The “Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Verapokhum Surp Asdvadzadzni)” ceremony, which is held every year on the first Sunday around August 15th at Hatay Vakıfköy Virgin Mary Church, was celebrated in a bittersweet way after the February 6 earthquakes that took place in Kahramanmaraş and affected Hatay this year.
As is the tradition, Patriarch Sahak II, who attends the services in İskenderun Surp Karasun Manuk and Vakıfköy Surp Asdvadzadzin (Mother Mary) Churches every year on the Feast of the Virgin Mary, did not break the tradition this year and did not miss his visit to these churches in the earthquake zone.
Following the destruction caused by the earthquakes on the churches, the celebration held in the Hall of Vakıflı Virgin Mary Church, was presided over by the Patriarch of Türkiye’s Armenians, Sahak II.
The Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, Sahak II, blessed the bread, water and salt to represent abundance at the entrance of the church on Saturday and prayed for all the brothers and sisters who lost their lives in the earthquake. On the evening of the same day, the fire of the “Herise”, which will be cooked in seven cauldrons traditionally symbolizing seven Armenian villages, was lit with prayers by Patriarch Sahak II and Hatay Armenian Churches Religious Official and Anatolian Armenian Communities Supervisor Avedis Tabaşyan.
Anatolian Armenian Communities Supervisor Avedis Tabaşyan led the Holy Mass (Surp Badarak), which was held in the church hall on Sunday morning and attended by Patriarch Sahak II.
“We must rebuild life for those who survived the earthquake”
Preaching a short sermon at the service, which continued with candles lit and prayers for those who lost their lives in the earthquakes, Sahak II, the Patriarch of Türkiye’s Armenians, gave a speech about the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, one of the five major holidays of the Armenian Churches: “All over the world This holiday is celebrated in churches today. And our people generally know this holiday as the grape holiday. However, it is a very important holiday for us. “Since grapes, the fruit of the vine, represent the resurrection, today we offer the first vintage to our God and celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary,” he said.
After the sermon, Communion was distributed to the congregation attending the service. After the service, all went to the church garden for the blessing of the grapes, while the Herise cooked in cauldrons were blessed in the other corner of the garden.
Patriarch Sahak II, who blessed the grapes with prayers for abundance in the garden, then came to the cauldrons with Anatolian Armenian Congregations Supervisor Avedis Tabaşyan, Father Şirvan Mürzyan and the readers, blessed the Christians and prayed for the coming year to be in abundance, blessing, health and peace. Then, the holiday celebration ended with the distribution of the blessed grapes and Herise in the church garden to the community and citizens.
