On May 5, 2016, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the relocation of the Patriarchal See from the city of Sis to Vagharshapat. The Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the feast was celebrated in the Cathedral of Saint George in Tbilisi.

During the Divine Liturgy, the celebrant priest, Rev. Fr. Husik Harutyunyan spoke a sermon about the message of day, telling how after His Resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ remained on earth for 40 days appearing to His disciples on several occasions. Father Husik congratulated the people present on the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Following the Holy Mass, Rev. Father Samvel Torosyan, Pastor of the Cathedral of St. George, recalled the wanderings of the See of the Catholicosate of All Armenians and its return to its historical origins in Etchmiadzin in 1441. A Pontifical Prayer was offered; the Clergy and the faithful raised their prayers to God asking for vibrancy for the Catholicosate and for the strength and good health of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and a peaceful and successful Pontificate.

The Feast of the Ascension, which is accompanied by folk celebrations called Jangyulum (a term in praise of flowers, especially the rose), continued in the yard of the Cathedral of St. George. The event was initiated by the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, under the guidance of the Director Levon Chidilyan and with the participation of the Hayartun Center’s staff.

Girls decorated with floral head wreaths, the youth, schoolchildren, parents and many faithful gathered in the courtyard of the church. Following the Lord’s Prayer, Rev. Father Ghevond Topashyan, Sacristan of St. George Cathedral in Tbilisi, spoke about the sacrament of the day and congratulated the people present on the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord.

The Masters of Ceremonies were Aida Bazoyan and Ernest Simonyan, the 104 School students, who to the sounds of the song “Hambardzoum Yayla” (Merry Ascension) announced the start of the folk celebrations.

The Feast of Holy Ascension is also known as the feast of flowers and the awakening of spring beauty. At the initiative of Aksana Sharoyan, teacher of St. Movses Khorenatsi Kindergarten, a woven object called Dzaghamer - mother of flowers – was braided, while the traditional story of Christian Virgin Varvara was told and the traditional Armenian vijag (or "casting of lots") ceremony was conducted.

The Hayartun Center’s dhol and duduk classes, Saint Nerses Shnorhali Youth Choir and the Taron Dance Group, as well as the Vanq Dance Ensemble, the Ani Dance Ensemble and individual performers performed during the event.

The Divine Liturgies were offered and celebrations were organized in the churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.