Just heard of a holiday called Saint Urho. Who is he?
Question #45501. Asked by bluegill.
bluegill
Answer has 1 vote
bluegill 22 year member
26 replies
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Has to do with purple beer and grasshoppers. Maybe made up by the people of Finland Minnesota.
Mar 20 2004, 12:14 PM
mibmob
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mibmob 22 year member
1273 replies
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St. Urho's Day is celebrated on March 16th, the day prior to the better known feast of some minor saint from Ireland, who was alleged to have driven the snakes from that island.
The legend says St. Urho chased the grasshoppers out of ancient Finland, thus saving the grape crop and the jobs of Finnish vineyard workers. He did this by uttering the phrase: "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen" (roughly translated: "Grasshopper, grasshopper, go to Hell!") His feast is celebrated by wearing the colors Royal Purple and Nile Green. St. Urho is nearly always represented with grapes and grasshoppers as part of the picture.
Mar 20 2004, 12:19 PM
bipolar
Answer has 2 votes
bipolar 20 year member
32 replies
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The legend of St. Urho began in Northern Minnesota in the 1950s. However, there are differing opinions as to whether it began with the fables created by Sulo Havumaki of Bemidji, or the tongue-in-cheek tales told by Richard Mattson of Virginia.
The legend says St. Urho chased the grasshoppers out of ancient Finland, thus saving the grape crop and the jobs of Finnish vineyard workers. He did this by uttering the phrase: "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen" (roughly translated: "Grasshopper, grasshopper, go to Hell!").