Grasshoppers, Grapes and a Finnish Saint

We all know about and celebrate St. Patrick’s day, but in Minnesota, March 16^th holds special meaning for us as well, as that is the day we celebrate the legendary “St. Urho.”

Don’t know who St. Urho is? Don’t feel too bad. He appeared in Minnesota folklore for the first time in March of 1950 something…According to the fables, mighty St. Urho drove all of the grasshoppers out of ancient Finland, saving the grape crops and the jobs of hundreds of Finnish workers in the process. How did he do it? By uttering “Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täälta hiiten,” the translation of which we cannot share for it’s inappropriateness.

So, on March 16^th, the day before Irish Saint Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, St. Urho was at work saving his own country, and in gratitude, the Finnish and their friends wear the colors Royal Purple and Nile Green one day each year. Instead of decorating their hats, shirts and faces with shamrocks – as has become St. Patrick’s day custom – St. Urho celebrators don grapes and grasshoppers.

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