The Feast of the Lord’s Presentation to the Temple (Tiarn’ndaraj) is one of the most joyful and favorite feasts of the Armenian people. In the Armenian Diocese in Georgia it was celebrated according to the church rites and folk traditions.

The celebration started on February 13, 2017, Evening Services (Nakhatonak) were conducted on the night preceding the Feast Day in the Diocesan churches.

The feast was solemnly celebrated at both the Saint Gevorg Cathedral and Avlabari’s Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi.

Under the leadership of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, on the eve of the feast, the Evening Services were conducted in the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi. Georgian MP David Chichinadze honored the service with his presence. In attendance of the Evening Services were community officials, Armenian intellectuals, and many faithful.

Under the singing of hymns and psalms, the faithful piously listened to the sermon about the presentation of the 40 day-old Christ Child to the Temple in Jerusalem by Holy Virgin Mary. Following the Evening Services (Nakhatonak), under the presidency of the Diocesan Primate and with the participation of the clergy, the Andastan ceremony was held - the blessing of the four corners of the world. Candles representing the symbol of the Light of Christ were lit from the Holy Altar.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia offered his blessing remarks to the congregation. He wished peace to the people in Georgia, Armenia and Artsakh, and urged the attendees to remain faithful to traditional and church feasts, to unite around the Armenian Apostolic Church, to retain national and spiritual values and transfer them to younger generations.

By the order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation to the Temple (Tiarn’ndaraj) was proclaimed as a day of blessing of newly married couples. The couples, who got married during the last year, came to receive God's benevolence and blessing.

On the occasion of the feast the traditional Trndez fire was lighted in the church courtyards and the concerts were organized by the Hayartun Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia (Director, Levon Chidilyan). Choreographer Suren Abramyan (the Saint Gevorg Cathedral) and journalist Liza Torosyan (the Saint Etchmiadzin Church) were presenting the concerts. The performances of the Vanq Dance Ensemble (Choreographer, Liana Kashavanidze), the Ani Dance Ensemble (Choreographer, Angelina Nazarian-Kochian), the Taron Dance Ensemble (Choreographer, Suren Abramyan) followed one another, presenting the Armenian wedding celebration episodes. Singers Anna Badalyan, Nina Karapetyan, Aida Bazoyan, Ani Hovhannisyan, solo performers of Saint Nerses Shnorhali Youth Choir presented musical performances of patriotic and national songs. The Hayartun Center’s dhol and duduk classes performed heartwarming national melodies.

Joyful song and dance performances in the Saint George Cathedral and Surb Etchmiadzin Church, located in Meydan and Avlabari respectively, culminated in a spectacular fireworks display.

At the initiative of the Saint George Cathedral and the Saint Etchmiadzin Church clergymen and with the help of the churches’ godfathers, Yuri Yeremyan and Karen Sargsyan, a holiday buffet was organized for the newlywed couples.

The feast was celebrated with great enthusiasm in all Armenian-inhabited regions of the Diocese. In the Surb Khach (Holy Cross) Church in Akhalkalaki the church rites were conducted under the presidency of the Very Rev. Fr. Babken Salbiyan, the Prelate of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka's General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The General Prelacy’s “Zartonk” and “Vachian” song and dance ensembles (Artistic Director, Naslet Keyan) performed a concert program. Following the performances, the church’s godfather Aghasi Karabekyan granted gifts to the newlywed couples. The celebration of Tiarn’ndaraj was held with solemnity at the Holy Trinity Church in the village of Kulikam and the Surb Sarkis Church in the village of Diliska.

One of the favorite feasts of the Armenian people was celebrated with Evening Services (Nakhatonak), joyful songs and dances by a bonfire in Ninotsminda’s Surb Sarkis Church and the St. Mesrop Mashtots Church in nearby Mamzara village, in the Surb Hreshtakapetats (Holy Archangels) Church in Jigrashen, in the Surb Khach (Holy Cross) Church in Big Aragyal and in the St. Nerses the Great Church in the village of Satkha.

A joyful celebration of the feast was held in the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Akhaltsikhe, the Surb Sion Church in Tsughrut village, and Srbots Hreshtakapetats Church (Holy Archangels) in the village of Tsira.

Following the Evening Services (Nakhatonak) and a ceremony of blessing of newly married couples in the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior) in Batumi, a beautiful concert featuring the Alexander Mantashyanc Center’s (of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia) creative groups (Director, Sona Hovhannisyan) was held by the traditional Trndez fire.

On February 14, the Holly Mass for the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation to the Temple (Tiarn’ndaraj) was celebrated in all the operating churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.