Wine Festival - Trifon Zarezan

The national holiday Trifonov Day is celebrated on February 14 (February 1, old style) every year. In the church calendar, this is a day of honoring the memory of the holy martyr Tryphon, who is popularly considered the patron saint of spouses and families.

Other names of the holiday: Tryphon Myshegon, Tryphon Perezimnik, Day of Tryphon the Mice Whisperer, Day of the Holy Martyr Tryphon, Tryphon Killed.

It is especially widely celebrated in Bulgaria and Serbia, where it has the character of a holiday with numerous rituals. It is considered the pre-spring festival of winegrowers, since Saint Tryphon is considered their patron. Among the Russians, he acted as the patron saint of game bird hunters.

Tryfon Zarezan: a holiday for lovers of wine

On February 14, a traditional Bulgarian holiday is celebrated - Trifon Zarezan.

Trifon Zarezan is a reason to drink Bulgarian wine!

Tryphon is an Orthodox saint who rid fields and vineyards of harmful insects. Interestingly, north of the Balkans, Tryphon is already considered the patron saint of hunters and farmers. In Balkan temples, images of Tryphon with a vine and tools for pruning grapes are still preserved.

"Zerezan" not because he stabbed someone or cut a vine, but because while working he accidentally cut off the tip of his nose. Blood sprinkled the ground, and the grapes turned out to be extremely successful. Since then, the tradition of watering the earth with wine began.

Bulgarian settlers brought this holiday to Ukraine and celebrated it at all times. Now, thanks to the Center for Bulgarian Culture and local residents who preserve traditions, the holiday again comes to the fields and streets of the Odessa region.

Traditions and rituals

The main traditions on February 14 are the expulsion of mice and fortune telling for the betrothed.

— They prayed to Saint Tryphon when pests attacked crops and plantings. Among other ailments and misfortunes, they prayed to the saint for the protection of the family hearth, the love and peace of spouses, in grief, sadness and despondency, for good brides and grooms, for deliverance from snoring, eye diseases, for driving away evil spirits from a person, for deliverance from sorcery.

— In Rus', mice and mousers spoke to Tryphon. Mouse farms are places where mice found food and warmth. A medicine man would come to such a mouser, take out a sheaf (or a clump, if it’s about hay) from all four sides, “from the four winds,” carefully put it all in a pile - with special whispers - and carry it to the hut to the householder who invited him .

- Here, what was brought was placed in a previously cleanly swept, hotly heated oven and ignited with a red-hot poker. The ash remaining after the burnt sheaves or scraps of hay was carefully raked out and transferred to the threshing floor, where it was poured into the places from which the sheaves were taken out. The healer, pouring the ashes into the appropriate places, read special spells. It was believed that after this the mouse king led the mice away.

“Also on the day of Tryphon, unmarried girls prayed for suitors. February has traditionally been the month of weddings, and this time was considered the best time to ask a higher power for marital happiness.

history of the holiday

The holiday appeared in ancient times, when the Thracians lived on the territory of Bulgaria, who revered Dionysus, the God of wine and winemaking. When the ancestors of modern Bulgarians came to these lands in the seventh century, they gladly adopted the traditions associated with winemaking.
As often happens, pagan holidays did not disappear with the adoption of Christianity, but only changed somewhat.
A Thracian legend told of a king who insulted Dionysus. In response, the offended God of Wine struck the king with drunken madness. He began to cut down the vineyards, but accidentally cut off his leg. This sobered up the king, and he began to plant vineyards again.
The Christian version is somewhat different from the original. The legend tells of a drunkard winegrower who insulted the Virgin Mary. Punishment was not long in coming for the rude man: he accidentally cut off his nose while pruning the vine. Since then, winegrowers have had a rule: first prune the vine, and then drink plenty. And Tryphon, of course, repented.
Christian priests had a hard time. They understood perfectly well that the pagan holiday for newly converted Bulgarians was the most spiritual bond and national value. It was unreasonable to cancel it, therefore, it was necessary to lead it and give the holiday at least some pious appearance. For this reason, Tryphon the drunkard was combined with the Christian priest Tryphon, who was executed in Nicaea in 250. Legend has it that the day of his execution was marked by the appearance of a huge number of pests that attacked the grapevines in the country. With great stretch, this can be considered a sign that Tryphon patronized winemaking. Therefore, the saint was appointed patron of winegrowers and innkeepers.
It is interesting that with the transition to the New Julian calendar, the holidays were again divided. Now Trifonov Day is celebrated on February 1, and it is a pious religious holiday.
And Tryphon Zarezan is celebrated, as before, in the middle of the month, which is quite reasonable, considering that February 1 is not very suitable for pruning vines, especially if the winter is cold.

