case ▁traditional ▁Armen ian ▁cu is ine . ▁At ▁such ▁fe asts , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁Mid western ▁USA , ▁the ▁mad agh ▁is ▁typically ▁celebrated ▁with ▁Lamb ▁Ste w ▁and ▁Bulg ur ▁Pil af ▁( W he at ▁pil af ) ▁( click ▁links ▁for ▁reci pes ). ▁Old er ▁men ▁from ▁the ▁community ▁dig ▁large ▁p its ▁in ▁the ▁earth ▁the ▁night ▁before ▁the ▁fe ast , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁commun al ▁p ots ▁of ▁pil af ▁and ▁l amb ▁ste w ▁are ▁ro asted . ▁On ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁festival , ▁which ▁is ▁free ▁and ▁open ▁to ▁the ▁public , ▁the ▁pres iding ▁priest ▁bl esses ▁the ▁food ▁and ▁asks ▁for ▁God ▁to ▁remember ▁the ▁depart ed ▁who ▁are ▁being ▁comm emor ated ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Re qu iem ▁Service . ▁After ▁the ▁bless ing , ▁families ▁line ▁up ▁with ▁p ots ▁and ▁bow ls ▁into ▁which ▁volunte ers ▁pass ▁out ▁the ▁commun al ▁l amb ▁ste w ▁and ▁pil af . ▁ ▁Occ asion ally , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁remaining ▁living ▁surv iv ors ▁of ▁the ▁Armen ian ▁Gen o cide ▁will ▁be ▁brought ▁in ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁event . ▁When ▁such ▁an ▁hon ored ▁guest ▁is ▁present , ▁fe ast ▁at ten de es ▁typically ▁gather ▁around ▁to ▁hear ▁a ▁first - person ▁account ▁of ▁the ▁history ▁as ▁lived ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁through ▁the ▁eyes ▁of ▁a ▁child . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁it ▁was ▁believed ▁that ▁there