The Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God in Armenia

The Assumption of the Most Holy VirginThe Assumption of the Virgin is one of the most important holidays of the Armenian Church. This day, dedicated to the departure from the life of the Virgin, is celebrated since the V century.

After the Liturgy on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin, the rite of blessing of grapes is performed in Armenian churches, which is by no means combined with the holiday. The blessing of the grapes ripening at this time is only timed to the Dormition. In the southern regions of Armenia, where grapes ripen earlier, his blessing was combined with the feast of the transfiguration of the Lord.

According to the consecrated tradition, the first harvest was always brought to the temple. The tradition has ancient roots and is a gratitude to the Creator for the earthly blessings bestowed on people. The priest reads the relevant fragments from the Bible, blesses the vine three times, after which the fruits are distributed to the parishioners. In ancient times, the ceremony was performed in the churchyard vineyard or in the garden of one of the ministers.