Trndez is a feast of purification in the Armenian Apostolic Church

Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...

 and Armenian Catholic Church

Armenian Catholic Church

|- |The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church sui juris in union with the other Eastern Rite, Oriental Rite and Latin Rite Catholics who accept the Bishop of Rome as spiritual leader of the Church. It is regulated by Eastern canon law...

es, celebrated 40 days after Jesus

Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...

's birth. The two churches celebrate this on different days, the 14th (with celebrations on the eve of the 14th) and the 2nd of February. The celebration of the Trndez is pagan in origin and is originally connected with sun

Solar deity

A solar deity is a sky deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it, usually by its perceived power and strength. Solar deities and sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms...

/fire worship

Fire worship

Worship or deification of fire is known from various religions. Fire has been an important part of human culture since the Lower Paleolithic...

 in ancient pre-Christian Armenia

Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...

, symbolizing the coming of spring and fertility.