Today we are embarking on a strange four-day string of "holidays." The only one with a long history is St. Patrick's Day on the 17th. Before that, we have Friday the 13th today, a day associated with bad luck that comes around at least a couple of times every year. Saturday the 14th is Pi Day, because the date is 3/14. Sunday, March 15th is the Ides of March, remembered as the date that Julius Caesar was assassinated. And Monday, March 16th is Saint Urho's Day. What is Saint Urho's Day?
Saint Urho of Finland was known for drinking sour milk and eating fish soup, which gave him an unusually loud voice. This talent made him a hero when he shouted and drove an infestation of grasshoppers (or possibly frogs) out of Finland, thereby saving the nation's grape crop. The statue of Saint Urho shown up top was erected in Menahga, Minnesota, to commemorate the deed. Saint Urho's day is celebrated in Minnesota and surrounding areas, where there are many Finnish descendants. The colors of the holiday are green (to represent the grasshoppers/frogs) and purple (to represent the grapes).
Except the story told is complete bunk. Saint Urho was created by Richard Mattson of Virginia, Minnesota, in 1956. He and Gene McCavic wrote a poem about Saint Urho and his deeds. Now there's a holiday of sorts in Minnesota on March 16th designed to extend the St. Patrick's Day parties for another day and give some attention to Finland. Read the hilarious account of Saint Urho's Day, its history, and its celebrations at Wikipedia. -via TYWKIWDBI
