While the Western world today pays homage to St. Valentine, in Bulgaria we have the opportunity to make a choice in our festive mood and raise a toast to our love of …wine.

Grapes and wine are very closely related to the folk beliefs and customs of Bulgarians. The red elixir is part and parcel of Bulgarians traditions related to all important events in a person's life path - from birth, wedding to death. That is why the ritual which marks the beginning of the cutting of the vineyards and their preparation for the next harvest is still practiced today in all parts of this country.

The first pruning of the vines is done on the day when we honour St. Tryphon. And although today the Orthodox Church does this on February 1^st, the majority of people continue to celebrate the date of February 14^th in the old style calendar as the Feast of Vine and Wine known here as Trifon Zarezan (Trifon the Pruner).

You can read more about the traditional notions of wine in Bulgarian folklore, the holidays related to wine and the prohibitions related to the cycle of its production in the publication "Fifty heroes are drinking wine" from Radio Bulgaria’s Best collection.

Edited by Vesela Krasteva

English version Rositsa Petcova