Sunday’s Vardavar events in Gyumri were started at Theater Square—and with the washing of statues there, the Gyumri city hall informs.
Subsequently, the Vardavar celebration kicked off at Gyumri's Vardanants Square.
This Sunday, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Vardavar, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ.
This feast is the third of the five main holidays of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
This holiday is also known as “Vardavar.”
It is a popular custom during this holiday to sprinkle water on each other and release doves, which symbolize the biblical account of the great flood, the salvation of Noah's family from it, and his dove.
It is also customary to be decorated with flowers, which is an _expression_ of great joy of seeing the glory of the Son of God.
The popular name “Vardavar” probably comes from the custom of pouring rose—“vard,” in Armenian—water.
The Vardavar holiday is preceded by fasting. And the next day—like after all the other main holidays of the Armenian Apostolic Church—is the day of the remembrance of the dead, when a Divine Liturgy and a requiem service for the souls of the dead is served in all Armenian Apostolic Churches.
The truth that Jesus is the Son of God was confirmed by the Feast of the Transfiguration.