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The week preceding Easter or Holy Resurrection is called Holy Week (in Armenian Avak Shabat). During this period, the Armenian Apostolic Church marks the most important events of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly life – the teachings of the last seven days, Christ's passions, his Death and Resurrection, Qahana.am reports.

Holy Tuesday

“The Parable of the Ten Virgins” is commemorated on Holy Tuesday (Mt 25:1-13). This parable from the Gospel, tells the story about the five foolish and the five wise virgins.  The message exhorts us to be vigilant and prepared for the Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

On Holy Tuesday, during the Evening Service, ten young girls approach the Holy Altar of the Church. Five of the girls have burning candles or oil lamps in their hands, symbolizing the wise maidens, and the other five have extinguished candles or unlit lamps in their hands, symbolizing the foolish maidens.

The Great Lent period began on 4 March. It lasts 48 days beginning on the Eve of Great till the Eve of the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Holy Easter) to marked on April 21 this year.