Iran Daily August 21, 2006 12

50 Books on Prophet (PBUH) Vank Cathedral

Set for Publication
YAZD, Aug. 20--Some 50 titles of
books dealing with the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) will be published
by March 20, IRNA reported.
Announcing this, deputy head of
Islamic Propagation Organization
for education and research affairs,
Seyyed Javad Havaei said at a sem-
inar in Yazd themed 'Prophet's
Personality in Nahj-ul Balagheh',
that the books, each of which has
100 or 120 pages, will focus on the
characteristics, governance and
conduct of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH).
He underlined that making the
public familiar with the objective of
Ma'bath, the anniversary of Prophet
Muhammad's (PBUH) ascendancy
to prophethood, is among the duties
of seminaries and preachers.
Pointing to the necessity of under-
taking research works in the devel-
opment of religious culture in the
society, Havaei said that preachers
should employ modern knowledge
to give greater weight to what they
sermonize.
He called on the seminaries and
preachers to closely focus on the
prophet's personality and get the
people acquainted with the prolific
life of the messenger using the valu-
able book Nahj-ul Balagheh which
contains the sermons, letters and
maxims of Imam Ali (AS), the first
Imam of the infallible household of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Meanwhile, head of Yazd
province Islamic Propagation
Department, Abbas Dehqani-
Ashkezari said at the same gather-
ing that the seminar aims to pro-
mote the people's insight about reli-
gious issues.
Under Renovation
ISFAHAN, Aug. 20--Director of
Isfahan province's Cultural
Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism
Department's Renovation Division
said that so far a sum of some one
billion rials has so far been spent on
the reconstruction of city's landmark
Vank Church.
Speaking to ISNA, Nekouei fur-
ther announced that the restoration
of decorations and paintings of the
cathedral are complete.
Funds for reconstructing Vank
Cathedral should be made available
from the national budget, an appli-
cation for which has been made, he
said, adding that unless sufficient
funds are provided, repair works
will not be undertaken on other sec-
tions of the historical structure.
"This is while the building now
needs to be repaired and the cost
will run into several billion rials,"
Nekouei said.
The cathedral has undergone
repairs in recent years, he said,
adding that Isfahan Municipality is
now refurbishing the paths and
alleys around the cathedral.
After their great migration in
1605, Christians were brought to
Isfahan on the order of King Abbas
II of the Safavid dynasty. Once in
the city, they undertook the con-
struction of residential areas and in
the initial stage, they built cathe-
drales, the first of which was Vank
Cathedral.
Fifty years after the construction
of the original cathedral, the edifice
was demolished on the order of then
archbishop who sought the con-
struction of a more magnificent
monument.
The construction of the cathedral, Entrance of Vank Cathedral in Isfahan
which took nine years to complete, and artistic decorations. There are
ended in 1664 during the reign of many inscriptions both inside and
Shah Abbas II. outside the cathedral inviting wor-
This cathedral is very famous in shippers to pray for the constructor
Isfahan because of its architecture of the cathedral and his descendants.

Hatamikia's Film Records

High Turnover
TEHRAN, Aug. 20--A
movie titled 'In the
Name of Father' (Be
Naam-e Pedar) by
Ebrahim Hatamikia has
recorded box office sales
of more than 1.13 trillion
rials in the nine days
since its premiere in
Tehran cinema halls.
Concurrent with the
screening of the movie,
the public will be able to
access the latest news
and information as well
as interviews given to
the print media by
Hatamikia at the movie's
w e b s i t e
www.benamepedar.com,
ISNA reported.
Hatamikia said that he
would like the younger
generation to adopt a
critical view toward his
movie. However, he said
that his film might be
less entertaining than
other movies which are
intended for the youth.
The film cast of the
film includes Parviz
Parastouei as the father
and Golshifteh Farahani
is the daughter of the
family.
'In the Name of Father'
received an award as the
best film at the 24th
Tehran International Fajr
Film Festival. Parviz
Parastouei was also
awarded as best actor for
his role in this film.
Ebrahim Hatami-Kia

Tehran flower market (Mehr Photo)

