April 7 Armenians celebrate the Day of Maternity and Beauty.

Every year on April 7, Armenians celebrate the Day of Maternity and Beauty.

As the holiday coincides with the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, the Armenian Apostolic Church holds today a festive service to deliver a special blessing to expectant mothers. The Republic of Armenia declared April 7 an official holiday in 1995. Traditionally this day marks the end of the one-month’s women holiday which non-officially begins on March 8, the International Women’s Day.

According to the Bible, angel Gabriel told Virgin May on this day that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God, marking his Incarnation. Gabriel told Mary to name her son Jesus, meaning "Saviour". Many Christians observe this event with the Feast of the Annunciation on 25 March, nine full months before Christmas, the birthday of Jesus. According to Luke 1:26, the Annunciation occurred "in the sixth month" of Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist

And 17 years ago on this day April 7 was II declared the Day of Maternity and Beauty in Armenia under Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. All the churches today will serve a special mass.