site.btaA Tonne of Free Wine for St. Tryphon in Sveti Vlas

A ton of free red wine was available for people in the centre of the Sveti Vlas resort, on the Black Sea, to celebrate the holiday of Saint Tryphon, the patron saint of wine makers, which Bulgaria mark every year on February 14. 

According to custom, the more red wine is poured, the more fertile and successful the year will be.

"In the past, Sveti Vlas was a rich wine-growing area and although today not every household has a vineyard, we continue to respect the traditions and pass them on to the next generation," Mayor Ivan Nikolov said during a traditional vine-cutting ritual in a seafront vineyard.

The ritual of pruning is carried out in order to have a fruitful year, a good harvest and full barrels. The pruned branches are used to decorate the barrels and the men's shoulders.

After the vine-pruning, the celebrations continued in the town centre.