Transfiguration (Peristsvaleba) and the Bakhmaro horse race in Georgia: dates, meaning and how to experience it

By Mariam Lomidze, GTour desk · Fact-checked against the sources listed · Last checked 25 October 2026 · Editorial policy

What it is

Peristsvaleba (ფერისცვალება) is the Georgian name for the Feast of the Transfiguration, one of the twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox liturgical year. The word itself combines peri, meaning “appearance” or “countenance,” with tsvaleba, “change” — a literal rendering of the Gospel event it commemorates, when Christ’s face and clothing are described as altered into radiant light before the apostles Peter, James and John on a mountain traditionally identified with Mount Tabor. The feast is kept by the Georgian Orthodox Church on the same fixed date every year and is observed by believers across the country, from Tbilisi’s cathedrals to the smallest rural parish.

In most of Georgia, 19 August passes as a solemn but quiet church holiday: a liturgy, the blessing of grapes and fruit, a family meal. In the western region of Guria, however, the day carries an additional, distinctly secular layer. At Bakhmaro, a cool mountain plateau above the Black Sea lowlands, the feast is paired with a doghi — a traditional Georgian horse race — that draws highlanders, lowlanders and increasingly tourists to watch young riders gallop across open pasture in one of the country’s oldest surviving folk sporting events.

Historical background

• 4th century — Christianity becomes the state religion of the kingdom of Kartli under King Mirian III, following the preaching of St. Nino, laying the foundation for the Georgian Church’s calendar of fixed feasts.
• 4th–6th century — The Transfiguration becomes established in the wider Christian East as a major feast tied to Mount Tabor, a development reflected in early Byzantine liturgical practice that shaped Georgian church life.
• Medieval period — The Georgian Orthodox Church retains the Julian calendar for its fixed feasts, meaning 6 August (Julian) consistently falls on 19 August of the civil Gregorian calendar in the modern era.
• 19th century — Guria’s upland pastures around Bakhmaro, prized for cool summer air, become a seasonal gathering point for highland communities, with livestock movement and local fairs clustering around the August feast calendar.
• Early 20th century — Bakhmaro develops a reputation as a health resort, with wooden lodges built for visitors from Guria and beyond seeking relief from the humid Black Sea coast.
• 1921–1991 — Under Soviet rule, public religious observance is restricted and church feasts are removed from the official calendar, even as rural communities in Guria continue the Bakhmaro race informally alongside the summer season.
• 1991 — Georgian independence is restored, and with it open public observance of Orthodox feasts, including nationwide liturgies for the Transfiguration.
• Present day — Transfiguration remains a non-working public holiday nationwide, and the Bakhmaro doghi continues each 19 August as one of the best-known folk events of the Guria region.

The Transfiguration’s place in the Georgian calendar reflects the country’s long continuity as one of the oldest Christian states, with the Georgian Orthodox Church maintaining the Julian reckoning for its fixed feasts even as the civil calendar shifted to Gregorian dating in the twentieth century. This is why the feast consistently lands on 19 August rather than 6 August for anyone consulting a modern diary, a detail worth knowing when comparing Georgian practice to Western Christian calendars that mark the same feast nearly two weeks earlier.

The Bakhmaro race represents a different, older strand of Georgian life: the seasonal rhythm of highland pastoralism, where August gatherings combined religious observance with trade, matchmaking and tests of horsemanship. The pairing of a church feast with a folk competition is not unique to Guria — many Georgian regions attach secular festivities to saints’ days — but the Bakhmaro doghi has become one of the most visible and well attended examples, in part because the resort’s cool climate historically brought together people who would not otherwise meet in the same place during the hottest weeks of summer.

Meaning and traditions

Across Georgia, the core observance of Peristsvaleba is the church liturgy and the blessing of first fruits, particularly grapes (qurdzeni) and other late-summer produce. In wine regions such as Kakheti, this blessing is closely tied to the approaching grape harvest, and in some households no grapes are eaten before this day. Families gather for a supra, the traditional feast table, with a tamada (toastmaster) leading toasts that often include a blessing for the harvest and the health of the household.

In Bakhmaro, the day adds the doghi, a distance horse race run across the open plateau. Riders are frequently very young, sometimes riding bareback or with minimal tack, on sturdy local horses bred for mountain terrain. Crowds gather along informal viewing points on the slopes; stalls sell grilled food, fruit, churchkhela (strung walnuts dipped in grape must) and local dairy products. Wrestling matches (chidaoba) and music sometimes accompany the race, turning the feast day into a full day of highland festivity rather than a purely religious observance.

Regional variation is notable: in Tusheti, Khevsureti and Pshavi, doghi races are more commonly linked to other local feast days through the summer, while Bakhmaro’s race is specifically tied to 19 August, making it one of the more predictable fixtures on the Georgian equestrian calendar for visitors planning ahead.

