Garni and Geghard to host ‘Vardavar’ International Festival on July 12
The Federation of Youth Clubs of Armenia (FYCA) is organizing ‘Vardavar’ international Festival in Garni and Geghard on Sunday, July 12.
The FYCA chairman Atom Mkhitaryan said at a press conference today that Vardavar, one of the five Cardinal Feasts of the Armenian Apostolic Church, is celebrated in different ways in various provinces of Armenia. “In some regions, Vardavar is celebrated in a big way, like the New Year,” he noted.
Mkhitaryan, who is also the head of the Vardavar Festival, said that the festival was first held in 2014 and attracted over 150 young foreigners from 26 countries.
Vardavar is the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ. Vardavar was one of the great pagan feasts of the Armenian people before Christianity. At this feast, the people of Armenia decorated the temple of the goddess Asdghig with roses and flowers. For this reason, the feast was called Vardavar, which means decoration with roses. On this occasion, people let pigeons fly in the air and throw water on each other.