The Feast of Saint Sarkis the Warrior (Sourp Sarkis) is blending ecclesiastical history with popular folk traditions. Celebrated as the patron of love and youth, the holiday honors a fourth-century Roman general whose legacy includes military valor, spiritual steadfastness, and miraculous legends. In 2026, the feast is celebrated on January 31 .

Serving during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great (roughly 337 A.D.), Sarkis achieved the rank of general and was appointed as the governor of his native Cappadocia. His career as a high-ranking Roman officer was defined by a dual commitment to military excellence and the aggressive propagation of the Christian faith. Historical accounts describe him as a devoted soldier of the Cross who systematically dismantled pagan idols and replaced temples with Christian churches, utilizing his political authority to facilitate spiritual conversion throughout the Anatolian plain.

The relative stability and favor enjoyed by Christians under Constantine ended abruptly with the rise of Julian the Apostate. Julian sought to reverse the Christianization of the Roman Empire and restore traditional pagan practices, initiating a period of targeted persecution against prominent Christian leaders and soldiers.Faced with the threat of death, Sarkis received a divine revelation. In a vision, Jesus instructed him to abandon his title and his land - recalling the biblical departure of the Patriarch Abraham - and seek refuge in a destination that God would reveal.

Accompanied by his son, Mardiros, Sarkis sought sanctuary first in Armenia, which had officially adopted Christianity as its state religion under King Tiridates III earlier that century. They were received by King Diran (Tiran), the grandson of Tiridates. However, the political climate remained volatile; Armenia was caught between the competing spheres of influence of the Roman and Persian Empires. Fearing that the pursuit of Sarkis by Emperor Julian’s armies would provoke a Roman invasion of Armenian territories, King Diran advised the general to seek further refuge in the Persian Empire under King Shapur II.

In Persia, Sarkis’ military reputation preceded him. King Shapur II, recognizing his strategic brilliance and valor, appointed him a commander in the Persian military. Despite serving a Zoroastrian monarch, Sarkis remained an uncompromising Christian. He continued to attribute his battlefield successes to the power of the Holy Trinity and utilized his position to baptize his soldiers through the ministry of priests who traveled with his army. This period of his life represents a unique historical moment where a Christian general led Persian forces against Roman incursions, effectively defending the territory of a fire-worshipping king while actively subverting the kingdom's religious foundations through conversion.

The religious tension within the Persian ranks eventually led to Sarkis’ downfall. Unbaptized soldiers reported his Christian activities to King Shapur, who summoned Sarkis and Mardiros to appear before him during a grand pagan festival. Shapur demanded that Sarkis renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to the Zoroastrian fire and idols, offering him wealth and higher rank in exchange for his apostasy. Sarkis’ response was a direct and violent rejection of the king’s demands.

The immediate consequence of this defiance was the brutal execution of Sarkis’ son, Mardiros, who was killed before his father's eyes. Sarkis was subsequently imprisoned, where he maintained a rigorous spiritual life through prayer and communion with God. Despite Shapur's hope that the loss of his son and the harshness of prison would break his resolve, Sarkis remained steadfast. Ultimately, he was sentenced to beheading. At the moment of his execution, an angel descended from heaven, assuring him that the gates of the Kingdom were open and that his intercession would be granted to those who called upon his name in times of distress. Following Sarkis’ death, fourteen of his loyal Christian soldiers sought to claim his body for an honorable burial. When Shapur learned of this act of devotion, he ordered these soldiers killed as well, thereby creating the collective commemoration of "Saint Sarkis and his Fourteen Soldiers". The relics of the Saint were initially taken to the city of Hamia in Assyria, where they remained until the fifth century. At that time, Saint Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of our Armenian alphabet, arranged for the translation of the sacred remains to Armenia, enshrining them in the village of Karbi (in the Ashtarak region), where a monastery was built in his honor.

Beyond the rigorous historical and liturgical accounts, Saint Sarkis is a vibrant figure in Armenian folk mythology. His identity as the patron of love and youth is largely derived from legendary narratives that emphasize his miraculous interventions and romantic themes.

The most pervasive folk legend involving Saint Sarkis concerns an event following a great military victory. Sarkis and forty of his soldiers were being hosted at a royal palace. The ruler, an "apostate" or "Persian king" who harbored a secret hatred for Christians, plotted their assassination. He ordered forty damsels to wait until the soldiers were intoxicated and asleep, then to kill each man with a sharp dagger.

According to the tale, thirty-nine of the maidens fulfilled their grim task. However, the fortieth maiden, assigned to kill Saint Sarkis, was struck by his extraordinary beauty and the peaceful aura he projected in sleep. Instead of plunging her dagger into his heart, she kissed him on the forehead. The kiss awoke the Saint, who, seeing the carnage around him, immediately understood the betrayal. He placed the maiden on his white horse, summoned a violent snowstorm to provide cover, and escaped the city, smashing through the palace gates. This story establishes the white horse and the blizzard as the primary symbols of the Saint's power and provides the legendary basis for his status as the defender of love.

Another significant story within the folk tradition is that of Ashugh Gharib, a poor wandering bard who fell in love with Shah-Sanam, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Due to his poverty, the father refused to allow the marriage unless Gharib could prove his worth. Gharib embarked on a seven-year journey to earn a fortune, with Shah-Sanam promising to wait for him.

As the seven-year deadline approached, Gharib found himself far from home, with the journey back seemingly impossible to complete in time. He prayed fervently to Saint Sarkis, the "swift arriver" (Arakahas). The Saint appeared on his white horse, seated the bard behind him, and in an instant, transported him across the vast distance to his beloved just as the wedding to a rival suitor was being prepared. The miracle of his arrival convinced the father of the divine favor of the union, and the lovers were wed. This narrative cements the Saint’s reputation as the one who makes "love longings come true" and the miracle worker for those separated by distance and social status.

The Feast of Saint Sarkis is marked by a series of domestic and communal rituals that are unique to Armenian culture. These practices are primarily focused on the themes of marriage, future-telling, and divine blessing.

The most widespread and popular tradition is the consumption of Aghi Blit (salty cookie or pancake). This ritual is strictly observed by unmarried young people on the eve of the holiday.

The cookie is intentionally made to be excessively salty - often composed primarily of flour and a large quantity of salt—and must be eaten before going to sleep. Crucially, the participant is forbidden from drinking water after consuming the cookie. The resulting thirst is believed to manifest in a dream. According to tradition, the person who appears in the dream and offers the participant a glass of water is their future spouse.

The specific details of the dream are interpreted as indicators of the future spouse’s character and status. The vessel in which the water is offered carries significant meaning:

Parallel to the dream-divination is the tradition of the flour tray. On the night before the feast, families place a tray full of flour (or Pokhindz, roasted wheat flour) on a balcony, roof, or windowsill.

It is believed that Saint Sarkis, riding his white horse and accompanied by angels, flies over the homes of the faithful at dawn. If a family finds the print of a horseshoe on the flour the next morning, it is taken as a sign that the Saint has visited and blessed the home, ensuring that their dreams will come true within that year.

The Feast of Saint Sarkis the Warrior is a repository of Armenian history, mythology, and social custom. In the legends of the white horse and the forty maidens, he embodies the archetypal protector of love and beauty.