified his reputation as one of the most skilled Persian diplomats connected to the Russian Empire and the broader Caucasus region.
These buildings testify to his love for Persian culture and to how he wielded his influence in the city. He did not just work within the situation here but also attempted to bring a new appreciation for Persian style to the city. The buildings he commissioned still draw tourists today to see what he did over 130 years ago.
My love for Persian culture led me to research how they view God and what lies beneath the surface in matters of faith.
Hidden Foundations: Exploring the Earliest Churches of Naples
On my visit to Naples, I did not know what to expect. I previously visited Istanbul and Ravenna and saw many ancient churches. Yet, I was quite blown away by seeing churches that were, for the most part, 200 years earlier than the numerous 6th-century churches in these other cities. Along with Rome, Naples has numerous early Christian sites, dating from the 4th century or earlier. This list of the earliest Christian sites in Naples begins mainly in the 4th century, with some dating to an earlier century. Let’s try to find these hidden foundations.
[Read more…] about Hidden Foundations: Exploring the Earliest Churches of Naples
A Peaceful Walk along the Hillsides of Anadolu Fortress in Istanbul
On my many visits to this city, I love visiting this area because there are many cafes along the water. Also, walking up the Setüstü streets from the Anadolu Fortress will provide amazing views and lovely houses. On one of my recent visits, we found that the road ends up as a walking path, which provided a natural experience on this hillside. Here is the overview of my walking tour in this historic area.
[Read more…] about A Peaceful Walk along the Hillsides of Anadolu Fortress in Istanbul
Between Purgatory and Paradise: A Death Descent in Naples
If you’re visiting Naples, you’re stepping into a city where Christianity didn’t just grow but hid, suffered, buried its dead, till eventually a whole system of death arose into the open. Beneath the noise of modern life lies another Naples: silent corridors carved into volcanic stone, painted tombs, and underground chambers that preserve the earliest Christian memory of the city.
Naples is one of the best places in Europe to explore catacombs and ancient crypts because these spaces were not built as tourist sites or even as churches, but as burial places shaped by grief and hope in resurrection. Over time, the tombs of martyrs and bishops became sacred landmarks, marked with symbols such as the fish, the anchor, and the Good Shepherd, testifying to the region’s strong Christian faith.
[Read more…] about Between Purgatory and Paradise: A Death Descent in Naples