In Tehran, Armenian Christians mark the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God with worship and the traditional Blessing of the Grapes. This photo essay, first published in August 2018, records a church celebration, from the gathering of grapes to the liturgy and the people who attended.
Contents
Why are grapes blessed?
The Armenian Apostolic Church observes the Assumption on the Sunday closest to 15 August. After the Divine Liturgy, clergy traditionally bless grapes as a sign of gratitude for the harvest. The custom is part of the church’s religious calendar, not a general harvest festival. For the liturgical background, see the Armenian Church’s explanation of the feast and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin’s account of the grape blessing.
Preparing for the Blessing of the Grapes
The opening photographs show grapes before the church service. The fruit is a central symbol of the blessing, which is performed after the liturgy.
Clergy and the Assumption liturgy
Inside the church, clergy lead prayers and readings as the congregation follows the service. The photographs document the setting and participants without attempting to identify individuals whose names were not recorded in the original captions.
The congregation
The next images focus on worshippers, readers and the church interior. They show the communal character of the celebration.
Grapes, blessings and the closing moments
The final photographs return to the clergy and the grapes prepared for blessing, followed by a group portrait.
Photo credits: Javana Abdian and Jina Abdian / IRNA, as credited in the original SURFIRAN article. The exact venue and the photographers’ preferred name spellings require archival confirmation.
For more about Armenian heritage in the capital, read our guide to Saint Sarkis Cathedral in Tehran.
