St. Thomas Church, Balowlan
| St. Thomas Church, Balowlan | |
|---|---|
St. Thomas Church in Balowlan | |
| Location | |
| Location | Balowlan, Urmia, West Azarbaijan Province, Iran |
| Geographic coordinates | 37°32′57.3″N 44°46′11.9″E / 37.549250°N 44.769972°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 5th century |
| Completed | 5th century, but renovated in the 20th century |
Saint Thomas Church (Imperial Aramaic: ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܡܪܝ ܬܐܘܿܡܵܐ, Persian: کلیسای مار توما) is an ancient and historical Assyrian church located in the rural village of Balowlan, Targavar Rural District, Silvaneh District, Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Saint Thomas Church was built and constructed in the 5th century AD and was used as a church for many centuries. The church has undergone renovations in the 20th and 21st centuries, including having gas installed at the church, and a wooden floor. The church was the worship place for the once large Assyrian community before the Sayfo genocide. There are also nearby ancient and historical Assyrian churches in neighboring villages and towns in Iran.