What is Easter in Armenia?
Easter (in Armenian Zatik) is the most beloved and awaited holiday in Armenia. Armenia has been a Christian country since the year 301, and since then Holy Week has been a popular and participatory public festival. Everyone on the street, at home in gatherings of friends and family greet each other and say: “Christ is risen.” The answer is “Blessed is the resurrection of Christ.”
The slow fasting season lasts 40 days before Easter. Christians, who want to fast, stay away from sins and eat only vegetarian dishes. During the fast, Christians attend church and confess their sins, read the Bible, and stay away from the latter. Towards the end of the slow season, a week before Palm Sunday, when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem. It is a wonderfully decorated day: the streets and houses are lined with palm branches, people are crowned with flowers.
During Lent, Armenian families also put lentils or other sprouted grains in a tray covered with a thin layer of cotton, and keep it in a bright place in the house until Easter, when the sprouts appear. Symbolizing spring and the awakening of nature, these green shoots are the “grass” on which colored eggs are placed to decorate the Easter table.
The coming Easter day is a day of joy and triumph against cold and darkness. Spring break and resurrection! The Armenians have preserved the beautiful biblical tradition regarding red eggs and cherek (sweet bread): “When Christ was crucified, his mother took some eggs and bread wrapped in the shawl. When the Mother saw her crucified Son and her arms bleeding, she knelt down and wept. The tears of the Mother and the blood of the Son that fell on the cloak colored the eggs and the bread. Then the Mother put the cloak on her head. From that day, people began to dye eggs red on Easter day and women began to wear cloaks when they visited church.
Everywhere in Armenia, in Yerevan and in all cities, Easter is celebrated with traditional events, dishes, songs, greetings. Especially noteworthy are the revels and merits in Echmiadzin, Dilijan, Garni and in many other places. A special Easter meal is offered in many restaurants, and especially in the Old Dilijan complex, the meal will be blessed by the priest. Another Easter event at the Best Western Paradise Hotel Dilijan will be set to pleasant live music. There will be special rates at Impuls Hotel.
The Easter atmosphere will proliferate over all. The special Easter liturgy will be held in the Main Cathedral of Armenia in Ejmiatsin and in all other functioning churches. The Garni Pagan Temple will also join the celebrations and offer traditional Easter eggs as gifts.