Pagan Armenians Celebrate Vardavar
Garni, Kotayk Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia for EurasiaNet 2007
As mentioned in the last post, today was Vardavar — a pagan festival now absorbed into the Christian calendar. Nevertheless, Armenia’s small community of pagans observed the holiday as it probably was always meant to. Although Vardavar has become synonymous with throwing water on each other, there is much more to the tradition than that as Armenia Now explained in 2005.
Painter Lusik Aguletsi decorates the festive table with quick movements. On one edge there is a traditional Armenian Nuri doll made of dried vegetables smartened up with small pomegranates, while next to it is a khachbur and a kskrank (types of dolls resembling small trees) woven of wheat.
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Vardavar has been celebrated in many parts of Armenia on the first Sunday after July 22, and in other regions 98 days after Easter. This year it is celebrated on July 3. It is considered a pagan occasion that Gregory the Illuminator transformed into the festival of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ.
Pagan Armenians marked the festival in honor of the Goddess Astghik, offering her flowers especially roses. The festival mainly took place in the mountains, near springs and lakes, which were regarded as particularly holy places. Offerings honored water spirits and entreated them to provide rains for the harvest and spare them from drought.
Anyway, much of the ritual involving roses and fruit were observed today, but what was most interesting for me was the presence of an Armenian from Germany who had especially traveled to Garni to be baptized into paganism, and also the presence of Armen Avetisyan, the controversial leader of the Union of Armenian Aryans, who was there with a number of his supporters. As I said before, however, more on that when the EurasiaNet photo story is complete.
Garni, Kotayk Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia for EurasiaNet 2007
did you ask them what book were they reading from?
Comment by artyom — July 16, 2007 @ 7:08 am
No, but I will when I meet with them early this week to get more information for the EurasiaNet photo story.
Comment by Onnik — July 16, 2007 @ 11:39 am
Wow, how cool there are pagan Armenians. Are they reconstructionists like the YSEE from Greece? Where can I learn more from Armenian neopagans?
Comment by vzk — April 22, 2009 @ 1:43 am
Greetings to all by the formula of Vanatur; and may Ar awaken His Holy Fire within you! I see these photos with delight that the home of my ancestors has not quit the worship of the Gods. I am happy to see all this. Someday I will come to Garni to
meet my brothers & sisters on a August 11 to feel the ancient energy of our worship.
May the Goddess Nar favor you with Her Divine Winds!
May the God Tir lend you of His sublime Wisdom.
A time shall come again where the Priesstesses of Vanatur shall guard the Temple of
Ahahit upon the birth of the child of the city; and our statues & Temples shall arise
again in Armenia as we return to our true roots, the worship of the true Gods!!
Behold, Vahagan, we are the family that does not forsake you. Behold, Vahagan, we have manifested Ashtishat as a wreath of fresh flowers upon Thy altar.
Comment by Lucy An Dobian — July 23, 2009 @ 6:38 pm