Celebration Of Bread Blessing In Ancient Armenia

The sixth month of the Sacred Armenian calendar, the month of Sahmi, is considered the month of the harvest – the blessing of harvest and fertility.

That is why this month’s zodiac signs are Hask (Հասկ, meaning “ear of bread” in Armenian) and Virgo. The most important holidays of the month of Sahmi are the day of the goddess Astghik, the blessing of the grapes on August 24 and the day of the goddess Anahit, and the blessing of bread on September 5.

Since times immemorial, Armenians have consumed two very important foods – bread and wine. Bread and wine are so deeply connected with the culture of the Armenians that in many countries, they are associated with the Armenian people.

In the ancient Armenian folk tradition, bread had a great place, role, and significance. For example, our ancestors gave the first bread baked in tonirs (Armenian oven style) to animals. There was also a tradition to hand out the first seven loaves of tonir bread to passers-by.

Bread was and is sacred up to the level of worship. Bread that fell to the ground would be taken, kissed, and placed in a higher place. Bread stored in homes was never thrown away (this is true today as well). Bread was even sacrificed to spirits and spiritualized beings, sacred gods, and ancestors – all of them were awarded bread.