Exotic Armenia Tours - Holy Easter in Armenia

Easter is the most important Christian festival. The Christians believe that Jesus was the son of God. At Easter time Christians remember the last week of Jesus' life.

One belief is that Easter got its name from the Goddess of Spring called Eostre who some people worshipped long before Jesus was born. At that time it was thought that the sun died in winter and was born again in spring when days would lengthen and the sun’s power would return. In Europe, Eostre was honoured as the bringer of spring.

SPEND THE HOLY WEEK IN ARMENIA! The last week of Lent is known as Holy Week. It is when Christians remember the last week of Jesus' life and is the most important time in the Christian year.

Day 1 – March 27
Arrival in Zvartnotz International Airport. Our tourist guide will welcome you at the airport. Transfer to the hotel in Yerevan. Hotel check-in.Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 2 – March 28 – “PALM SUNDAY”
Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week. It reminds Christians of the journey Jesus made into Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus was going there to celebrate the Jewish festival of Passover (Pesach). Jesus chose a donkey to show that he had come in peace. On that day many people welcomed Jesus by shouting, waving palm branches and throwing branches down in the path of the donkey. They hoped that Jesus was the Saviour who the Bible had promised. In Armenian churches on Palm Sunday Christians are given small willow branches as the palms don’t grow in Armenia.

YEREVAN CITY TOUR – You’ll start exploring Yerevan by participating in DIVINE LITURGY at St. Gregory the Illuminator’s Cathedral, celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. St. Gregory the Illuminator’s Cathedral was built in 2001 to commemorate 1700 anniversary of proclamation of Christianity as a state religion in Armenia. This is the biggest church in Yerevan. The holy relics of St. Gregory were brought from Italy in time for the opening, and Pope John Paul II came to pay an official visit shortly after the consecration.

After liturgy start experiencing the spirit of Yerevan, a city with 2792 years of history! Drive through the central streets of Yerevan, Republic Square, Opera House, Cascade Monument and stairs, "Mother Armenia" Monument with a fantastic view of Yerevan, Victory Bridge, Hrazdan Stadium, Sports and Concerts Center, Presidential Palace, National Assembly Building, Academy of Sciences, Tsitsernakaberd - Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex and Museum. Lunch in an ethnic Armenian restaurant. Overnight in Yerevan.

Visit Erebuni Museum and Fortress, the birthplace of Yerevan. Erebuni is an Urartian fortress in the south-eastern part of modern Yerevan founded in 782B.C. by King Argishti I.

Visit Sergey Parajanov house-museum, an exceptional Armenian film director. In this museum you’ll marvel at Parajanov’s fabulous works - his graphics, dolls, collages, 23 screenplays and librettos of unrealized productions of cinema, theater and ballet.

Then you’ll be taken to Ararat Yerevan Brandy Factory. Here a guide will tell you the history of brandy-making in Armenia. After tour you’ll taste the best Armenian brandies with chocolates: Nairi (maturity of 20 years), Akhtamar (maturity of 10 years) and 3* (maturity of 3 years). Lunch. Overnight in Yerevan.

Day 4 – March 30

Discover the majestic beauty of Tavush region. Words alone can’t describe the natural beauty of it. Here you’ll visit Haghartsin and Goshavank Monasteries.

Haghartsin Monastery is nestled in a temperate rainforest on a mountainside. It is one of those spots in Armenia that feels like you are walking through a huge, unreal movie set. It was founded in the 12-13th centuries. It was a scholarly, cultural, and educational center in the Middle Ages.

Goshavank Monastery was erected in place of an older monastery, Ghetik, which had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1188. Mkhitar Gosh, a statesman, an outstanding scientist and a writer, an author of numerous fables and parables and of the first criminal code, took part in the construction of the monastery, which was known as Goshavank in his honor.

Continue to the Lake Parz ("Clear" lake) in the middle of a thick forest. Here you’ll admire the tranquility of the lake and hear the voice of the forest.
Proceed to the town of Dilijan, named “a piece of Switzerland in Armenia”. You’ll explore the old part of the city with its unique architecture. Lunch in a traditional Armenian hospitable family. Overnight in Yerevan.

Drive to Aragatsotn region at the foothills of Mount Aragats (4090m), the highest peak of Armenia. Visit Oshakan - St. Mashtots Church where the primordial alphabet-giver St. Mesrop Mashtots is buried, just under the altar of the church. It's a hall-type church with frescoes. The church is surrounded by apricot orchard with ornamented Armenian alphabet letter statues.
Visit Saghmosavank Monastery, situated on the edge of a deep gorge at the foot of Mt. Ara, with Mt. Ararat and Mt. Arargats rising majestically on the western and northern horizons. It's an 11^th century structure.

Continue to Karmravor, a tiny, but a very beautiful cruciform church dating from the 7^th century in the town of Ashtarak. Its unique red tile roof came down to us completely unharmed.

Drive to Mughni village to visit St. Gevorg (St. George) Church, founded in the 13^th century. It houses some relics of St. George. Especially striking is the black and orange striped dome of this church. It's surrounded by a beautiful orchard of fruit trees and roses. Lunch in the most unique and beautiful restaurant of the region in Ashtarak gorge, on a river bank. Lunch. Overnight in Yerevan.

