▁in ▁U rm ia ▁( Р ус ская ▁ду хов ная ▁ми сси я ▁в ▁У р мии ) ▁or ▁Orth odox ▁Mission ▁in ▁U rm ia ▁( У р ми й ская ▁ду хов ная ▁ми сси я ) ▁was ▁a ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁mission ▁to ▁the ▁eth nic ▁Ass y ri ans ▁who ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁border ▁regions ▁with ▁Russia , ▁mainly ▁in ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁A zer ba ij an ▁province , ▁and ▁who ▁converted ▁from ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁and ▁Chal de an ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁Form ally , ▁the ▁mission ▁covers ▁only ▁twenty ▁years ▁( 1 8 9 8 – 1 9 1 8 ), ▁but ▁Russian ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁prior ▁to ▁its ▁establishment ▁last ed ▁almost ▁the ▁entire ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁group ▁from ▁the ▁Ass y rian ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁that ▁converted ▁to ▁Orth odox y ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁In ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁bishop ▁Mar ▁Y on an ▁of ▁Sup urg han ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁of ▁U rm ia , ▁pet ition ed ▁the ▁Holy ▁Syn od ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁Church ▁that ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁f lock ▁be ▁received ▁into ▁the ▁Russian ▁Church . ▁Mar ▁Y on an ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Saint ▁Petersburg ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁where ▁he ▁and ▁several ▁of ▁his ▁cler gy ▁accepted ▁Eastern ▁Orth odox y . ▁They ▁were