While the world celebrates St. Valentine's Day, the whole Bulgarian nation, people in love and not in love, married with children, singles and in a relationship are celebrating one of the most Bulgarian holidays - St. Trifon Zarezan Day.

On February 14, Bulgarians pay tribute to the vine, grapes and wine. The professional celebration day of vine-growers and wine-makers has been officially celebrated since 1962.

There are many different folklore versions about the name of Trifon Zarezan. One of the most popular stories is that Trifon an ordinary villager had a vineyard. One day, while he was pruning his vineyard, the Virgin Mary passed by. Trifon laughed at her because she did not know who the father of her child is, so she convicted him to cut his nose with the pruning shears. 

There after, people called Trifon - "Zarezan"(means "snub-nosed").  Even icons depict St. Trifon with pruning shears in hand, showing him to be honoured as a patron of vineyards- one of the main symbols of fertility in the Bulgarian folklore culture.

St. Trifon’s celebration could be also a distant repercussion of the ancient Dionysius holidays. 

Bulgarians made the day of St. Trifon Zarezan even more shrouded in mystery and loved by all Bulgarians.

Nowadays February 14 is more a reason for double celebrations in the country. Cheers!

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