MosJan Posted March 29, 2002 Report Share Posted March 29, 2002 Easter Tradition: "Bread and wine and Jesus is alive." http://www.armeniaweek.com/march292002/photos/easter_1.jpg By Marianna Grigorian ArmeniaWeek reporter It is the season of rice and raisin dishes, of painted eggs, of red wine in Armenia. And of restraint and the temptations of fasting. It is the season of feathers attached to onions. Easter (celebrated this Sunday) is expressed in spiritual and cultural traditions that reach over centuries to generations that may no longer know the origins, but continue to observe the rituals. "Easter is one of the most favorite festivals that people are waiting for and preparing very thoroughly for in present time just as in ancient Armenia," says Liana Arakelian, a specialist in religion. "People start to prepare clothes, buy gifts, clean, adorn and decorate their houses beforehand." Last Sunday (March 24), walls of homes and heads of young people were decorated with wreaths, to commemorate Palm Sunday. And this Sunday, dinner tables throughout Armenia will be heavy with the traditional meal of Easter. The national Armenian dish, pilaf, will be enhanced by colored eggs, grains, fish, and herbs symbolizing the coming of spring. Bacharg ("Easter cake") a sweet gata or a glazed cake (always round) will be prepared. Fish, Arakelian explains, is served as a reminder of the early Christians' adoption of the fish as a symbol of their religion. The meal has many symbolic applications as it is considered a rite of Spring, but also marks the Apostolic church tradition of fasting for seven weeks. And to mark those seven weeks of self-control and patience, is the ancient tradition of Aklatis. An ancient word literally meaning "to watch" Aklatis, is the ritual of attaching seven feathers to the shoots of an onion. In early days, the Aklatis was hung from the fireplace and was considered the guard of the Easter calendar. At the end of each fast week, one feather is removed, giving the faithful a guage of how much longer the fasting must last. Those who maintained their restraint to not eat meat or dairy products or drink alcohol were believed to be blessed with good fortune and health. Forty days before Easter, believers start collecting eggs. Though in contemporary celebrations the eggs are decorated in many colors, in ancient times they were only red, painted from birch tree bark or from the juice of an onion to symbolize the blood of Christ. Before painting the eggs, those who strictly follow tradition have them blessed by a priest. The egg itself represents the world: The shell is heaven, the inner skin is air, the egg white is water and the yolk, earth. The painted eggs are not served as the meal, but are most often presented as gifts. Grains used in the Easter meal preparation also have symbolic meaning. Cereal is meant to symbolize the awakening of the earth to Spring and also to carry the meaning of the resurrection of Christ, as the grain is laid in the ground (planted) and then is resurrected. In ancient Armenia women baked seven baghargner for Easter. That tradition is partly forgotten these days, however there are people living in the villages who are following tradition of baking baghargner. During the Last Supper Jesus taking the bread said, "This is my body and wine is my blood". When you eat baghar during Easter it means that you accept God in your soul. Besides, those seven baked baghargner of Easter festival symbolized luxury, wealth and also fasting. Sometimes people would put a metal coin in the bagharg and the one whose piece contained the coin was considered lucky. Rice on the Easter table is meant to symbolize all humanity. The raisins included in it represent believers the "chosen." http://www.armeniaweek.com/march292002/photos/easter_2.jpgRed wine symbolizes the blood of Jesus. In ancient time it was necessary for elder people to sanctify the Easter table with wine, announcing to family members: "Bread and wine and Jesus is alive". Photos by Mkhitar Khachatrian & Karen Minasian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sip Posted March 29, 2002 Report Share Posted March 29, 2002 quote:Originally posted by MosJan:... Sometimes people would put a metal coin in the bagharg and the one whose piece contained the coin was considered lucky. ...Isn't it funny that the one with a broken tooth is considered lucky? (<--- yet another chance to use my favorite guy!!!) Just like those race drivers that have accidents and are called "lucky". Oh yah, it could have been worse but the lucky guys didn't have the accidents to begin with Very interesting article though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 31, 2002 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2002 Qristos Hayrav e Merelots http://www.mksduduks.com/ecards/images/card103.jpg Harout jan Anunovt apres... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harut Posted April 1, 2002 Report Share Posted April 1, 2002 merci Movses jan!!! but what a unblever i became! i didn't even go to church during Easter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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