On February 11, 2018, the Armenian Boun Barekendan holiday was celebrated with a Harissa festival at the St. Gregory of Narek Educational, Cultural, Youth and Spiritual Center in Rustavi (Armenian Diocese in Georgia). After the Hayartun Center in Tbilisi, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan; visited Rustavi. The Center’s students presented a beautiful performance of Hovhannes Tumanyan’s “Barekendan”.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, congratulated the attendees on the Armenian Boun Barekendan holiday, wished the audience to endure Great Lent, by deriving their body strength from Great Barekendan and fortifying their faith. The Diocesan Primate blessed the pots and invited the guests to taste the traditional harissa.

Bun Barekendan or Great Barekendan was festively celebrated at the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior) in Batumi (Armenian Diocese in Georgia). The Diocesan Alexander Mantashev Educational, Cultural and Youth Center organized a Harissa festival. In attendance was RA Consul General in Adjara, Yeghishe Sargsyan; and his wife. The festival included song and dance performances by the local creative groups.

It was a festive day at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Akhaltsikhe. Following the Divine Liturgy, the priest blessed the pots with harissa, made by the faithful women, and invited the guests to taste the traditional harissa. Blessed harisa was delivered to the ill and needy.

On the previous day, February 10, the Harissa festivals were held in Shahumyan and Tsiteli villages. Following the Morning and Evening Services, in the Surb Astvatsatsin Church (Holy Mother of God) in the village of Shahumyan and in the Chapel Srbots Avetaranchats (Chapel of Holy Evangelists) in the Tsiteli Village, everyone was treated to Harissa.

The First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to Georgia, Artur Sargsyan; the councilor at the RA Embassy in Georgia, Artak Grabsky; and the diocesan officials visited the two villages to congratulate the locals on the feast. The celebration continued till late.