Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ celebrated at Armenian Diocese in Georgia

On July 27, 2025, one of the five major feast days of the Armenian Church, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, was celebrated. With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Kirakos Davtyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the feast was marked with the celebration of Divine Liturgy in the Diocese’s operating churches. The faithful of Tbilisi and Armenian-populated regions of Georgia took part in the celebration of what people commonly call Vardavar with great enthusiasm.

At the Saint George Cathedral in Tbilisi, the festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Father Virap Ghazaryan, while at the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Avlabari, the celebrant was Rev. Father Hovsep Harutyunyan.

During the Divine Liturgy, the celebrant priests delivered sermons reflecting on the mystery of the day. The Feast of the Transfiguration affirms the truth that Jesus is the Son of God. God’s message to the apostles and the whole world is: “Listen to Him. He is the Lord of heaven and earth, of the living and the dead, for He brought Moses forth from among the dead and Elijah from among the living.” The honorable priests extended their congratulations to the faithful on the occasion of the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ and wished that we all live with the light hidden in our souls, and that our nation, our people, and our Church be guided by the spirit of faithfulness and unity.

The festive atmosphere continued in the courtyards of the churches. The ancient tradition of pouring water on one another, originating from pagan times and later imbued with Christian spirit, was expressed through a joyful water play, accompanied by music and beautiful round dances, creating a cheerful mood for both those sprinkling and those being sprinkled.

On the occasion of the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, post-Liturgy celebrations took place in the churches of Saint Gregory the Illuminator in Akhaltsikhe, Holy Cross in Akhalkalaki, Saint Sarkis in Ninotsminda, Holy Savior in Batumi, as well as in the churches of other Armenian-populated regions.

Cleansed by the water of Vardavar and the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful were spiritually renewed with a prayerful longing to live a new life with Christ.