NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Finnish mythology

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Finnish mythology has many features that it shares with other Finnic mythologies, like the Estonian mythology, and also elements similar with non-Finnic neighbours, especially the the Balts and the Scandinavians. Finnish and other Finnic mythologies are also slightly related to mythologies of other Fenno-Ugric speakers, like the Lapps. Image File history File links Information_icon. ... // For the Derek Sherinian album, see Mythology (Derek Sherinian album). ... // Estonian Mythology is a complex of myths belonging to the folk heritage of Estonians. ...

Elements of Finnish mythology survived within oral tradition of mythical poem-singing and folklore well into the 18th century. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

Although the gradual influence of surrounding cultures raised the significance of the sky-god in a monolatristic manner, the father god "Ukko" (Old Man) was originally just a nature spirit like all the others. The most sacred animal, whose real name was never uttered out loud, was the bear. The bear was seen as the embodiment of the forefathers, and for this reason it was called by many euphemisms: "mesikämmen" ("mead-paw"), "otso" ("wide brow"), "kontio" ("dweller of the land"). Henotheism (Greek heis theos one god) is a term coined by Max MÃ¼ller, to mean devotion to a single God while accepting the existence of other gods. ... Genera Ailuropoda Helarctos Melursus Ursus Tremarctos Arctodus (extinct) A bear is a small mammal in the family Ursidae of the order Carnivora. ...

The first historical mention of the beliefs of the Finns is by the bishop Mikael Agricola in his introduction to the Finnish translation of the New Testament in 1551. He describes many of the gods and spirits of the Tavastians and Karelians. Wider studies into Finnish mythology were made only in the 18th century by the preacher-ethnologist Lars Leevi Laestadius in his treatise of Lappish beliefs. The greatest studies were made through historians in the 19th century recording old rural poetry and folklore, most notably Elias Lönnrot who compiled the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. Two bishops assist at the Exhumation of Saint Hubert, who was a bishop too, at the Ã©glise Saint-Pierre in LiÃ¨ge. ... Mikael Agricola Mikael Agricola ( ) (c. ... John 21:1 Jesus Appears to His Disciples--Alessandro Mantovani: the Vatican, Rome. ... Year 1551 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Tavastia, Tavastland or Häme, is a historical province in the south of Finland. ... Map showing the parts Karelia is traditionally divided into. ... Elias LÃ¶nnrot ( ) (April 9, 1802 â€“ March 19, 1884) was a Finnish philologist and collector of traditional Finnish oral poetry. ... The Kalevala is an epic poem which Elias LÃ¶nnrot compiled from Finnish folk lore in the 19th century. ...

1 The origins and the structure of the world
2 Tuonela, the land of the dead
3 Ukko, the God of sky and thunder
4 Heroes, gods and spirits
5 Places
6 Animals
7 Artifacts
8 Nonhistorical traditions
9 References
10 See also

The origins and the structure of the world

Structure of the world, according to Finnish mythology.

A Sky Domes. For example 6 or 9 of them.
B North star
C Column of sky

D Kinahmi, the Whirl
E Northern region, Pohjola
F Habitable world

G Lintukoto at the edge of the world
H Land of the dead, Tuonela, probably upside down

The world was believed to have been formed out of a bird's egg exploding. The sky was believed to be the upper cover of the egg, alternately it was seen as a tent, which was supported by a column at the north pole, below the north star. Image File history File links Suomimaailma. ... Image File history File links Suomimaailma. ... Pohjola is a location in Finnish mythology, referring to Pohja (North), as a point of the compass, the Northland — the whole polar region, and in the world of the Kalevala, the land of the Sami. ... LemminkÃ¤isen Ã¤iti by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. ... Aves redirects here. ...

The movement of the stars was explained to be caused by the sky-dome's rotation around the North Star and itself. A great whirl was caused at the north pole by the rotation of column of sky. Through this whirl souls could go to the underground land of dead, Tuonela. The North Star is a title of the star best suited for navigation northwards. ... LemminkÃ¤isen Ã¤iti by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. ...