When it happens

Transfiguration falls on a fixed date in the Georgian Orthodox calendar, 19 August, corresponding to 6 August under the old Julian reckoning. It does not move with Easter and does not fall on a different civil date from year to year. In 2026, the feast fell on Wednesday, 19 August. The next occurrence is Thursday, 19 August 2027.

The day is a public holiday in Georgia, meaning government offices, banks and many businesses close, though hospitality services in tourist areas, including Bakhmaro’s guesthouses and food stalls, remain open and busy. Church services typically begin on the morning of the feast, with the Bakhmaro race usually held in the afternoon once crowds have gathered.

Where to experience it

The liturgy itself can be witnessed in any working Georgian Orthodox church on the morning of 19 August, with Tbilisi’s Sioni Cathedral and other major city churches holding well-attended services. For visitors wanting the full combination of faith and folk tradition, Bakhmaro in Guria is the destination: the plateau sits at altitude above the humid coastal lowlands, reached by road from the town of Chokhatauri. Visitors arriving in the late morning will find the settlement’s wooden guesthouses, market stalls and open meadows filling with families from across Guria, with the race itself typically the day’s central event in the afternoon.

Churches expect modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, and headscarves for women entering the sanctuary. Photography inside churches during services should be discreet or avoided unless clearly permitted. At the Bakhmaro race, no particular etiquette is required beyond ordinary courtesy toward riders and horses; standing well back from the track and following the direction of local organisers is expected.

Did you know

• Peristsvaleba literally means “change of appearance,” a direct Georgian rendering of the Greek term for Transfiguration.
• Bakhmaro sits at a cool, forested altitude in Guria, long valued as a retreat from the humid Black Sea coast below.
• The Georgian Orthodox Church keeps the Julian calendar for its fixed feasts, which is why Transfiguration lands on 19 August rather than 6 August on a modern civil calendar.
• Doghi races historically feature very young riders, a practice tied to the traditional light weight advantage sought in mountain horse racing.
• Grape blessings on Transfiguration day echo an old regional custom of marking the start of the harvest season before fruit is freely eaten.

Practical tips for visitors

Bakhmaro is most easily reached from Batumi or Kutaisi via Ozurgeti and Chokhatauri; the final stretch of road climbs steeply and can be rough, so a sturdy vehicle or a local driver is advisable, particularly after rain. Mountain weather changes quickly even in August, with fog and cool temperatures common, so visitors should pack layers regardless of the warm lowland forecast. Accommodation in Bakhmaro is limited and fills quickly around the feast day, so advance booking is recommended for anyone planning to stay overnight rather than make a day trip. Nationwide, expect government offices, banks and some shops to be closed on 19 August, while churches and festival sites remain active throughout the day.

Combine it with

Travellers heading to Bakhmaro typically route through Adjara, using Batumi as a coastal base before the inland climb into Guria’s highlands. The journey also works well combined with Imereti, allowing a stop in Kutaisi’s historic sites en route. Visitors more interested in the grape-blessing side of the feast may prefer to time a visit around the vineyards of Kakheti, where the Transfiguration overlaps with the final weeks before the main wine harvest.

Questions travellers ask

Is Transfiguration a public holiday in Georgia?

Yes. 19 August is a non-working public holiday nationwide, with government offices and banks closed, though tourist-facing businesses generally remain open.

What does Peristsvaleba mean?

It literally means “change of appearance,” referring to the biblical account of Christ’s transfiguration before three of his apostles on a mountain.

How do I get to Bakhmaro for the horse race?

Bakhmaro is reached by road from Chokhatauri in Guria, typically approached from Batumi or Kutaisi; the final section of road is steep and unpaved in places, so a capable vehicle or local driver is recommended.

Can tourists watch the doghi race?

Yes, the race is a public community event and visitors are welcome to watch from the open viewing areas along the plateau, though it is not a ticketed spectator sport with formal seating.

What should I wear to a Georgian church on this day?

Modest clothing is expected: covered shoulders and knees for both men and women, and a headscarf for women entering the sanctuary.

Is Bakhmaro open in winter?

Bakhmaro is primarily a summer resort; many guesthouses close or operate at reduced capacity outside the warm months, so travel in winter requires careful planning and local inquiry.

What food is traditionally eaten on Transfiguration?

Blessed grapes and other late-summer fruit feature prominently, alongside a family supra that may include regional dishes such as Gurian khachapuri, lobio and churchkhela.

Are there other horse races like this elsewhere in Georgia?

Yes, doghi races also take place in highland regions such as Tusheti, Khevsureti and Pshavi, usually tied to local feast days through the summer months, though Bakhmaro’s race is one of the most consistently held and widely attended.