Harisa Festival was held in Tbilisi

The traditional Harisa Festival among Armenians from Tbilisi, which was celebrated on the occasion of the Eve of Great Lent (Great Barekendan), was held a week earlier this year, on February 12, 2023.

After the Sunday Divine Liturgy, celebrated by Rev Father Kirakos Simonyan under the presidency of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Rev. Father Archimandrite Kirakos Davtyan and with the attendance of guest archimandrites, at Saint Etchmiadzin church in Avlabari. After the Divine Liturgy, the faithful moved to the "Hayartun" center to participate in "Harisa-2023" Festival. the event was organized by the “Shushanik” Union of Armenian Women in Georgia, “Saint George” Union, and the Diocesan “Hayartun” Center with the support of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

The Harisa Festival, which has a history of more than a decade, has expanded year by year and has become a folk celebration when Armenian women from Tbilisi invite the guests to taste this national dish.

Almost all organizations of the Armenian community in Tbilisi participated in the festival; around thirty pots full of delicious were put on the tables along the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of the Diocesan "Hayartun" Center. the dish was cooked by "Ani" Dance Ensemble, “Nerses the Gracious” (“Nerses Shnorhali”) Choir of the “Hayartun” Center, “House of Hovhannes Tumanyan” Center, The Armenian community of Georgia, members of “Shushanik” Union, and numerous volunteer faithful․

The event was honored with the presence of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Rev. Father Archimandrite Kirakos Davtyan, Rev. Father Archimandrite Nshan Hmayakyan, General Prelate at Samtskhe-Javakheti General Prelacy, Pastor of Armenian churches in Kvemo-Kartli region Rev. Father Archimandrite Zaven Yazichyan; among the honored guest were diplomats of the RA Embassy in Georgia.

The hall was crowded. The Armenian ladies with their appearance corresponding to the day  beautified the event standing beside the pots lined up next to each other. Susanna Khachatryan, the Chairwomen of the “Shushanik” Union of Armenian Women in Georgia thanked all participants for implementing the already traditional Harisa Festival this year.

Rev. Father Archimandrite Kirakos Davtyan highly appreciated the participation of women and community organizations and valued the tradition of preserving and passing to generations traditional Armenian dishes - the part of the Armenian culture - established by Armenians from Georgia․ The Diocesan Primate blessed the pots full of hairsa and invited those present to taste the delicious dish.

And cheerful songs and music were played at the "Hayartun" Center. And the harissa tasting began. Until late, the happy mood and the fragrant harissa spread in the "Hayartun" Center. Around seven hundred people benefited from this meal, blessed harisa was also distributed to the sick and elderly who were unable to attend the Festival.

The “Shushanik” Union of Armenian Women in Georgia thanks the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Diocesan “Hayartun” Center, church-loving women of Saint George church, The Cathdedral Godfather of Cross Armen Khachatryan and Godfather of Cross of Saint Etchmiadzin Armen Petrosyan, Pastors of the two churches: Rev Father Virap Ghazaryan and Rev. Father Samvel Torosyan, as well as the director of the store“Armenia” Eduard Muradyan and other benefactors for their support to the implementation of the Harisa Festival.