On August 13, 2017, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. The Fourth Tabernacle Feast, the oldest feast dedicated to the Holy Mother of God was solemnly marked in all the churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

From the morning, the diocesan Armenian churches were crowded. The altars of the churches were traditionally decorated with different types of grape and other fruits. The congregation, as a sign of their devotion, continued to file into the churches holding baskets full of fruits in order to participate in the service of the Blessing of Grapes.

A morning service was conducted; the Andastan Service was performed wherein the four corners of the world were blessed. After that the Divine Liturgy was celebrated.

The celebrant in the Cathedral of Saint George was His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

The Divine Liturgy was attended by many faithful, representatives of the Armenian community of Georgia.

Yerevan Deputy Mayor Aram Sukiasyan; Ashot Melkonyan, director of Armenian National Academy of Sciences' Institute of History; armenologist from Beirut Zepyur Cherkezyan, tourists from around Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora were the honorary guests.

During the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Vazgen read a sermon on the sacrament of the day. The Primate attached importance to the sacrament of the Feast of the Assumption of St. Mary, the Holy Mother of God, in the lives of Armenian faithful, and urged, through the example of the Holy Mother of God, to continue to live by the light of the assumption and faith in Holy Resurrection, and congratulated the people present on the occasion of the feast.

Following the Divine Liturgy, Right Rev. Father Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan accompanied by the clergy offered the Blessing of the Grapes service, during the joint prayer, passages and prayers from the Holy Bible were read. Rev. Fathers read the prayer written by Catholicos Nerses Shnorhali for the Blessing of the Grapes. The deacons from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin sang hymns and recited psalms, adding spirit to the celebration.

The Divine Liturgies and the Blessing of the Grapes services were also conducted in other diocesan churches.

Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Batumi Yeghishe Sargsyan, many holiday-makers and tourists from the Republic of Armenia and other places attended the Divine Liturgy in Batumi at the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior).

At the Surb Khach (Holy Cross) Church in Akhalkalaki the Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of the Grapes service were offered by Very Rev. Fr. Babken Salbiyan, the Prelate of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka's General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The Divine Liturgy was attended by many faithful, pilgrims and the camp participants. The Divine Liturgy, the sermon and the Blessing of Grapes service offered by Very Rev. Father had been a great inspiration and comfort to the local residents. On behalf of America-based Raffy and Shogher Ohanesyan, on the occasion of the feast Matagh (Thanksgiving Animal Sacrifice) was distributed to the faithful.

At the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, spiritual superintendent of Akhaltsikhe and Borjomi regions, Rev. Father Hakob Sahakyan celebrated the Divine Liturgy. Father Hacob read a sermon on the sacrament of the day. Following the Divine Liturgy, Father Hacob and Rev, Father Torgom Vardanyan, Pastor of Akhaltsikhe region, conducted the service of the Blessing of Grapes, which was later distributed to the faithful.

During the day, the priests conducted services and blessing ceremonies in different communities.

On Monday morning the Divine Liturgies in remembrance of the dead will be conducted in the churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.