On March 22, with the blessing of Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, His Grace, Fr. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Akhaltskha hosted the first Armenian Gata (Armenian Sweet Bread) Festival at the local Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church. The festival is part of the Median Day of Great Lent (Mijink).
Among the attendees were the delegates of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese in Tbilisi led by His Holiness, Executive Director of the Support to Javakhk Foundation Ashot Hakobyan, Mayor of Akhaltskha Vladimir Zedginidze, President of the Sacrebulo Davit Lomidze, as well as several officials and guests.
At the end of the event, His Holiness conveyed his blessings to the Armenian believers and blessed the beautiful gatas (Armenian sweet bread) made by the believers. The festival also featured a presentation of the traditional gata of Akhaltskha, which is considered the tastiest of all gatas and is made with a special recipe.
The blessed gatas were distributed to the attendees.