The Assumption of the Holy Mother of God (Վերափոխումն Սուրբ Աստուածածին) – the patronal feast of the Armenian Church „Surp Astvadzadzin“ in Ruse
🌸 There are feasts that are not merely observed – they are felt.
You step into the church and already on the threshold you hear the chants rising like a prayer towards heaven. The scent of incense, the light of the candles and the warm smiles of those around you make you feel at home, even if you have come for the first time.
Such is the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, or as we call it – Surp Astvadzadzin. A day on which the sorrow of parting and the joy of the heavenly meeting are woven together. A day on which faith, tradition and community come together beneath the vaults of our Armenian church in Ruse.
On 17 August 2025 the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Assumption of the Mother of God – Վերափոխումն Սուրբ Աստուածածին (Verapokhumn Surp Astvadzadzin). This is one of the brightest and most reverent days of the church calendar – a day on which the faithful remember the falling asleep of the Holy Virgin Mary and her ascent into heavenly glory.
For the Armenian community in Ruse the feast holds a particular meaning, since our church bears the name „Surp Astvadzadzin“ (the Holy Mother of God). This is our patronal feast – a day of prayer, of spiritual renewal and of warm meetings among brethren and friends.
📖 What we remember on these days
Tradition tells that three days before her earthly end the Virgin Mary received word from the Archangel Gabriel that the time had come for her to pass into eternal life. On the day of her falling asleep the apostles were gathered by a miracle, to send her forth with prayer and love. When after three days her tomb was found empty, the world understood that she had not departed, but had drawn even nearer to God – to intercede for us all.
🕍 The heart of the feast in Ruse
The church of „Surp Astvadzadzin“ in Ruse was built in 1610 and is one of the oldest testimonies to the presence of the Armenian community in Bulgaria. Besides being of architectural value, it is a living place – a home of our faith, our history and our traditions. This is why the feast of the Assumption is also the patronal feast – a day on which we gather not only to pray, but to share time together.
🍇 Customs that we keep and pass on
In our church the feast is always filled with a particular excitement. We preserve two beautiful and ancient customs:
The blessing of the first grapes – a symbol of thanksgiving to God for His gifts and for the fruitfulness of the earth. The first grapes are blessed in the church and afterwards shared among all present.
Madagh – the sharing of a prepared offering for the health of all the congregation. This is not simply food, but a gesture of sharing, of love and of fellowship. Around the common table people gather, talk, rejoice and pray together.
Spiritual meaning and traditions
In the Armenian Church the Assumption is bound up with many ancient customs. One of them is the blessing of the first grapes – a symbol of thanksgiving to God for His gifts and for the fruitfulness of the earth.
On this day our community also keeps the custom of Madagh – the sharing of a prepared offering for the health of all who have attended the service. It is a gesture of sharing, of love and of fellowship, which draws people together around the common table and the prayer for blessing.
📅 The days that carry a particular light
The days between 15 and 18 August are special for Orthodox and Armenian Christians alike – a time in which we gather to mark the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God. It is one of the five great Taghavar feasts of the year for the Armenian Apostolic Church.
For us it is not merely a date in the calendar, but a living reminder of the motherly protection of the Mother of God, of faith, and of a community that keeps its roots.
Programme of the feast
11.00 – Festal Holy Liturgy in the church of „Surp Astvadzadzin“
After the service – the blessing of the first grapes and of the Madagh.
We invite all residents of Ruse and all visitors to join us for the feast. This is not only a religious occasion, but a day of warm meetings, of shared joy and of the feeling that we are one family.
Let us together honour the Holy Mother of God and ask her intercession for health, peace and blessing upon our homes.
The church of „Surp Astvadzadzin“ in Ruse awaits you with open doors and open hearts.