On 2 June, 2013 on the Vakhtang Gorgasali Square in front of the Armenian Cathedral of Saint George the traditional “Vardaton” (Feast of Roses) was held. The “Hayartun” Cultural Center of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, with the support of Tbilisi Municipality, RA Embassy to Georgia and under RA Ministry of Culture sponsorship, organized the event. Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili came to congratulate everyone

on the occasion of the national holiday. Georgia`s State Minister for Reintegration Issues Paata Zakareishvili, Minister of Penitentiary, Probation and Legal Assistance of Georgia Sozar Subari, the member of the Parliament of Georgia Ruslan Poghosyan, Advisor to the President of Georgia Van Baiburtian, the poet and translator Givi Shakhnazari, diplomatic staff of RA Embassy to Georgia, the clergy, intellectuals, representatives of literature and art, admirers of Sayat-Nova’s song and works attended the celebration.

The host of the event Levon Chidilyan, who is the coordinator of the “Hayartun” Cultural Center of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, opened the traditional “Vardaton- 2013”. Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili greeted the assembled multitude of people; he called Sayat -Nova the great ashug of Tbilisi and the symbol of the centuries old friendship between the Armenians and Georgians, who glorified in his works universal ideas, which after 300 years did not lose its relevance.

After that Director of Yerevan Institute of Literature Avik Isahakyan, Chairpersons of the Writers Unions of Armenia and Georgia - Makvala Gonashvili and Levon Ananyan, President of “Vernatun” Union Gevorg Snkhchyan delivered a speech and paid homage to the people, that gave the world the genius Sayat-Nova. They stressed the importance of the traditional “Vardaton” in honor of Sayat-Nova, founded by great Hovhannes Tumanyan, Gevorg Bashindzhyagyan and Ioseb Grishashvili, the 100th anniversary of which will be celebrated next year.

The RA state Sayat-Nova Minstrel Song ensemble (the artistic director of the ensemble professor Tovmas Poghosyan), which traditionally takes part in “Vardaton”, opened the celebration. In"Meydan" area the songs of Sayat-Nova could be heard in Armenian and Georgian languages, not only in the performance by the ensemble "Ksovrelebi", solo singers and reciters of Tbilisi, but the ensembles and artists, who came from different corners of Armenia and Georgia.

At the end of the event the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan delivered his blessing to huge crowd, he highly praised the presence of Georgian Prime Minister on “Vardaton”, who paid homage to the memory of Sayat-Nova. The Bishop expressed his gratitude to the organizers - Tbilisi Municipality, the “Hayartun” Center of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia for marking such a great feast “Vardaton” in honor of Sayat-Nova. He congratulated the audience on the occasion of the Feast of the Catholic Church of Holy Etchmiadzin, and called the Church the only force, which is designed to unite the believers, whether in Armenia or in the Diaspora.

After the celebration Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili visited the Cathedral of Saint George, he examined the reconstruction works that are held in the church. A feast of treats took place at the residence of the Diocese.

The traditional “Vardaton-2013” with beautiful recitations, cheerful folk songs and dances became a great feast, the landmark of which is praising of friendship between nations. Georgian mass media largely covered the celebration of “Vardaton.”