Armenian Festivals and Holidays
Yerevan Basics :
March/April: Easter (Zatik) is a moveable holiday and is the second main feast of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Easter is celebrated between the 21st of March and the 26th of April on the first Sunday after the full moon. Easter has a movability of 35 days and the dates of other Armenian religious feasts and holidays are determined by the date of Easter. Easter begins on Good Friday and lasts throughout the weekend. During this celebration of Christ’s resurrection, people greet each other by saying: “Christ has arisen” (“Kristos haryav ee merelots”), and replying with: “Blessed is the resurrection of Christ” (“Orhnyal e harutyunn Kristosi”). Following tradition, people color eggs for this feast. Red colored eggs symbolize the blood of Christ which was shed for the salvation of the world.
There is a traditional game in Armenia: hard boiled eggs are distributed and each player hits the other player’s egg in an effort to crack the shell. The winner gets to keep the eggs of the defeated one. The second day of Easter is dedicated to the remembrance of those who have passed away, known as merelots.
March 8: For Armenians, International Women’s Day is a very important holiday, as it is the start of a month-long tribute to women. All women receive presents and flowers from their family, friends, and colleagues.
The period from March 8 to April 7 is considered to be the Month of Women.
April 7: The Month of Women culminates on the Day of Maternity and Beauty (Mother’s Day). On this important Armenian holiday, mothers receive gifts and flowers from their children.