„Chrześcijański Dionizos” – kult św. Tryfona w Kawadarci
„The Christian Dionysus” – a cult of Saint Tryphon in Kavadarci

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with the Orthodox cult of Saint Tryphon in the Balkans,focusing mainly on the liturgical and ritual holiday held in Bulgaria on the 1st, and in Macedonia on the 14th of February. The analysis of these cases has been carried out onthe basis of the field study conducted in 2016 in Kavadarci and Negotino towns, belonging to the winery region of Tikves. The environment for that research was set by the Greek tradition of celebrating the Dionysus holidays, particularly the Lenaia. All the documentation collected by the authors include the following manifestations of the cult: 1. Liturgy and Orthodox Church rituals, 2. Rituals conducted in the winaries, 3. Ludicforms of Saint Tryphon’s cult. On the basis of this material, it has been attempted to reconstruct the course of the ceremony in the historical, religious and ethnographical aspect. The conclusions drawn from this study make it possible to understand that many Christian elements of the celebration in honor of Dionysus refer to the pagan traditions adjusted to the Orthodox or ritual needs. It proves the longevity of ancient tradition inthe contemporary Balkan folklore and also makes it applicable in the comparative research concerning cultural sciences in their broadest scope.

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