Easter (in Armenian Zatik) is loved and the most anticipated holiday in Armenia. Armenia has been a Christian country since 301, and since then Easter has been a popular and participatory holiday. Everyone in the streets, at home, in family and friendly gatherings, greet each other and say: “Christ is risen.” The answer is “Blessed is the resurrection of Christ.”
The fasting season of Lent 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, stay away from the last. Towards the end of the offseason, a week before the Palm Sunday celebration, when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem. It is a wonderfully decorated day: the streets and houses are lined with palms, people are crowned with flowers.
During the slowness, Armenian families also put lentils or other sprouting grains on a tray covered with a thin layer of cotton, and keep it in a lighted place in the house until Easter, when the sprouts appear. These green shoots, symbolizing spring and nature’s awakening, are the “grass” on which people place colored eggs to decorate the Easter table.
The next Easter day is a day of joy and triumph against cold and darkness. Spring Break and Resurrection! Armenians have preserved the beautiful biblical tradition that refers to red eggs and cheorek (sweet bread): “When Christ was crucified, his mother took some eggs and bread wrapped in the shawl. When the Mother saw her Son crucified and her arms bleeding, she knelt down and wept. The tears of the Mother and the blood of the Son that dripped on the shawl colored the eggs and the bread. Then the Mother put the shawl on her head. From that day on people began to coloring the eggs red on Easter day and women began to wear shawls when visiting church.
Everywhere in Armenia in Yerevan and in all cities, Easter is celebrated with traditional events, dishes, songs and greetings. Especially notable are the revelries and revelries in Echmiadzin, Dilijan, Garni and in many other places. In many restaurants a special Easter meal is offered, and especially in the Old Dilijan Complex, the meal will be blessed by the priest. Another Christmas Eve event at the Best Western Paradise Hotel Dilijan will be decorated with 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. Garni Pagan Temple will also join in the celebrations and provide traditional Easter eggs as gifts.
