Easter in Armenia

How nice it is in Armenia in spring! The sky turns bright blue, the air smells of flowers and ground coffee … The crowns of the trees are white or pink – these are apple, apricot, cherry blossoms. Armenian beauties are especially good in the spring, when heavy winter jackets are thrown off, and you can flutter in something bright and in sunglasses: the sun shines very brightly these days.

The air is already warm during the day, but don’t be fooled: as soon as the sun disappears below the horizon, you will need a jacket. With darkness, mountain coolness descends on the city. And if you are not in Yerevan, but somewhere in the mountains, or near Sevan, you will definitely need warm clothes, even if you manage with one T-shirt during the day.

And now spring, Easter time, the most beloved holiday in Armenia. A week ago, all the girls walked around the city in wreaths woven from flexible willow branches. Illuminated wreaths are handed out at temples and girls wear them around the city. So, instead of Palm Sunday, the Armenians have Tsaghkazard, which literally translates as decorated with flowers. Instead of “fluffy” willow branches – weeping willow wreaths. The small town. You will pass by the temple, you will receive a wreath, and strangers will meet you, also in wreaths, and you will smile at each other.

Armenian church holidays usually take place earlier than Orthodox ones. Christmas is a day earlier, Easter is usually a week, very rarely the holidays coincide, sometimes they diverge for a whole month, but more often it is, after all, a week. This happened because of the ancient difficulties with calendars: Julian and Gregorian. But unlike Christmas, Easter does not have a specific day on the calendar, but is calculated according to the lunisolar calendar, so it is celebrated on different days every year. It is celebrated on the Sunday following the full moon, following the spring equinox.

Easter in Armenian will be “Zatik” – comes from the word “azatutyun, azatvel” (freedom, to be freed) and means deliverance from suffering, evil and death.

And now, a week has passed – Easter! Eggs are red, blue, yellow – like the flag of Armenia! Experienced housewives compete in the number of shades, and some even have eggs with ornaments. By the way, this is not new technology. In rich houses, Easter eggs were boiled, wrapped in stuffed fabrics. The drawing was imprinted on the shell.

Christianity occupies a special place in the life of Armenians. For many centuries, the Armenian people have carefully preserved their centuries-old traditions. On the eve of Easter, believers, like other Christians, observe a forty-day fast.

The main liturgy is held on Saturday evening. After which the Armenians greet the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and say “Christ is risen from the dead”, to which they receive the answer “Blessed is the resurrection of Christ.” The main celebration of Easter begins on Sunday with a solemn morning service, after which the family gathers around the table.

The ideal Easter table in Armenia looks like this: on a dish with sprouted wheat – red eggs. Yes, in fact, there are enough red eggs, and all other shades are just creative. So, eggs, pita bread, tarragon. And also rice with raisins, as well as fish and red wine. But you must remember that the main thing on the Armenian Easter is brduch with an egg. It is prepared like this: an egg cut in half is placed on pita bread, covered with tarragon and wrapped in a tube. Perhaps you will be offered an egg fight. The winning egg beats to the end, broken “trophies” go to its lucky owner. As a joke, of course, you can’t eat more than two eggs at a time. At the end of the meal, tea and coffee with pastries. This is not always an Easter muffin: more often they serve gata or baklava with coffee.

On Easter, Armenians receive guests or visit relatives themselves. Usually children come to their parents’ house on this day.

Armenians are generous with souvenirs. At the Vernissage on this day, you will surely find a lot of interesting things, and at the same time you will receive a lot of congratulations. And when evening and night coolness come down on the city, the townspeople will go for a walk: to Republic Square with a huge clock and a beautiful fountain and along Northern Avenue to the Opera. You will notice that almost everyone greets each other, discussing something, walk ten meters and say hello again and explain again. From the Opera, through the public gardens of the Ring Boulevard, you can reach the Cascade, and having overcome a couple of levels, admire Ararat, to which Noah landed a very long time ago …

Choose tours to Armenia for Easter, and we will celebrate this wonderful holiday with you.