The exhibition “From Dionysus to Trifon Zarezan”, dedicated to vineyards, wine and merriment, will be present at the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv throughout February. It tells the story of the succession of the pagan god by a Christian saint and what his place was in the church rituals and folk customs.

In our folk calendar, the holiday of St. Trifon Zarezan inherits the ancient Dionysian celebrations. Even the Thracians, who inhabited our lands, wer
e famous wine growers and wine producers. In his poem “Deeds and Days”, Hesiod (8-7 century BC) advises on grape picking and winemaking:
“When Orion and Sirius reach the middle of the sky, take down the bunches and bring them home. Put them in the sun for ten days and nights, and then let them lie in the shade for five days. On the sixth day, fill the vessels with the gifts of Dionysus” (From “Works and Days”).

The exhibition is an ode to the wine – the only drink having its god during the Ancient times and a saint in the Christian era. The 12 richly illustrated panels will show you legends about the origin and the cult of the most revered god in Thrace – the patron of the rebirth of nature. You will learn about Thrace – the homeland of the vines and the “superb wine”. Wine is food and medicine for humans, but also a gift from the gods, a means of communication with them.