Signs and sayings

Starfall - quiet spring.
The sky at night is starry - towards late spring.
The pigs grunted before the weather changed to cloudy and snowy.
Fresh rust appears on the latch - before the weather worsens.
The night wind often turns into a day wind.
The forest is noisy when there is no wind - a blizzard.
What is the weather on the first day of February, will it be the same throughout February.
The beginning of February is nicer - expect an early, pleasant spring.
Frost on Trifonov's day foreshadows a late and frozen spring.
If it snows on February 14th, it means there will be a lot of rain in the spring.
Evening fog - to the morning warmth.
If many stars appear in the sky, then winter will last a long time, and spring will be late.
Mouse stars in the north are a sign of misfortune.
Drops with icicles - for a hemp harvest.
Those born on February 14th should wear a fire opal or diamond.
What is the weather on the first day of February, is the same throughout February.
The beginning of February is nicer - expect an early, pleasant spring.
It's starry on Tryphon - late spring.
There are many stars on Tryphon - the road is long in spring.
If many stars appear in the sky, then winter will last a long time and spring will be late.
They charm the mice against Tryphon so that they don’t spoil the stacks of bread.

Holiday traditions: the ritual of pruning the vine

According to tradition, on this day it is customary to prune the vines so that the grapes produce a large harvest. This custom gave the holiday its name: no one else is slaughtered, no blood sacrifices are made.

The holiday is celebrated not only by winegrowers, but also by everyone who is in one way or another connected with wine. This is the day of gardeners, farmers and restaurateurs!

These days, celebration is all about making the most of the fun drinks. Previously, many traditions were associated with this day. Bulgarian women woke up at dawn, poured homemade wine into a special vessel and put it together with provisions in a bag. With this bag, the owner of the house went to the vineyards, where other men gathered. They took advantage of the last opportunity to rest before spring field work, so they celebrated heartily for three whole days.

The men cut shoots from the vines and then watered the plantings with wine. Then they chose the “Tsar of the Lozyata”. It was decorated with a wreath of wicker and dragged on a cart to a city or village. In every house the king and his retinue were treated and even poured wine. The wet and drunk king came home, changed clothes and had a long meal, to which all the villagers were invited.

Trifon Myshegon

The folk Christian holiday Tryfon Myshegon is celebrated on February 14. In the church calendar, this is the day of honoring the memory of the holy martyr Tryphon, considered the patron saint of spouses and family. Other names of the holiday: Tryphon Myshegon, Tryphon Perezimnik, Day of Tryphon the Mice Whisperer, Day of the Holy Martyr Tryphon, Tryphon Killed.

The holy martyr Tryphon was born in one of the regions of Asia Minor - Phrygia, not far from the city of Apamea, in the village of Kampsada. His parents were simple and pious peasants. As a child, he tended geese and received no education. But Saint Tryphon, while still a child, was granted the gift of miracles by the Lord: he cast out demons, healed illnesses, and with his prayer performed many other good deeds.

Once, the inhabitants of Saint Tryphon’s native village were saved by him from hunger: by the power of his childhood prayer, the saint forced the harmful insects that were destroying the crops to leave. Based on this miracle, the Church has established a special rite of prayer to Saint Tryphon, which is performed when pests attack crops or plantings.

Saint Tryphon became especially famous for expelling a demon from the daughter of the Roman Emperor Gordian. A demon possessed the young, intelligent and beautiful Princess and tormented her severely. One day he shouted that only Tryphon could drive him out. The emperor ordered to find the miracle worker and bring him to Rome. At that time Saint Tryphon was 16 years old.

When the saint approached Rome at a distance of three days' journey, the evil spirit could not bear his approach and left the daughter of Gordian. Saint Tryphon was brought before the emperor, surrounded by court nobility.

