Armenia to celebrate Vardavar

Every year for one day Armenians get a break from the summer heat by celebrating Vardavar. This holiday involves drenching and getting drenched in public. It includes everyone you know and those you don’t know. Vardavar was a pagan festival in ancient times, celebrating Astghik, the Armenian goddess of water, fertility, and love. Armenia eventually adopted Christianity as its state religion, but this festival remained intact. The Armenian Apostolic Church identified Vardavar with the Transfiguration of Jesus and incorporated it into one of its five feast days. Vardavar is now celebrated across Armenia every summer. Young people use buckets and stay close to fountains and ponds. Some prefer to position themselves on higher ground on their balconies. Some even use hoses. The most important thing to remember is that on Vardavar, nobody is safe—make sure to leave your nice clothes at home! Vardavar takes place 14 weeks after Easter each year. This summer, it’s on July 7. Have fun!