Tryphon, Respicius, and Nympha

Tryphon (c. 232 in Sampsados ​​( Phrygia ); † around 250 at Nicaea ) was a Christian martyr. He is venerated by the Orthodox and the Catholic Church as a saint. According to legend, he should have been easier gooseherd, who was gifted because of his strong faith and the grace to heal all kinds of diseases. He was said to cast out demons power.

Tryphon was the persecution of Christians under Emperor Decius victim. When he was 17 years old, Tryphon was denounced to the prefect Aquilinus at Nicaea as a Christian, taken prisoner, tried, tortured and finally beheaded.

Worship

The Troparion of the Feast of Saints states: In your strength, he has defeated the tyrants and broken the impotent violence of the demons. His cult spread from his grave in Sampsados ​​to Constantinople Opel, Nicaea, Sicily, southern Italy and Dalmatia. He is regarded as the patron of gardeners and growers, in Bulgaria the patron of wine, is the diocese and city of Kotor and the co-patron saint of Italy. In the Greek Church of Tryphon blessing will be donated against evil spirits and harmful insects since the 12th century. The feast of St. Tryphon is today in both churches on February 1. In the Serbian- Macedonian Orthodox Church " Sveti Trifun " celebrated on February 14. Earlier it was celebrated in the Catholic Church on November 10. This was the day when his remains were brought to Rome by the 9th century. Tryphon relics are verehert also in the Cathedral of Kotor.

Legend

According to a Russian legend, a falconer Ivan the Terrible a hawk flew away, and the falconer feared for his life. In the dream he Tryphon appeared on a white horse riding and with the falcon on his fist. The next morning he found the bird at just the point where it had appeared in a dream at night Tryphon.

Representation

In early representations in the Cappadocian cave churches Tryphon is always shown as a very young man with hand cross. Similarly, it is mapped to orthodox icons today. In the Catholic sector also representations in Roman military clothing are common since the Baroque period. Maybe is the mixing with another martyr legend, the cause of this. So shall the less well-known St. Respicius who has suffered along with Tryphon martyred, have been a soldier.

In Russian icons Tryphon is also represented with a falcon on his fist.

The name of the Holy

Tryphon means destroyer. In Italy, where he is much revered, the shape Trifone is common among the South Slavs Trifun or Trifon or Tripun.