July 7-Feast of Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ

On June 7, at 11.00-17.00-in Lovers' Park will host "Vardavar 2013" event, which aims to revive  popular  holiday  for  national customs and  traditions.

  The Feast  of the Transfiguration of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is one of the  five  main «Tabernacle»  feasts of the Armenian Apostolic Church.  It  commemorates the transformation  or the «transfiguration» that  came  over Jesus  while  He  was praying.  Christ's face  shone  like  the sun and his clothes became  a radiant  and gleaming  white.    The Apostles  Peter, James  and john  witnessed  the  event, which  occurred  on a high  mountain named  Tabor.

  Evangelists  St. Matthew,  St. Mark  and  St.  Luke  testify  about  the transfiguration  of Jesus  in the Gospels  (Matthew  17:1-13; mark 9:1-12,  Luke  9:28-36).

…  As  they  looked  on, a  change  came  over  Jesus: his  face  was  shining like  the  sun  and  his  clothes  were dazzling  white.  Then  the three disciples  saw  Moses and  Elijah  talking  with  Jesus.  So  peter  spoke up and said to Jesus,  « Lord, how good  it is  that  we  are here! If  you  wish  i  will  make three  tents  here, one  for  you, one  for Moses  and  one  for  Elijah».  While  he was  talking,  a  shining  cloud  came  over  them,  and a voice  from  the  cloud  said, «This  is  my  own  dear  Son,  with  whom I  am  pleased-listen  to  him!» When  the disciples  heard  the  voice,  they  were so terrified  that  they  threw  themselves  face downward  on the ground.  Jesus  came to them  and  touched  them.  «Get  up, «  he said.  « don't  be afraid!»  So  they looked up  and  saw  no one  there but Jesus. (Matthew  17:2-8)

   In the Armenian  church, the Feast of the Transfiguration  of Our Lord Jesus  Christ  is  celebrated  98 days  after Easter.  It  is  a movable  holiday  and  may  occur  during  the period  from  June  28  to August  1.  The Feast  is  also  known  by the common  name of  «Vardavar».  This  day  is  an  ancient  ritual  dating  back  4-5 millennia,  established  by the Forefather Noah,  and is  associated  with  an  old  Armenian  tradition  of  pouring  water on  one  another. On  that  day, Armenians  weave  wreathes  of  colorful  flowers,  especially  red  roses  ( in Armenian  « vard»)  to  decorate  their  temples  and  churches.  They  also  swim  in  rivers  and  release  doves  in  remembrance  of  Noah  and  the  deliverance  from  the  deluge. Just  as  before  the  Feast  of the Holy  Mother's  Transfiguration,  when  people  are  not  allowed  to  eat  grapes,  people  are not  allowed  to  eat  apples, the  tradition  know  as  «Apple  Feast».  In various  regions  of  Armenia  Vardavar  is  celebrated  with  a  variety  of  festivities. According  to the  national  tradition, on  the  night  of  Vardavar,  divine  light  descends  on the  tombs  of  the  saints  and  whoever  witnesses  it  will  have  his  most  sacred  dreams  fulfilled.  Some  sources  attribute the  tradition  as  a remnant  of an Armenian  pre-Christian  celebration. The  Monday  following  the  feast  is a  Memorial  Day.  Masses  are  served in  churches  on that  day  followed  by  liturgical  rituals,  after  which  people  pay  visits to their relatives'  graves.  

           This material has  been  courteously  provided by the press service of the  Ararat Patriarchal  Diocese at       www.qahana.am