TOURINFO Magazine – The day when your prospective beloved comes to your dream.
Did you know that Armenians have their own “St. Valentine’s Day”?
Unlike St. Valentine which is always on February 14, St. Sargis’ date is movable and usually is celebrated between the end of January and the beginning of February. This year it is going to be on the 8th of February. On the St. Sargis’s eve single boys and girls eat salty biscuits (aghi blit) prepared by a happy married grandmother who sings good wishing songs during baking.
Afterwards, they are not allowed to drink or eat anything. It is believed, one will marry the person who brings water in his/her dream. Another activity is taking place in Armenian families as well. On this day they put a plate of roasted wheat flour in a balcony or on the roof. According to the beliefs, St. Sargis passes over people’s houses at that night and his horse can leave its footprint on the flour. If one notices a horseshoe in the plate, the daydreams of the young boy or girl of the family will come true.
On the actual holiday couples present each other cards, flowers and sweets. In churches after the name of St. Sargis, a liturgy is served and then a ceremony of blessing the young is held. Next to the churches are set small markets where traditional attributes and salty biscuits can be found. There is also the church of St. Sargis in Yerevan.
During this holiday one of the main streets, Mesrop Mashtoc Avenue, is closed for couple of hours, so after the church service people lead by St. Sargis on his white horse can reach the Lover’s Park on Marshall Baghramyan Avenue where a concert is held. St. Sargis is one of the most revered saints of Armenian Apostolic Church and the entire nation. He is lovers’ saint who makes their dreams come true.
St. Sargis (285-337) was originally a warrior from the province of Gamerk. There he lived and performed feats during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great. A beautiful legend about him has come down to our days. One evening, Sargis and his 39 soldiers and fellows returned with one more victory and celebrated it in a king’s castle. When the feast was finished, everyone went to sleep. But since the king did not like Christians, he commanded to forty young girls to kill the soldiers.
Everyone carried out the order except for the one. She fell in love with Sargis and kissed him. He woke up and understood what happened. Then, Sargis saddled up his white horse, seated his beloved beside him, broke through the city gates and left the city. ~February 2020 180
