Holy Easter is one of the five feasts of Jesus Christ in the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is celebrated on the first following Sunday of the primary full moon, after the Spring equinox, between March 21 and April 24.
This year the feast was celebrated on April 9. It is the celebration of the miraculous Resurrection of Jesus Christ, called Easter: separation, estrangement from sins and going back to God and to the divine. Believers paint eggs on Easter. The painted egg is considered to be the symbol of Resurrection and new life. The red color symbolizes the Saviour blood of the crucified Jesus, which he shed for the salvation of all mankind.
Artissimo NGO, encouraging the preservation of Armenian traditions, the importance of understanding the values and meanings of the holidays, presenting and teaching the rituals to children, also celebrated Easter by implementing an interesting “Arvestanots”.
On April 11, a beautiful, traditional event was organized for the beneficiaries of the Voskeporik Development Center in the city of Martuni. At the core of the event was one of the main ceremonies of the holiday, The Egg Tapping. The beneficiaries of the center and their mothers “fought” with eggs. The aim of the game is to break your opponent’s egg by hitting it with your egg. The winner is the one whose egg is not broken at the end of the game.
The beneficiaries made a ritual doll, Grandma Utis, with their own hands. On the night before Easter, she comes with a ladle in her hand to call everyone to rejoice and feast. She drives Aklatis away and ensures the joy and abundance of the table.
The feast was really nice, the emotions were indescribable. The children sang Easter songs and recited rhymes.
