Forgotten Crosses of Persia
Recovering Christian Memory, Identity, and Belonging in Iran and the Persianate World
Forgotten Crosses of Persia is a research, storytelling, and educational initiative dedicated to recovering, preserving, interpreting, and sharing the diverse Christian heritage of Iran and the wider Persianate world.
Why Forgotten Crosses?
Christianity has been present in lands connected to Persia for many centuries. Christian communities, churches, monasteries, theologians, translators, artists, merchants, missionaries, and ordinary believers formed part of the region’s complex religious and cultural history.
Yet much of this inheritance remains scattered across academic publications, archives, libraries, family collections, archaeological records, and community memories. It is frequently unfamiliar to Persian-speaking Christians, churches, diaspora communities, and the wider public.
Christianity is sometimes perceived as entirely foreign to Persian culture. For Christians from Muslim backgrounds, this perception can intensify difficult questions about family loyalty, cultural identity, historical belonging, and the meaning of following Christ.
Forgotten Crosses of Persia was created to bring this neglected history into view through careful research, responsible preservation, accessible storytelling, and education.
Our Mission
Forgotten Crosses of Persia recovers, preserves, interprets, and shares neglected Christian memory in Iran and the wider Persianate world. Through academically responsible research, digital curation, accessible storytelling, and education, the project seeks to strengthen historical awareness, cultural dignity, identity, and belonging.
Memory
Recovering neglected people, places, communities, sources, objects, images, and narratives connected to Christianity in Persia, Iran, and the wider Persianate world.
Identity
Helping Persian-speaking Christians and believers from Muslim backgrounds understand that following Christ need not require the rejection of their language, culture, history, or Persian heritage.
Belonging
Strengthening dignity, connection, hospitality, and participation among individuals, churches, diaspora communities, scholars, and institutions.
Our Work
Digital Library
Curating selected bibliographies, historical sources, and other resources related to Christianity in Persian lands.
Digital Gallery
Presenting carefully sourced photographs, manuscripts, inscriptions, sacred sites, historical objects, maps, and visual exhibitions.
Videos & Podcasts
Producing accessible conversations, interviews, lectures, and historical narratives exploring Christianity, culture, memory, identity, and belonging.
Forgotten Crosses of Persia is currently being developed as a focused pilot initiative. Its first phase will establish a carefully curated foundation rather than attempt to create a comprehensive archive.
Project Leadership
Iran Azadandish
Project Leadership
Forgotten Crosses of Persia is a developing research and educational initiative led under the public identity Iran Azadandish. The project brings together expertise in Persian Christian history, Muslim-Christian relations, migration, identity, and the experiences of believers from Muslim backgrounds.
As the project develops, it seeks to form a trusted circle of scholars, church leaders, archivists, researchers, artists, and community collaborators who share its commitments to historical integrity, responsible storytelling, and the protection of vulnerable communities.