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Ordinary Time
Transfiguration / Vardavar
Also called: Festival of Roses, Water Festival, Vayfearavar
12 July 2026
Armenian Apostolic
Vardavar is Armenia's most fun church holiday — officially the Transfiguration, but everyone knows it as the day you soak strangers with water and nobody minds. Rose-water is blessed in church; then water fights break out in streets and parks across the country.
The tradition comes from an ancient summer festival that the church baptised into Christianity. If you want to experience one of the world's most joyful Christian holidays, Eden lists tours to Armenia.
At a glance
- Type
- national feast
- Date type
- Moveable (changes with Easter)
- Regions
- Armenia
- Themes
- Life of Christ
- Liturgical colour
- White, Gold
Common questions
Transfiguration is observed on 12 July 2026. Moveable feasts shift each year; fixed feasts stay on the same calendar date.
The Armenian celebration of Christ's Transfiguration, placed 14 weeks after Easter rather than on the universal date of August 6. This feast absorbed an ancient pre-Christian Armenian holiday dedicated to Astghik, goddess of water and love, and thus retains the popular tradition of throwing water on one another (water fights in the streets). The theological connection is to the waters of baptism a
It is associated with Armenian Apostolic. It falls in the Ordinary Time season of the liturgical year.
Related holidays
- Assumption of the TheotokosThird Sunday of AugustRead guide
- Feast of the Holy TranslatorsThird Saturday of OctoberRead guide
- Exaltation of the Holy CrossThird Sunday of September, National Public Holiday (the following Monday is given off)Read guide
- Fast of St. Gregory the IlluminatorMonday – Saturday (week before the feast; varies by year)Read guide