He begged the saint to show the demon with his own eyes, wanting to make sure that the young man had really healed the princess. After a solitary prayer to God and strict fasting for six days, Saint Tryphon ordered the unclean spirit to appear visibly to the emperor and his entourage.

In the Cheti-Minaia of St. Demetrius of Rostov, this is narrated as follows: “Holy Tryphon is filled with the Holy Spirit, and looking at the invisible spirit with intelligent eyes, he says: I say to you, unclean soul, in the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ, appear clearly to those who are here, and show to them is their stingy and cold-hearted image, and their confession of their weakness. And the devil appeared before everyone in the form of a black dog, with eyes like fire, his head dragging along the earth.”

When asked by Saint Tryphon how he dared to inhabit God’s creation, the demon replied that he does not have such power over Christians, but can only torment those “who follow their own lusts and do things pleasing to us.” Hearing this, many of those present left idolatry and believed in Christ. Generously gifted by the emperor, Saint Tryphon returned to his homeland. He distributed all the gifts he received to the poor along the way.

When Emperor Decius, a cruel persecutor of Christians, ascended the royal throne, it was reported to his eparch Aquilinus that Saint Tryphon was boldly preaching Christianity and leading many to Baptism. Hearing that the royal servants were looking for him, Saint Tryphon did not take refuge, but gave himself into the hands of the persecutors.

Brought to trial before Aquilinus in Nicaea, he boldly confessed his faith in Christ. Aquilinus was unable to intimidate young Tryphon with any threats. Then the eparch ordered to tie the hands of the holy martyr, hang him on a tree and beat him for three hours. During the beating, the torturer did not hear a single groan from the martyr. After this, Saint Tryphon was thrown into prison.

After some time, Aquilinus once again used threats and persuasion, and then, seeing the futility of his efforts, subjected the martyr to new tortures. The body of Saint Tryphon was tormented with iron hooks, the wounds were burned with fire, iron nails were driven into his feet and led around the city.

And when the martyr was forced to follow the horse on which the eparch went hunting, Saint Tryphon sang the following verses from the psalms of the prophet David: “Make my steps in Thy paths, so that my steps may not move. Direct my steps, O Lord, according to Thy word, and let not all iniquity possess me.” He often repeated the words of the first martyr, Holy Archdeacon Stephen: “Lord, do not impute this sin to them.”

The Lord strengthened His chosen one, and he bravely endured all the torture. During the torment, an Angel appeared before the saint with a precious crown in his hands. Seeing this, the tormentors were frightened, but Aquilinus became even more embittered. The next day he continued the torture, after which he sentenced the martyr Tryphon to be beheaded by the sword. Before his death, the saint thanked God, who strengthened him in his suffering.

The Ancient Life conveys the following words of the holy martyr to God: “Receive my soul in peace, and everyone like me, Thy servant, will be remembered, and in my memory they will bring Holy Sacrifice to You, hear from the height of Thy Shrine, and look upon them from the Holy Your dwelling, giving them abundant and imperishable gifts, for You are the only Good and Generous Giver forever and ever.” The saint departed to the Lord before his venerable head was cut off.

Christians wanted to bury the body of the martyr in the city of Nicaea, the place of his suffering. But Saint Tryphon, in a vision, ordered his body to be transferred to his homeland, to the village of Kampsada. The will of the holy martyr was fulfilled. Subsequently, the relics of Saint Tryphon were transferred to Constantinople, and then to Rome. The holy martyr Tryphon enjoys great veneration in the Russian Orthodox Church.

There is a legend that during the reign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the king’s favorite gyrfalcon flew away during a hunt. The Tsar ordered falconer Trifon Patrikeev to find the flown away bird and threatened him with death for failure to comply with the order. Falconer Tryfon traveled around the surrounding forests, but to no avail. On the third day, tired of a long search, he lay down to rest, diligently asking for help from his patron, the holy martyr Tryphon.

In a dream, he saw a young man on a white horse, holding the royal gyrfalcon in his hand. This young man said: “Take the missing bird, go with God to the king and don’t be sad about anything.” Waking up, the falconer saw the gyrfalcon he was looking for nearby on a pine tree. He immediately took him to the king and told him about the miraculous help he received from the holy martyr Tryphon. Soon, on the spot where the saint appeared, the falconer Tryphon Patrikeev built a chapel, and then a church in the name of the holy martyr Tryphon.

