Tehran Metro; the image of the Virgin Mary in the subway, a sign of peace

Seeing the image of the Virgin Mary with her hands clasped in prayer placed in a bas-relief in a Tehran metro station is not an everyday sight. And it's quite surprising to learn that, a few days ago, that station in the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran was dedicated to the Virgin Mary with the title Maryam-e Moghaddas, which essentially means "Holy Mary."

Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu, Archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan—the archdiocese that serves Latin-rite Catholics throughout the country—is also pleasantly surprised and does not hesitate to emphasize that this event encompasses two dimensions: dialogue and peace.

Those who, like the cardinal, have seen the photos and information that quickly circulated online, say that the station platforms are over 30 meters underground, and that to reach them, using the stairs or escalators, you first come across a message of good wishes and blessings to God. "It's very interesting because it's not only in Persian, the official language, but also in Arabic, Armenian, and English. As you descend, on the walls of the intermediate levels you notice arches above which a white and blue sky has been painted, the colors also used for the Madonna. The result is an atmosphere that feels truly reminiscent of meditation, of a church."

"It's a very clear vision of Islam on Mary, on Jesus, but it still remains a symbol of dialogue that arouses interest." The metro station is located exactly in the center of line 6 and stands in a park formerly dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which also houses the Armenian Apostolic Christians Cathedral, Saint Sarkis, and their cultural center.