St. Urho's Day on March 16th

The legend of St. Urho is the Finnish people's answer to the legend of St. Patrick.  It also shows that the Finnish have a wonderful sense of humor.

This is how the legend goes:


One of the lesser known, but extraordinary legends of ages past is the legend of St. Urho, patron saint of the Finnish vineyard workers.

Before the last glacial period, the legend goes, wild grapes grew with abundance in the area now known as Finland. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of this fact scratched on the thigh bones of giant bears that once roamed northern Europe. The grapes were threatened by a plague of grasshoppers until Urho banished the lot of them with "Heinasirkka, heinasirkka, mene taalta hiiteen." In memory of this impressive demonstration of the power of the Finnish language, at sunrise each March 16, Finnish women and children dressed in royal purple and nile green gather around the shores of the many lakes in Finland and chant what St. Urho chanted many, many years ago; "Heinasirkka, heinasirkka, mene taalta hiiteen," which translated means: "Grasshopper, grasshopper, go away."

The adult males dressed in green costumes gather on the hill overlooking the lakes, listen to the chant, then, kicking out like grasshoppers, slowly disappear to change costumes from green to purple. The celebration ends with singing and dancing polkas and schottisches and drinking grape juice, though these activities may occur in varying sequences.

Colors for the day are royal purple and nile green.

Have a great St. Urho's Day!