Currently, the head of the holy martyr is kept in the city of Kotor, Montenegro, in the Cathedral of St. Tryphon. Part of the relics was brought from there to Russia in 1803. In 1819, this shrine was enclosed in three reliquaries in the icon of the holy martyr Tryphon, which was located in the church built in his honor. Nowadays this icon is in the church in honor of the Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos, near the Rizhsky station in Moscow, not far from the place of the appearance of St. Tryphon to the falconer.

Traditions and rituals on February 14:

The main traditions on February 14 are the expulsion of mice and fortune telling for the betrothed.

— In Rus', mice and mousers spoke to Tryphon. Mouse farms are places where mice found food and warmth. A medicine man would come to such a mouser, take out a sheaf or a clump, if it was hay, from all four sides, “from the four winds,” carefully put it all in a pile - with special whispers - and carried it to the hut to the house owner who invited him.

- Here, what was brought was placed in a cleanly swept, hotly heated oven and ignited with a red-hot poker. The ash remaining after the burnt sheaves or scraps of hay was carefully raked out and transferred to the threshing floor, where it was poured into the places from which the sheaves were taken out. The healer, pouring the ashes into the appropriate places, read special spells. It was believed that after this the mouse king led the mice away.

Folk signs for February 14:

- Starfall - quiet spring.

- The sky is starry at night - for late spring.

— The pigs grunted before the weather changed to cloudy and snowy.

— Fresh rust appears on the latch - before the weather worsens.

— The night wind often turns into a day wind.

- The forest is noisy when there is no wind - this means a blizzard.

- What is the weather on the first day of February, will it be the same throughout February.

- The beginning of February is nicer - expect an early, pleasant spring.

— Frost on Trifonov’s day foreshadows a late and frozen spring.

— If it snows on February 14, it means there will be a lot of rain in the spring.

- Evening fog - to the morning warmth.

- If many stars appear in the sky, then winter will last a long time, and spring will be late.

— Mouse stars in the north are a sign of misfortune.

- Drops with icicles - for a hemp harvest.

— Those born on February 14 should wear a fire opal or diamond.

- What is the weather on the first day of February, is the same throughout February.

- The beginning of February is nicer - expect an early, pleasant spring.

- It’s starry on Tryphon - it’s late spring.

- There are many stars on Tryphon - spring has a long road.

- If many stars appear in the sky, then winter will last a long time and spring will be late.

- They charm mice against Tryphon so that they don’t spoil the stacks of bread.

Name day February 14:

Agathodorus, Anastasius, Basil, Vendimian, Gabriel, David, Jordan, Carion, Nicholas, Perpetua, Peter, Revokat, Satyr, Satornil, Secundus, Simeon, Timothy, Tryphon, Feion, Felicity

The history of the origin of beliefs and will take place on February 14, 2020

Saint Tryphon was from Phrygia, located in Asia Minor. It is known that he healed seriously ill people and could cast out demons. Once the saint saved the inhabitants of his city from hunger.

Thanks to his prayers, the insects that were destroying the crops retreated from the fields. Tryphon also healed the daughter of Emperor Gordian, who was possessed by a demon.

The saint did not demand money for his help, but only asked to believe in Christ. Therefore, many pagans were baptized.

During the reign of Emperor Decius, who was known as a persecutor of Christians, a denunciation was written against Tryphon, after which he was arrested.

He professed Christianity without fear in court. For this, Decius ordered that he be subjected to cruel torture. Tryphon bravely bore them without uttering a groan.

Unable to break the martyr’s faith, the emperor ordered him to be hacked to death with a sword, but the executioner did not have time to do this, since the Lord took Tryphon’s soul for himself. The body of the martyr was taken away by Christians and buried in his homeland, in the village of Kampsada.

His relics, several centuries later, were transferred first to Constantinople and then to Rome. They are considered miraculous.

How will we celebrate?

Modern people do not require any special rituals. It is enough to uncork a bottle of your favorite wine and drink it in honor of the patron saint of winemaking. And at the same time in honor of Valentine's Day in Bulgaria. Video about the traditional celebration: You may also be interested in our other articles: Bulgarian wines: features and history What Bulgarian wines do we drink Bulgarian Easter - Velikden Do you like the article? Share with your friends by clicking on the social media buttons! Thank you!