St. Urho’s Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

St. Urho’s Day is celebrated annually in Finland on March 16 in advance of St. Patrick’s Day. St. Urho is most likely a fictional character, but the stories about him are just as captivating.
St. Urho’s Day is a humorous holiday that prepares revelers for the imbibing and partying of St. Patrick’s Day. Today is the day to let your hair down and prepare for the upcoming festivities. Unlike St. Patrick’s Day, St. Urho’s Day is purple in hue. Don’t neglect to wear the colors of the day as you enjoy the festivities. Happy Saint Urho’s Day to everyone!

The background of St. Urho’s Day

Saint Urho is an extraordinary individual. According to legend, the saint drove grasshoppers out of Finland by yelling, “Grasshoppers, grasshoppers, go to hell!” But why did he wish for grasshopper extinction in Finland? This was done so that the vineyards would not be destroyed. In addition to wanting to save the grapes and the workers’ employment, he subsisted solely on sour milk and fish soup. Due to his heroic exploits, he became a hero. That resembles Saint Patrick, doesn’t it?

According to legend, Saint Urho was also influenced by Saint Patrick. As the Finnish equivalent of the Irish saint, you can find statues of St. Urho holding enormous grasshoppers in honor of his sacrifice, including one in Minnesota. On this day, people don purple and green and celebrate by drinking wine and reciting this strange story. Saint Urho does not exist and has never existed, so the story is unique. His narrative is born solely from curiosity and wit. However, many individuals claim to know the origin of St. Urho’s Day. According to reports, the character was conceived as a joke by department store owner Richard Mattson of Virginia, Minnesota, along with his friends.

The news rapidly spread across the nation, primarily to the southern states. The inhabitants of these regions of Finland would honor the saint as part of their national heritage. Others assert that Sulo Havumaki, a Finnish resident of Bemidji, Minnesota, is the originator of the holiday and that he changed the motif from plague to grasshoppers.

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ST. URHO’S DAY ACTIVITIES

Don magenta

St. Urho’s Day is purple in color. Mark the occasion by wearing purple. If you want to appear minimal, a purple scarf would look beautiful with purple suits. Go above and beyond by dying your tresses purple.

Eat Finnish cuisine

St. Urho’s Day is a holiday celebrating the Finnish people. Why not commemorate the occasion with Finnish cuisine? Try the well-known salmon broth and Finnish rye bread.

Join the festivities

Celebrate Saint Urho’s Day by attending the festivities. St. Urho’s Day is widely celebrated in Finnish communities. Determine if the Finnish community in your city is celebrating, and participate in the festivities if they are.

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5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT FINLAND

There are more than three million saunas in Finland.

The average annual milk consumption is approximately 34 gallons.

A Finnish individual consumes 12 kg of coffee annually.

The Finns can travel visa-free to 175 countries.

On this day, which is observed on October 13, the Finnish discuss their shortcomings.

ST. URHO’S DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	March 16	Thursday
2024	March 16	Saturday
2025	March 16	Sunday
2026	March 16	Monday
2027	March 16	Tuesday