Great Lent continues in Christian Churches. On March 22 Great Lent divided into two parts; the second half of Lent will continue till the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Median Day of Great Lent is called Mijink, it is accompanied by many traditions. For example, the housewives bake unleavened cake or gata.

On March 22, 2017, a festive mood of Mijink prevailed in the churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, which was accompanied by the Armenian Gata Competitive Festival.

The Saint Gevorg Cathedral and the Saint Etchmiadzin Church, located in the different parts of Tbilisi, were crowded. Schoolchildren, teachers, parents and many faithful attended the traditional holiday celebration. Evening Divine Service was held in the churches with the participation of the clergy. Following the service, the clergy blessed gata, prepared at the Hayartun Center by the members of the Association of Armenian Women in Georgia "Shushanik" led by pastry chef Larisa Harutyunyan. In some of the pastry they had put silver crosses donated by the churches’ godfathers and Armenian jewelers from Tbilisi.

Later, the members of the Taron Dance Group of the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia distributed the traditional pastry to the faithful.

Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka's General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia held the Armenian Gata Competitive Festival on the Mijink Day of Great Lent. If it has turned into a tradition in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda, Akhaltsikhe hosted the first Armenian Gata (Armenian Sweet Bread) Festival at the local Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church. The celebration brought together many faithful. The occasion was honored with the presence of Mayor of Akhaltskha Vladimir Zedginidze, President of the Sacrebulo Davit Lomidze, several officials and guests.

The event was honored by the presence of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, in the company of officials.

The Diocesan Primate welcomed the attendees, preached about the mystery of the day, wishing the faithful strength and endurance to spend the days of Lent filled with love and faith. Under the presidency of His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan and with the participation of the Spiritual Supervisor of Akhaltsikhe and Borjomi regions, Rev. Father Hakob Sahakyan, and Pastor of adjacent villages, Rev. Father Torgom Vardanyan, Peace Service was offered.

In remarks, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia and Georgian officials emphasized the centuries-old Armenian-Georgian friendship, close ties between the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and the Georgian Orthodox Church, and national traditions. It is encouraging to report that besides Armenian women, the Akhaltsikhe Association for the Blind, led by President Tina Abesadze, participated in the Armenian Gata Festival.

President of “Shushanik” Union of Armenian Women of Georgia, Susanna Khachatryan, congratulated the faithful of Akhaltsikhe on the occasion of holding the Armenian Gata Festival, and presented the festival with “Mijink” gata brought from Tbilisi.

The celebration was also held in the Surb Khach(Holy Cross) Church in Akhaltsikhe. The faithful attended the vigil bringing with them various types of gatas, which had been specially prepared for the occasion. The number of participants is growing every year, enriching the assortment. Among the attendees were Metropolitan Nikoloz Pachuashvili of Akhalkalaki and Kumurdo Diocese; representatives of the RA Ministry of Diaspora; Executive Director of the Support to Javakhk Foundation Ashot Hakobyan; officials; cultural figures.

Under the presidency of Very Rev. Fr. Babken Salbiyan, the Prelate of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka's General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, and with the participation of the Pastors of Akhalkalaki and adjacent villages a solemn service was celebrated. The liturgy continued with a brief overview of the Median Day of Great Lent (Mijink) and the Armenian Gata Festival  traditionally held in Javakhk) and was followed by a musical performance by Arma Galoyan, who had made a pilgrimage to Javakhk, as well as performances by the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese’s Tsaghkazard Armenian Ensemble. In addition to certificates of appreciation, the participating ladies and women also received aprons with the picture of an Armenian Gata from the Support to Javakhk Foundation. The festive mood prevailed in the churchyard, where the Zartonk Armenian Dance Ensemble of the Vicariate of the Prelacy of Samtskhe-Javakhk and Tsalka and Vachian Armenian Dance Ensemble (artistic director and dance instructor Naslet Keyan) gave an open-air concert for the public. Guests also enjoyed sweet pastry (gata) during the celebration. On Median Day of Great Lent (Mijink) crowds gathered at St. Sargis Church in Ninotsminda. Following the evening service, Pastor of Ninotsminda Rev. Father Armash Poghosyan blessed the gatas, which were presented at the Armenian Gata Competitive Festival at the Rafael Javakh Educational and Cultural Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia (Director, Zhora Snkhchyan).

The festive event continued in the yard of the Rafael Javakh Center. While the contest committee would select the best gatas, the choir and the Center’s dance ensemble gave a lovely open-air concert for the public. The winners received diplomas and precious gifts.

The Median Day of Great Lent was properly celebrated according to the folk traditions in the Surb Prkich (Saint Savior) Church in Batumi. More than 50 local housewives participated in the event. The service was attended by RA Consul General in Adjara, Yeghishe Sargsyan and community officials. The winners of the competition received souvenirs, and the luckiest among the faithful received the crosses put in the pastry, which had been blessed by Rev. Father Ararat Gumbalyan, Pastor of the Surb Prkich Church in Batumi. The Median Day of Great Lent (Mijink) turned into a national celebration featuring the Alexander Mantashyants Center’s (of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia) creative groups.

The revival of folk customs, accompanying the religious holidays, brings new vitality to the faithful, becoming a tradition year after year.