Saint Triphon Zarezan (The Pruner)

Festive procession to the vineyards outside the village of Brestovitsa, Bulgaria marks the feast of Saint Triphon Zarezan (The Pruner), the Bulgarian patron saint of the vine-growers and winemakers. Priests, musicians and villagers take part in the procession. Vine-growers ritually prune their vines for the first time for the season, and sprinkle them with wine and holy water, hoping for rich crops. After the ritual the people gather at the village square to continue the celebrations, by tasting home produced wine, feasting, and folk-dancing.