The 14th of February–Love Holiday or Wine Feast

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Project The 14th of February–love holiday or wine feast [pic] Bulgaria is a crossing point of different customs and traditions since the Antiquity. On the 14th of February Bulgarians usually celebrate the day of St. Trifon Zarezan. The holiday is dedicated to the wine and wine-growers. On this day, after a solemn mass, wine-growers cut several outgrowths of the vines in their vineyards. This is an ancient fertility ritual. The celebration continues with a “King of the vineyard” contest. The most honest and good-natured man from the wine-growers becomes a “king” and a crown of vine wands is the symbol of his majesty. Then people escort him to his home where the “king” organizes a rich feast. If he is happy and lucky man during the year the grape crops would be rich. [pic]The roots of this holiday are hidden in the far distant past and probably is related to the Thracian god of the wine – Dionysius. The pagan customs messed with the Orthodox traditions and people invented an amusing legend about Trifon Zarezan. He was a common wine-grower. One day he went to his vineyard to cut the vine outgrowths. He met his sister Virgin Mary and joked with her for that she had an illegitimate child. She decided to punish him. Virgin Mary went to Trifon’s wife and told her that Trifon had cut his nose. His wife rushed towards the vineyard to help hers husband but she saw he is fine. The woman told him what happened and Trifon started laughing. He said that this is impossible, but when he waved with a hand he really cut his hose with the pruning-knife. This accident gave him his nickname – “Zarezan” which means “truncated”. Real St. Trifon died as a martyr during the roman persecution over the Christians. But people didn’t want to relate his name with sadness and pain, so they crowned him with the nimbus of the wine and rejoicing.
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