{"id":54501,"date":"2021-02-13T21:28:42","date_gmt":"2021-02-13T21:28:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/?p=54501"},"modified":"2021-02-13T21:28:43","modified_gmt":"2021-02-13T21:28:43","slug":"syrias-armenian-orthodox-christians-celebrate-trndez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/54501\/","title":{"rendered":"Syria\u2019s Armenian Orthodox Christians celebrate Trndez"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) \u2013 <\/strong>On Saturday, the Armenian Orthodox community of Syria\u2019s northeastern city of Qamishli celebrated the traditional festival of Trndez in the Mar Yaqoub Armenian Orthodox Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Armenian Orthodox community celebrates Trndez 40 days after the birth of Jesus to commemorate what they say was the day that entered the temple in Jerusalem.  The day has its roots in pagan festivals which celebrated fertility and the coming of the spring season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 150 people, many of whom were elderly women, attended the ceremony at Mar Yaqoub church, which began at 3 PM and lasted for two hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After their prayers were finished, attendees went into the church yard and set a small bonfire, which they circled as a purification ritual to defend against evil spirits, bless newborn children, and grant newlyweds children in the near future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of young people jump over the fire as they express their happiness,\u201d said Levon Yeghiayan, assistant priest at Mar Yaqoub Church. Yeghiayan explained that new brides will also jump over the fire, deliberately scorching part of their clothing in the hopes of conceiving a child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese traditions are Armenian traditions\u2026as a church, we have our own rituals which never change over the years,\u201d Yeghiayan told North Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur traditions never change; we always do them in the same way and repeat our prayers on the same day that we are celebrating now, and in the future,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the sun began to set, the streets of Qamishli were filled with people carrying candles inside small lanterns, preserving the flame until they reached their homes, where they will use ash from the flame to bless their home to prevent wicked spirits from entering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporting by Joanna Hussein and Lucas Chapman<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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