Alaverdoba

Alaverdoba is a holiday related to fertility and harvesting.

It was held in the name of Joseph of Alaverdi, the founder of the Alaverdi Monastery, at the Alaverdi Cathedral. It used to start on September 28 and lasted for three weeks. The three-stage cycle (pre, middle, and last Alaverdoba) contained vestiges of pre-Christian beliefs and ideas. Worshippers from Kakheti, Kiziki, Ertso-Tianeti, Pshav-Khevsureti, as well as Kists, Dagestanis, Azerbaijanis came to hold a night’s vigil. Alaverdoba was connected with the traditional market, which was widespread from the second half of the 19^th century. Industrial goods, handicrafts, livestock and agricultural products were imported for sale. Alaverdoba is celebrated to this day.

Literature: [იანქოშვილი მ.] მ ა თ ე, დაბა და სოფელი ალავერდი (ალავერდის ტაძრის დღესასწაული), «ივერია», 1900, №203; [Сведенцов И. И.] Иванович, Алавердский праздник, «Новое обозрение», 1899, № 5396.

G. Jalabadze