The Harissa festival is growing day by day. People in the villages demonstrate enthusiasm to get involved in the Harissa festival, turning it into a big celebration.

On February 6, the festival of Armenian dish- Harissa, which has been organized annually by the Association of Armenian Women of Georgia “Shushanik” and the Armenian Diocese in Georgia in Tbilisi, was held in Ninotsminda.

The Harissa festivals were held in Jigrashen and Mazara. The godfathers of the churches, Mnatsakan Karapetyan, and Garegin Manukyan became the first who had cooked harissa in their families. The participants of the festival were treated to harissa.

During the festival, Rev. Father Armash Poghosyan offered his blessing to the attendees, blessed the pots wish harissa, spoke about the ceremony, while the godfathers treated people to harissa.

The members of the Nairi Dance Ensemble (Choreographer Lusine Mzikyan) the youth of the two villages adorned the event with their performances.

The Eve of Great Lent or Great Barekendan is celebrated on different days every year, on Sunday, the day prior to the period of fasting lasting 40 days. The Harissa festival will be concluded by the festival scheduled to be held at the Rafael Javakh Cultural and Youth Center, on February 11, the Eve of Great Lent.