Median Day’s (Mijink) joyful mood at churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia

It is the Great Lent period in accordance with the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church Calendar. March 15, 2023, was the 24th day of the Great Lent. The Great Lent was divided into two parts. It is celebrated festively by Armenian churches and is called Mijink, the Median Day. Under the leadership of spiritual pastors, the churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia prepared to properly celebrate Median Day.

A large number of faithful gathered in the Cathedral of Saint George in Tbilisi and Saint Etchmiadzin church in Avlabari, churches located in different districts of Tbilisi. In the evening, Peace Service was offered. Spiritual fathers conveyed to the attendees the blessings of  the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Rev. Father Archimandrite Kirakos Davtyan, and touched upon the mystery of the day and wished them to pass the second half of the Great Lent period with love and faith,

This church feast is accompanied by a number of folk customs and traditions. Armenians in Georgia celebrate Mijink with bagharj or gata. Various types of gata, baked on the occasion in front of the Altar, were blessed and distributed to the people. The church godfathers had their contribution in the proper implementation of the national holiday. A beautiful surprise for some of the attendees was the gifts prepared by them and "hidden" in the gata - the blessed crosses, which meant that the year will be more blessed for whoever gets it.

Those present tasted the blessed gata, were happy to receive their gifts, and, encouraged with faith and prayer, prepared to continue the path through the second half of the Great Lent, last until the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Mijink was solemnly celebrated with Gata Festival in the main Holy Cross (Surb Khach) church of the Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka’s General Prelacy in Akhalkalaki and nearby villages; Saint Gregory Illuminator (Surb Grigor Lusavorich) church in Akhaltsikhe; Saint Sarkis church in Ninotsminda; Saint Savior (Surb Prkich) church in Batumi; Armenian churches of villages of Tsalka and Aspindza, Kvemo Kartli regions, and the Gregory of Narek spiritual, educational, cultural, and youth center of Rustavi city will celebrate Mijink with gata festival after the Sunday Divine Liturgy.

The clergy of the churches expressed their gratitude to godfathers of cross of the year for their support to the celebration of the Mijink feast.