Օn February 2-3, at the invitation of the Mayor of the City of Dubrovnik, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Hovakimian took part in the celebrations of the Day of Dubrovnik

03 February, 2026

Օn February 2-3, at the invitation of the Mayor of the City of Dubrovnik, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Hovakimian took part in the celebrations of the Day of Dubrovnik – the 1054th anniversary of the Festivity of Saint Blaise (Festa Svetog Vlaha).

The Saint Blaise (Blasius, Vlasius, Vlah) was an Armenian Bishop and doctor of the beginning of 4th century in the town of Sebaste. After his martyrdom he was venerated as all-Christian Saint. The Bishop of Armenian origin after centuries became the patron saint and protector of the City of Dubrovnik. He is portrayed on the Flag of Dubrovnik; his statues could be seen everywhere in the town. In the Church of Saint Vlah the relics of the saint, his head, a bit of bone from his throat, his hands and his leg are kept. Everyone in Dubrovnik knows, that their Sveti Vlah was an Armenian, which was once again reminded in detail in the homily at the solemn mass to the tens of thousands people.

Ambassador participated in the opening ceremony, Celebratory Holy Mass and procession, and at the reception given by the Mayor of Dubrovnik.

Accompanied by the Dubrovnik based Armenologist Vinicije Lupis, the Armenian Ambassador visited and paid tribute to the grave of the famous seascape painter Alexey Hansen, buried in the Orthodox section of the Boninovo cemetery in Dubrovnik. Alexey Hansen was the grandson, student and follower of the world-famous Armenian painter Hovhannes Aivazovsky, who worked in the last years of his life and died in Dubrovnik in 1937.

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