On the night before his death Jesus had a final meal with his friends. This meal was one of the festival meals for Passover. Before the meal Jesus did something which surprised his friends. He washed the feet of every person, a task which was normally done by a servant. By doing this he wanted to show his followers that they should love one another in humble ways.

Visit Matenadaran-repository of ancient manuscripts.
Matenadaran is a scientific research institute of old manuscripts, the largest center of study and safekeeping of Armenian manuscripts in the world.

Continue to Garni Pagan Temple and Geghard Monastery. The Pagan Temple of Garni is the only pagan temple currently standing in Armenia. Gracing the hillside the pagan temple was dedicated to the God of Sun, Mithra. It was built in 77A.D.

Driving for 9 more kilometers from Garni you'll reach the Monastery of Geghard which is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Geghard is an incredible ancient Armenian monastery, partly carved out of a mountain. Though the monastery has been around since before the 4^th century, the main cathedral was built in 1215. It is said that the holy lance that pierced the body of Christ was kept here. Lunch in Garni village, in a peasant house where you’ll taste barbeque of “tonir”, an underground pit which serves as an oven.

Participate in the EVENING SERVICE IN GEGHARD MONASTERY
Overnight in Yerevan.

On Good Friday Christians remember the day that Jesus was killed on the cross. He was nailed to a wooden cross by Roman soldiers. This is the reason why the cross is an important sign for Christians today. It is known as Good Friday because Christians believe that Jesus gave up his life for the good of everyone.

Tour to Noravank Monastery, an architectural gemstone nestled among brick-red cliffs, just above a deep gorge. This monastic complex is a masterpiece by the 13^th century architect Momik. The surrounding cliffs offer a spectacular backdrop of mineral colors reflected from the sun. Visit "Areni winery", where you can taste different sorts of wine. Lunch in Noravank.

Continue to Khor Virap Monastery, one of the most popular destinations in Armenia for a number of reasons, primarily because it is where Grigor Luisavorich (St. Gregory the Illuminator) was imprisoned for 13 years before curing King Trdat III of a disease. This caused the conversion of the king and Armenia into the first officially Christian nation in the world in the year 301. To this day you can visit the underground chamber he was imprisoned. Its location, near the closest point to Mount Ararat within Armenian borders, offers a spectacular view of the mountain, the national symbol of Armenia.

Participate in the EVENING SERVICE IN KHOR VIRAP MONASTRY.
Overnight in Yerevan.

This is the seventh day of the week, the day Jesus rested in the tomb. In the first three Gospel accounts this was the Jewish Sabbath, which provided appropriate symbolism of the seventh day rest. While some church traditions continue daily services on Saturday, there is no communion served on this day. It is traditionally a day of quiet meditation as Christians contemplate the darkness of a world without a future and without hope apart from God and his grace.

Drive to Lori region, the most beautiful forested area of Armenia with its miraculous mountainous woodlands and bottomless gorges.

Visit the masterpieces of medieval Armenian architecture, Sanahin and Haghpat Monasteries. Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries are huge complexes in the North of Armenia founded in 10-13^th cc. The both monasteries are outstanding masterpieces of Armenian architecture in which artistic merits transcended the limits of the national culture. They are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Lunch in Alaverdi town. Overnight in Yerevan.

Easter Sunday is a happy day for Christians because they believe that Jesus rose from the dead on this day. They believe that Jesus' resurrection shows that death is not the end of everything. Many go to church to thank God for Jesus' life. There are many customs associated with Easter Day which involve eggs. For this reason Easter Day used to be known as Egg Sunday. Eggs were always thought to be special even before Jesus was born. It is because they are associated with new life when the chick breaks from the egg. After Jesus had risen from the dead it was easy to think of eggs as a sign of new life. So eggs have always been part of celebrations at Easter.

Leave for the town of Echmiadzin, the Holy See of the Armenian Apostolic Church, where the Armenian Catholicos (Supreme Patriarch) resides.

Visit St. Hripsime Church built in 7^th century. It is considered a masterpiece of early medieval Armenian architecture

Proceed to Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral, where you’ll participate in DIVINE LITURGY. This church, historically, is the focal point of the city of Echmiadzin, the oldest church in the world. It was originally built by Saint Gregory the Illuminator as a vaulted basilica in 301-303, when Armenia was the only country in the world the state religion of which was Christianity. The Etchmiadzin Cathedral is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. On the way back to Yerevan visit the Ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral.

Zvartnots was a majestic cathedral dedicated to St. Gregory. Zvartnots, built as Armenia's main cathedral in 641-661, was to suppress the Echmiatsin Cathedral by its grandeur. The remnants of Zvartnots, even in ruins, are a majestic sight. The Ruins of Zvartnots are listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In Yerevan visit Vernisage Market where you can buy all kinds of artwork, carpets and rugs, jewelry and other typical Armenian souvenirs. Lunch in Yerevan. Overnight in Yerevan.

Transfer to airport. Departure.
*Itinerary is subject to change at any time upon your request.