Wednesday, January 03, 2007 – ©2005 IranMania.com
LONDON, January 3 (IranMania) – Head of Isfahan Armenian Council has said that unlike Christians in most European and American countries, Iranian Armenians celebrate Christmas concurrent with Armenia’s Orthodox Church on January 6.
Verje Bermard Diorisian told ISNA that the people of Armenia have celebrated Christmas on January 6 ever since they converted to Christianity.
“Armenian churches used to celebrate January 6 as festivity. However, Catholic churches changed this same date to December 24 later since it coincided with Mithra Festival,“ he added.
Diorisian noted that in Iran a religious ritual is held in all churches on the afternoon of January 5 and special baptizing ceremonies known as ’Badarak’ are held on January 6 early morning.
“People go to their homes on Christmas eve after holding religious ceremonies with candles lit. Special Christmas dinner for the Armenians includes fish and rice. This is while the Europeans and Americans have either geese or turkey,“ he further added.
The Armenians held a short ceremony soon after the ringing in the New Year 2007 at midnight of December 31 in Isfahan’s Vank Cathedral, he said adding that the archbishop presents gifts to children on New Year morning.
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