Holidays and Observances II

On Palm Sunday, as I walked around I saw people with crowns of willows on their heads and/or carrying willow branches (the branches were sometimes green and sometimes were pussy willows). I asked my tutor if people save these until next year and then burn them the day after Lent begins, and she said no. Lonely Planet says it is a true celebration of spring – trees are brought into the churches and hung with fruit.

This year Armenian Easter just happens to be the same as the Easter most Americans might celebrate. It also happens to be the same day as Armenian Genocide Day, April 24. Two very different holidays/observances….

Some of my PCV friends in the regions said that their families planted lentils or other sprouting grains at the beginning of Lent and that they are starting to sprout – so it’s not just something in Lonely Planet! The “grass” becomes the table centerpiece. They dye eggs – it’s traditional to dye them red to symbolize the blood of Christ, but I have seen pastel colors too. Braided bread is traditional as well.

For Armenian Genocide Day, thousands of people join the procession from the center of the city to the Genocide Memorial to pay their respects, leaving a flower at the eternal flame. This holiday is celebrated in diaspora communities across the globe. The concert hall has a memorial organ concert on Thursday night (a chance to hear the big organ!) and a free concert of Verdi’s requiem on Sunday night. I haven’t decided whether I am going to any of these events yet.... but if I don’t it’s still interesting to be in Armenia at this time of year.

Hambartsum (Ascension Day) is 40 days after Easter. I am going to quote Lonely Planet verbatim here – "In the old days, young women had the freedom to sing in the fields and socialize on this day. It’s also a festival of fate. At midnight, space and time pauses and nature speaks to itself. Witnesses to such a moment will have their dreams fulfilled.” That is my kind of holiday!

Vardavar is a holiday occurring on the third Sunday of July – rooted in the country’s pagan past, people pour buckets of water on each other’s heads. In the past, people worshipped Astghik, the goddess of love and beauty, who spread love through Armenia by sprinkling rosewater across the land. Since July tends to be hot, this is still a popular tradition. I wonder if I’ll experience it! My guess is that I’m unlikely to in Yerevan, but if I am in the regions I should prepare to get wet.

Astvatsatsin (Holiday of the Mother of God) is in mid-August, when the priests bless the grape and fruit harvests. Khachverats (Holy Cross), in mid-September, is a day for commemorating the dead. As for state holidays, there are two independence days celebrated here – May 28 is the First Day of the Republic, marking the short-lived republic formed in 1918. September 21 is the anniversary of the day in 1991 when Armenia voted to secede from the Soviet Union. These are marked with various levels of celebration – in the early years the country was preoccupied with war and shortages, but more recently there have been parades, concerts and fireworks.

Other state holidays (many of which seem to fall on weekends during my service… so not a lot of extra days off) – May 1 is Labor Day. May 9 is Victory and Peace Day (commemorating the Second World War). July 5 is Constitution Day. And then December 7 is a Day of Remembrance for the victims of the 1988 earthquake. I’ll cover New Year’s and Christmas (in that order) in another post!