On April 7, Armenia celebrates a very good date – Festival of Motherhood and Beauty.
Many residents of Armenia call the period from March 8 to April 7 in their country women's month. It is not difficult to understand them, since this calendar period begins with the celebration of International Women's Day on March 8, but ends with a national holiday, also of a female nature, when men congratulate mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, lovers, admiring female beauty, maternal care and affection, devotion to family, praising representatives of the opposite sex in every possible way.
In Armenia, this holiday, which has official status, appeared not so long ago. Back in the 1990s, the issue of removing March 8th from the official holiday dates was discussed at the government level, replacing it with the national Motherhood and Beauty Day. However, there were both supporters and opponents of such a decision.
The confrontation of opinions on this matter dragged on in Armenia for quite a long time, but, as a result, women defended the right to celebrate two official holidays: International Women's Day (March 8), which is a non-working day, as well as the national holiday – Motherhood and Beauty Day (April 7).
By the way, in essence, this second holiday has a long history and Christian roots. It was celebrated by Armenian religious and national communities back in Soviet times. On April 7, the Armenian Apostolic Church (as well as the Russian Orthodox Church) annually celebrates one of the especially revered holidays – Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was the close interweaving of Christian traditions with the history and culture of the Armenian people that passed through the legal system, when at the legislative level a national holiday, rooted in a religious celebration, is accepted as official in the state. Thus, on April 7, Armenians annually celebrate two holidays that have a common beginning.
Rites of blessing for pregnant women are held in churches, since by decision of the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church this day has been declared Motherhood Blessing Day. The secular side of the – holiday is concerts, art exhibitions, and of course, flowers for dear and beloved women. A wonderful holiday and an example of the unity of the Faith with national culture in everyday life.