On July 8, 2018, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Vardavar). The Feast was celebrated properly in the churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. Everywhere in the Armenian churches, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the occasion of the feast and sermons were told about the mystery of the day. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the traditional game of pouring water was not forgotten. The spilling of water on each other made a joyful mood. On the occasion of the feast, pilgrimages to the various sanctuaries both in Motherland and Armenian - populated regions of Georgia were organized.
On the occasion of Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, Spiritual Superintendence of Akhaltsikhe of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia organized a pilgrimage to the ruined chapel called “Mother Church”, located near the village of Tsughrut.
The sanctuary has been a place for pilgrimage for centuries, especially at the Vardavar Feast, but in recent years the Divine Liturgies were not celebrated there.
In order to complete the mystery of the feast, with the divine providence, the centuries – long silence was broken and replaced by the Divine Liturgy.
In the Holy “Mother church” chapel the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Father Torgom Vardanyan, pastor of Akhaltsikhe and nearby settlements.
Faithful pilgrims from Akhaltsikhe and nearby districts attended the Divine Liturgy.
Rev. Father Hakob Sahakyan, spiritual superintendant of Akhaltsikhe and Borjomi regions preached properly about the mystery of the day and once again told about miracles that occurred in our days with a number of Armenians which had come to visit the “Mother church” chapel.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the pilgrims congratulated each other on the occasion of the Feast of Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Vardavar).