Tonight (January 29) Armenian single young adults look for a married woman or a widow to bake a salty cake for them to eat and see their future mate in a dream. It is one of the traditions of St. Sarkis Day.

But the Armenian Apostolic Church states that it is not necessary to eat a salty flatcake in order to merit the blessing of St. Sarkis and the church and to be happy.

On January 30, the Church will celebrate the ancient feast with a mass served in the Yerevan church named for the saint.

The night (January 29) devoted to the holiday is particularly lively. Many young people, among whom a large number are girls, will go to sleep thirsty and hope their future spouse will give them water in their dream.

Among Armenians’ most beloved saints, St. Sarkis (4th century) was believed to be a miracle worker whose army of 40 defeated an enemy of 10,000. The legend says that when all his soldiers were killed because of a plot, he was rescued with the help of God, there was a big storm and he was able to escape on horseback).

Folk tradition says that on the eve of the St. Sarkis holiday, young Armenians who follow tradition, in case of eating a salty cookie and not drinking water at all, will get water from a representative of the opposite sex in their dreams: this very saviour will be his/her future betrothed.

The church, however, does not connect folklore with the real significance of the holiday. According to Ter Shmavon Ghevondyan, St. Hovhannes Church priest:

“St. Sarkis is an ideology, which appeals to have devotion and love towards God and religion. We should study from St. Sarkis to love our God and other people, but first of all, other people, because only in this case we can unconditionally love God, too, who is not visible.”

The priest says that the Church does not encourage eating salty flatcakes, however, it does ban it either. “The church does not prohibit its children to be happy: if you want to eat salty cookies and be happy, do it!”