Gallery Returns WWII Painting
THEATER
Guest of a Dreamland Momayyez Birth Anniversary TORONTO, Aug. 20--A 20th-century French oil
painting by Edouard Vuillard, looted by the Nazis dur-
2003, the gallery received definitive proof of its own-
ership and Denis Lindon, another family member,
Director: ing World War Two, will be returned to the family of its began proceedings to reclaim the work on behalf of a
Arash Sohrabi
Add: Sanglaj Hall,
Next Week original owner, Reuters quoted the National Gallery of
Canada on Friday.
group of heirs.
The 1904 post-impressionist painting, reworked by
City Theater, Enqelab TEHRAN, Aug. 20--A ceremony to from France le Kornak on the occasion. This is the first time a work stolen by the Nazis has the artist in 1934, depicts a domestic interior.
St., Vali-e Asr Crossroad mark the 70th birth anniversary of the Concurrent with the ceremony, an been identified and returned to its rightful owners by "Vuillard is regarded as a leading French artist,"
(66460592) late art maestro, Morteza Momayyez international exhibition of 40 posters the Ottawa Gallery. Franklin said. "He's one of the giants of French art."
will be held by his family in Tehran's from 35 graphic artists will also be held. "We are proud of the fact that we brought it up first The painting was purchased by the National Gallery in
Portrait Artists House on August 26. Neshan (emblem) magazine in a spe- and that the right result has been achieved," said Chief 1956 from an art dealer in Paris.
Director: Foreign artists Ben Bas (from Holland) cial supplementary will publish the Curator David Franklin. The heirs plan to auction the painting, Franklin said.
Mohammad Reza and Allen le Kornak from France who works and artistic presentations of The National Gallery first tried to return the painting Earlier this year a Vuillard painting sold at a Sotheby's
Khaki were close friends of Maestro Momayyez together with posters of the in 1997 to the family of Alfred Lindon, a French busi- auction in London for $315,000, he said.
Add: Charsou Hall, Momayyez will attend the ceremony, exhibition. nessman who died in 1948, after a curator discovered it The gallery maintains a Web site with images of about
City Theater, Enqelab Fars news agency reported. The 70th birth anniversary of had been stolen by the Nazis in France. 100 works from its permanent collection that have gaps
St., Vali-e Asr Crossroad Artists House plans to hold an exhibi- Mommayez will be held from 5:00 p.m. At the time, the family had no record of having in their proof of ownership between 1933 and 1945, the
(66460592) tion of works by Ben Bas, a Dutch to 8:00 p.m. at the Nasseri Hall of Artists owned the 1904 oil painting and refused its return. In period before and during World War Two.
graphic design artist, and his counterpart House on August 26.
Sacred Land
Director:
Ayoub Aqakhani China Expo Participation Promoted Massive Hunt for Greek Icon
Add: Qashqaee Hall, ATHENS, Greece, reported. southwest of Athens. Alexandros described
Tehran City Theater, TEHRAN, Aug. 20-- galleries, as well as of Iranian Artists' Aug. 20--Police set up The Icon of The "This is the worst the icon, which meas-
Enqelab Ave. Vali-e Asr Center for Visual Arts Cooperative of Gallery Society, told CHN that roadblocks and Virgin Mary, which is thing that could happen ures 16 by 20 inches, as
Crossroad (66460592) and Contemporary Arts Owners have also all artistic institutions launched helicopter credited with miracles, to us, our church and "priceless."
Museum of Tehran will expressed their willing- and galleries can take searches Saturday for a was reported missing our religion," said Alexandros said he
Leili and Majnoon support the participa- ness to take part in the part in China Art Expo 700-year-old religious Friday at the Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop believes the robbers
Director: Pari Saberi tion of members of the event. by renting a pavilion. icon that was stolen Christian monastery of Alexandros of had used climbing
Add: Vahdat Hall, Society of Iranian China Art Expo has "Iranian Artists' from a monastery in Elona, near the town of Mantineia and equipment to reach the
Shahriar St., Hafez Ave. Painters at China's Art turned into one of the Society can rent three southern Greece, AP Leonidio, 185 miles Kynouria. monastery.
(66705101-7) Expo. world's most important pavilions of 16 square
Iranian Painters' markets for artistic meters each. About 80
Society, Homayouni Art works. Art experts and members of the society
Prayer Timings Gallery and freelance buyers visit China's Art have sent their works to
Dawn: 3:59 artists have laid the Expo each year and also the China Art Expo,"
groundwork for Iranian purchase artistic works she added.
Sunrise: 5:28
artists who are keen on from the event. Artists have until
Noon: 12:08 attending China Art Rozita Sharaf-Jahan, September 22 to send
Evening: 19:06 Expo. who is in charge of the their works to the
Fam and Mojdeh art Exhibitions Committee society.
MON TUE
Tehran:
High: o
34 C 35 C
o o
o
Photo Biennial to Go International
Low: 19 C 20 C
o
High C TEHRAN, Aug. 20-- has prevented photog- added.
Athens 36 30 Deputy minister of raphers from gaining He opined that policy-
Ankara 32 32 Culture and Islamic the status they deserve, making for photogra-
Cairo 39 41 Guidance for artistic Fars news agency phy biennial should be
Copenhagen 21 20 affairs said that the reported. such that it keeps up
Frankfurt 20 16 ministry is trying to He added that the with other festivals and
Karachi 29 29 hold photo biennials at state of uncertainty has exhibitions in this
Kuwait City 48 47 the international level resulted in the failure field.
London 20 20 in the near future. to use many of the Imani-Khoshkhou
Madrid 31 32 Mohammad Hossein capacities in the field expressed hope that
Moscow 24 18 Imani-Khoshkhou of photography. photography biennials
New Delhi 38 37 pointed out that lack of "While all artistic fields will be held at the
Paris 18 20 consensus about the have their own associa- international level in
Riyadh 44 43 organizational frame- tions, photographers are future given that it has
Rome 25 25 work in administering deprived of such a socie- sufficient capacities for
Vienna 23 15 the photography sector ty," Imani-Khoshkhou this.