The 101^st traditional Sayat-Nova Vardaton (Feast of Roses) took place in the square in front of the Saint Gevorg Vicarial Church in Tbilisi. The Sayat-Nova Vardaton, founded by the great Armenian writer Hovhannes Tumanyan, artist Gevorg Bashinjaghyan and poet Ioseb Grishashvili, is one the most favorite festivals of the residents of Tbilisi.

Every year, the last Sunday of May, people of different nationalities come to lay roses on the tomb of the great poet and musician Sayat-Nova buried in the church courtyard.

This year the festival took place on March 31, 2015. It started by the Sunday Divine Liturgy conducted in the Saint Etchmiadzin church with the participation of the Counselor from the RA Embassy in Georgia, Karen Melikyan, Rev. Fr. Ter Tachat Davidian and other guests. At the end of the Liturgy, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan read a sermon on the sacrament of the day recalling Prophet Elijah and upcoming feasts of St. Gayane, St. Hripsime and the Feast of the Apparition (“Shoghakat”) of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Then the Primate of the Diocese together with the guests headed to the square in front of the Saint Gevorg Vicarial Church to join other people at Vardaton festival, including Georgian officials, guests from Armenia and Armenian community representatives.

Among honored guests were the Chairman of the City Council, Giorgi Alibegashvili, Georgian MP Ruslan Poghosyan, the First Deputy State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Mrs. Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, the “Vrastan” (“Georgia”) Newspaper editor, Van Baiburtyan, Krtsanisi District governor, Giorgi Kopaleishvili and others.

Poet and translator Givi Shahnazar, Secretary of the Writers’ Union of Armenia, Petros Demirchyan, poet Gagik Davtyan, Secretary of the Georgian Writer’s Union, Makvala Gonashvili, the President of the “Vernatun” Armenian Writers’ Union of Georgia, Gevorg Snkhchyan, artistic director of Petros Adamian Tbilisi State Armenian Drama Theatre, the President of the Union of Armenians of Georgia, Henrikh Muradyan occupied their seats on the stage.

The festival was organized by the “Hayartun” Center of the Armenian Diocese, Georgian Armenian's Union, Petros Adamian Tbilisi State Armenian Drama Theatre, Armenian Writers’ Union of Georgia “Vernatun”, Union of Armenians of Georgia, with the support of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Tbilisi City Hall, the Ministry of Culture and Monuments Protection of Georgia and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia.

The event started with the blessings from the Primate of the Diocese, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan .Then His Grace thanked Georgian government who supported the organization of the festival.

The Chairman of the City Council, Giorgi Alibegashvili, gave a speech and highlighted the importance of having a multi-cultural, multi-religious and multilingual society. Other guests also gave welcoming and congratulatory speeches recalling the great Sayat-Nova.

The celebration started with the traditional performance of The Sayat-Nova State Minstrel Song Ensemble (Artistic Director, Professor Tovmas Poghosyan). Again love and friendship reigned at Meidan Square. Among the performers were Iren, Avakyan, Anna Poghosova, Nina, Karapetyan, the “Taron” Dance Ensemble, dhol and duduk players, the “Ksovrelebi” Ensemble, singers Henrikh Petrosyan, Sopo Khanchalyan, Gevorg Petrosyan, Mais Hunanyants, the “Ani”, “Vank” and “Jeiran” Dance Ensembles, actors from Petros Adamian Tbilisi State Armenian Drama Theatre, Samvel Elbakyan, Robert Aghajanyan, Robert Hovhannisyan and others from Armenia and Georgia.

At the end, the Director of the “Hayartun” Center, Levon Chidilyan gave a closing speech.

The traditional Vardaton-2015 with beautiful recitations, joyful folk songs and dances became a great feast of praising friendship, unity and love between nations.