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Feast of Love: Salt Cake for Sweet Dreams on St. Sargis Day

For already several years horseman Boris Podorovski has embodied one of the most favorite saints of Armenians – St. Sargis. This year too, by invitation of the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese, wearing like St. Sargis and riding his white-haired Buryan, Boris rode along the central streets of Yerevan reminding the capital citizens about the Armenian sacrament of lovers’ feast. “People are glad to meet me,” says Boris, “though I got used to their reaction, however it is nice when many of them want to take a photo with me.” St. Sargis Day, proclaimed the day for youth with the blessing of His Holiness Garegin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, was celebrated on January 30 this year. Millitary leader St. Sargis, considered as love symbol, together with his son and 14 other soldiers died in the 4th century for the sake of Christian faith. On the occasion of the day churches after St. Sargis offered liturgy and blessed the youth. Festal events were organized also in other parts of the city: a thematic love exhibition was opened, and a concert for lovers was held in Lovers' Park of Yerevan. It is believed that lovers make a declaration of love on St. Sargis Day in Armenia like on St. Valentine's Day. However over recent years there is a tendency among young people in Yerevan to mark also St. Valentine’s Day with the same activity. Girls wait for St. Sargis Day the most to eat salt cake. It is said that in the case young people eat salt cake at the previous night of the festival at night probably they would see their future beloved in their dreams offering them water to satisfy their thirst from salt cake. Still in ancient times salt cake eating was considered a responsible ritual. Young girls believed they would not get married unless they were given water by a young man in their dreams at night they ate salt cake. Nowadays such kind of cakes could be bought in the churchyards on the days preceding the festival. The cakes are sold by elderly women at 100 AMD(about US$0,25), though these could be easily cooked at home mixing flour, water and enough salt which is the key to reveal the appearance of the future “prince with jug”. Last year 15-year-old Anahit ate too much salt cake, but she confesses she hasn't seen anyone in her dreams. However she is decisive and armed with salt cakes she will again wait for him in her dreams. “It is interesting for me. I have heard that many have seen their beloved. And I want to see him too,” says Anahit. Boys in love, too, hurry to make surprises for their girlfriends. Horseman Boris tells that a young man has offered him 20,000 AMD(about US$50) for “St. Sargis” appearance in her girlfriend's yard. “The girl was very happy from this surprise,” says Boris. Elderly people follow another tradition on the occasion of St. Sargis Day leaving a plate with flour on the windowsill at night. For instance, Varduhi Nersisyan, 78, assures that this way St. Sargis has blessed her. “I had put the flour on the sill. St. Sargis has passed through it and left the horseshoe print on the flour,” tells Varduhi with enthusiasm. After making lovers happy horseman Boris hurriedly rides the horse to his girlfriend. He has decided to fulfill the dream of his beloved. “Often when walking in Botanic Park, she says what a wonderful place it is for horse riding. On St. Sargis Day she will have her dream accomplished. She will ride horse in Botanic Park,” says Boris. Mary Mikaelyan is a student of Yerevan State Linguistic University after V. Brusov

Source: JNews.am

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