Clergyman: “Armenian Church protects Armenian national traditions”
12/2/2012
Priest Nikoghayos Hovhannisyan, head of the “For protection and development of Armenian kitchen traditions” NGO Sedrak Mamulyan and the secteraty of the same NGO Vahe Antanesyan met journalists at “Armat” (“Root”) press-club and spoke about the Armenian religious feast called Tyaryndaraj. During this feast newly- married couples gather and jump over the fire.
Priest Nikoghayos presented the history of the feast. “When Jesus Christ was taken to the church to be anointed, an old man came to welcome him. And the feast got its name Tyaryndaraj, which means “Welcoming the master” in Armenia”.
Speaking about the ceremonial orders the priest noted that the initial events are taking place on February 13, in the evening. This event symbolizes fruitfulness. All four parts of the Earth are blessed during this ceremony. And the main feast comes on February 14.
“On February 13, in the evening clergymen went out of the church with candles and burn the fire. This is a traditional ceremony. As Armenian Church is a national church, so the national traditions are kept”, the clergyman underlined. He added that on this day newly-married couples are blessed.
The other speaker of the press-conference, Vahe Antanesyan noted before the Christianity this ceremony was devoted to the nature.
“We know that Tsakhkazard (decorated with flowers) is a feast for girls, so Tyarnyndaraj was a feast for young men in the past. The feast has a nice continuing, too. Many people get married just on that day now.”
Sedrak Mamulyan referred to the national dishes of the feast. As he noted most part of the dishes are kept in Armenian villages. As the cooker noted the dishes were very useful for the users.
According to Mamulyan those dishes are not used by the Armenians today much and the lack of knowledge also has its role in it.
”People want to be modern and national dishes are driven away from their menus. But those kitchens which are considered to be modern and wanted are also based on the national roots”, Mamulyan underlined.