Earth was probably believed to be flat. At the edges of Earth was Lintukoto, "the home of the birds", a warm region in which birds lived during the winter. The Milky way was called Linnunrata, "the path of the birds", because the birds were believed to move along it to Lintukoto and back. The Milky Way is still called "Linnunrata" in Finnish. It has been suggested that Andromeda-Milky Way collision be merged into this article or section. ...

Birds had also other significance. Birds brought a human's soul to him at the moment of birth, and took it away at the moment of death. In some areas, it was necessary to have a wooden bird-figure nearby to prevent the soul from escaping during sleep. This Sielulintu, "the soul-bird", protected the soul from being lost in the paths of dreams.

Waterfowl are very common in tales, and also in stone paintings and carvings, indicating their great significance in the beliefs of ancient Finns.

Tuonela, the land of the dead

The Finnish version of Hades, the land of dead was Tuonela. It was an underground home or city for all the dead people, not only the good or the bad ones. It was a dark and lifeless place, where everybody slept forever. Still a brave shaman could travel to Tuonela in trance to ask for the forefathers' guidance. To travel to Tuonela, the soul had to cross the dark river of Tuonela. If he had a proper reason, then a boat would come to take him over. Many times a shaman's soul had to trick the guards of Tuonela into believing that he was actually dead. Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... LemminkÃ¤isen Ã¤iti by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. ... The shaman is an intellectual and spiritual figure who is regarded as possessing power and influence on other peoples in the tribe and performs several functions, primarily that of a healer ( medicine man). The shaman provides medical care, and serves other community needs during crisis times, via supernatural means (means... An altered state of consciousness is any state which is significantly different from a normative waking beta wave state. ...

Ukko, the God of sky and thunder

Ukko ("old man") was a god of the sky, weather, and the crops. He was also the most significant god in Finnish mythology and the Finnish word "ukkonen" (thunder) or "ukonilma" (Ukko's weather), is derived from his name. In the Kalevala he is also called "ylijumala" (overgod), as he is the god of things above. He makes all his appearances in myths solely by natural effects when invoked. Simplified drawing of a stone carving type found in Karelia, which is believed to have characteristics of both snake and thunder In Finnish mythology, Ukko (Estonian spelling Uku) is a god of sky, weather, crops (harvest) and other natural things. ... The Kalevala is an epic poem which Elias LÃ¶nnrot compiled from Finnish folk lore in the 19th century. ...

Ukko's origins are probably in Baltic Perkons and the older Finnish sky god Ilmarinen. Also Thor is related to Perkons. While Ukko took Ilmarinen's position as the Sky God, Ilmarinen's destiny was to turn into a smith-hero. In the epic poetry of the Kalevala, Ilmarinen is credited with forging the dome of the sky and the magic mill of plenty, the Sampo. Population density in the wider Baltic region. ... Perkons (band) can also refer to the Latvian rock group. ... Seppo Ilmarinen, the Eternal Hammerer, blacksmith and inventor in the Kalevala, is an archetypal artificer from Finnish mythology. ... Thor (Old Norse: ÃžÃ³rr) is the red-haired and bearded god of thunder in Norse Mythology and more generally Germanic mythology (Old English: Ãžunor, Old Dutch and Old High German: Donar, from Proto-Germanic *Ãžunraz). ... Perkons (band) can also refer to the Latvian rock group. ...

