February 1st - Trifon Zarezan

Trifon Zarezan - This Bulgarian holiday of vine-growers and wine-makers is one of the most popular holidays celebrated both in accordance with the old and the new calendar (on Feb 1st and usually repeated on Feb 14th).

The festivities on the day of Trifon Zarezan mark the end of winter and the onset of spring. The transition between the two seasons is the transition between the dead winter season and the invigorating power of the following seasons. 

Old tradition dictates that the woman in the household wakes early and bakes a ritual loaf of bread, decorated with a vine-leaf (definitely not in line with the lifestyle of the today's emancipated woman!). Back in the years, chicken was also prepared along with a bottle of the best wine available. They were all placed inside a colorful sack, which was taken by the man to the vineyard. Men were gathered at the vineyard to work on it. Turned to the East, they used to greet the sun and started work by pruning three vine trees,  and decorating their hats with the vine branches. The vines were blessed for a fruitful year. The ritual consisted (as it does today too) of festive songs and dances, accompanied by a ritual table laid in between the vineyards. The first three pruned vine sticks were wreathed into a crown for the best vine-grower in the village. Then wine was poured over the vines and a blessing was being pronounced so that there was rich harvest of grapes during the year. 

The best wine grower was proclaimed the "Wine King" of the year. Other men used to carry the wine king on their hands, or drive him in a cart around the village. Everyone typically wanted to be blessed by the "Wine King", so they treated him with the best wine they had produced. The more wine was poured ("drank" that is) on that day, the more fruitful the next harvest would be. Today, many of the old customs are still in place, however, changes in lifestyle lead to changes in the rituals, mainly shortening them to pruning of the vineyards and drinking wine, for the majority of the Bulgarians. 

In Bulgaria many religious holidays are dedicated to the Saint they celebrate, and today (I personally believe that most Bulgarians celebrate this on the old date, February 14th), everyone named Valentin, Valentina, Valia, Lozan (meaning "vine") celebrate their "name" day. 

Raspberry Delight

Here is one of my cakes in celebration of Trifon Zarezan! (I apologize for the bad quality of the picture). 


Happy Name Day to all who celebrate today!