Urmia Orthodokseta
 Cover of Urmia Orthodokseta (issue of October, 1913), Russian-language edition. | |
| Type | Magazine |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Urmia |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Language |
Russian Assyrian Neo-Aramaic |
| Ceased publication | 1914 |
| Headquarters | Urmia |
| Country | Qajar Iran |
Urmia Orthodokseta ("Orthodox Urmia"; Russian: Православная Урмия, translit. Pravoslavnaya Urmia) was a magazine published every month from 1904 to 1914 in Urmia, Qajar Iran by the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission.[1] It was published in both Russian and Assyrian Neo-Aramaic.[1] The translations from Russian into Neo-Aramaic were done by the staff of the Russian Orthodox Church in Urmia.[1] Publication of Urmia Orthodokseta stopped in 1914 due to the outbreak of World War I.[1] The printing press used by the Mission to print the magazine was given to Iran by the new Soviet government.[1]
In the early years of publication, the Russian and Neo-Aramaic versions contained the same articles, which were on topics of "general interest". However, this changed later.[1] The Russian version focused primarily on the "geography and ethnography of the Assyrians".[1] On the other thand, the Neo-Aramaic version changed into being "primarily religious in character", and specifically aimed at the "expansion of Russian Orthodoxy".[1]
Some issues of the magazine stood out, in terms of content, as they promoted the reign of then incumbent Tsar Nicholas II (1894-1917), primarily as a "benevolent ruler".[1]
Circulation and format
The reason to print separate versions of Urmia Orthodokseta, one in Russian and one in Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, was due to fact that an increasing number of Assyrians in the area were converting to the Russian Orthodox rite and were attending the schools in the area founded and sponsored by the Russians.[1] Equally important, there was an ever increasing number of Russians active in commerce and diplomacy in the area, as well as eventually military personnel.[1] The magazine published some eight billingual issues starting from 1905-1906.[1] After a pause during the Iranian Constitutional Revolution (1905-1911), the magazine resumed publication in 1911, now after the arrival of the Russian military.[1]
The versions in Russian appeared in about 300 to 500 copies per circulation, while the Neo-Aramaic ones numbered 600 copies.[1]
Subscription
People subscribed to Urmia Orthodokseta were mainly found in Urmia itself and in its confines.[1] However, it also had subscribers situated in Tiflis (Tbilisi) and in Iravan/Erevan (Yerevan).[1] Other than these cities, it also had subscribers in other parts of the Russian Empire where Assyrians from Urmia had settled.[1] The subscription costs were one toman per year in Iran, and two rubles per year in the Russian Empire.[1]
See also
References
Sources
- Yakubova, Lina (2016). "URMIA ORTHODOKSETA". Encyclopaedia Iranica.
Further reading
- Ефимов, Андрей Борисович (2017). Очерки по истории миссионерства Русской Православной Церкви (in Russian). LitRes. pp. 1–688. ISBN 978-5457883819.
- Жаркешев, Александр (2002). "Русская православная церковь в Персии-Иране (1597-2001 гг.)" (in Russian). Санкт-Петербург: Сатись: 1–207.