Ukko's weapon was a hammer, axe or sword, by which he struck lightning. While Ukko mated with his wife Akka ("old woman"), there was a thunderstorm. He created thunderstorms also by driving with his chariot in clouds. The original weapon of Ukko was probably the boat-shaped stone-axe of battle axe culture. Ukko's hammer, the Vasara (means merely "hammer"), probably meant originally the same thing as the boat-shaped stone axe. While stone tools were abandoned in the metal ages, the origins of stone-weapons became a mystery. They were believed to be weapons of Ukko, stone-heads of striking lightnings. Shamans collected and held stone-axes because they were believed to hold many powers to heal and to damage. A claw hammer For other uses, see Hammer (disambiguation). ... Axe For other uses, see Axe (disambiguation). ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Lightning is an atmospheric discharge of electricity, which usually, but not always, occurs during rain storms, and frequently during volcanic eruptions or dust storms. ... Approximate extent of the Corded Ware horizon with adjacent 3rd millennium cultures (after EIEC). ... Ukonvasara is a magical hammer of Finnish thunder god Ukko, which is quite a similar with Thors Mjolnir. ...

The viper with the saw-figure on its skin has been seen as a symbol of thunder. There are stone-carvings which have features of both snakes and powerful legs. A viper is a venomous snake belonging to the Viperidae family. ...

Heroes, gods and spirits

Ahti (or Ahto), god of the depths, giver of fish.
Ajattara (sometimes Ajatar), an evil forest spirit.
Akka ("old lady"), female spirit, feminine counterpart of "Ukko".^{[citation needed]}
Äkräs, the god of fertility and the protector of plants, especially the turnip.
Antero Vipunen, deceased giant, protector of deep knowledge and magic.
Hiisi, demon, originally meaning a sacred grove, later a mean goblin.
Iku-Turso, a malevolent sea monster; probably same as Tursas.
Ilmarinen, the great smith, maker of heaven. Originally a male spirit of air.
Ilmatar, female spirit of air; the daughter of primeal substance of creative spirit. Mother of Väinämöinen in Kalevala.
Jumala, a generic name for a major deity. Originally the name given by the Finns to the sky, the sky-god, and the supreme god. Later taivas and Ukko were used as the names for the sky and the sky-god. The word means god and was later used for the Christian God. The origin of the word is unknown – some possible explanations are derivation from Jomali, the supreme deity of the Permians and origination from the Estonian word jume.
Kalevanpoika (son/man of Kaleva), a giant hero who can cut down forests and mow down huge meadows, identical with Estonian national epic hero Kalevipoeg.
Kave, ancient god of sky, later the deity of the lunar cycle. Father of Väinämöinen. Also Kaleva.^{[citation needed]}
Kotitonttu, tutelary of the home.
Kullervo, tragic antihero. Model for Túrin Turambar in Tolkien's Silmarillion.
Lemminkäinen (Ahti Saarelainen, Kaukomieli), a brash hero.
Lempo, originally a fertility spirit,^{[citation needed]} became synonymous with demon in the Christian era.
Lalli, Finn who slew Bishop Henry on the ice of Lake Köyliö, according to a legend.
Louhi, the matriarch of Pohjola, hostess of the Underworld.
Loviatar, the blind daughter of Tuoni and the mother of Nine diseases.
Luonnotar, spirit of nature, feminine creator.
Menninkäinen, a fairy spirit, gnome.
Mielikki, wife of Tapio, the goddess of the forest.
Nyyrikki, the god of hunting, son of Tapio.
Näkki, the fearsome spirit of pools, wells and bridges. Same as Nix.
Otso, the spirit of bear (one of many circumlocutory epithets).
Pekko (or Pellon Pekko), the god of crops, especially barley and brewing.
Perkele, the Devil. Originally Perkele was not the Devil but a god of thunder and can be seen as an earlier form of Ukko. Related to Baltic Perkunas and Germanic Thor.
Pellervo (or Sampsa Pellervoinen), the god of harvest.
Pihatonttu, tutelary of the yard.
Piru, spirit, demon. Probably later loan word related to "spirit".^{[citation needed]}
Päivätär, the goddess of day.^{[citation needed]}
Rahko, the Karelian god of time; Rahko tars the moon describes the phases of the moon.^{[citation needed]}
Surma, the personification of a violent death.
Saunatonttu, tutelary of the sauna.
Tapio, the god of the forest.
Tellervo, the goddess of the forest, daughter of Tapio and Mielikki.
Tonttu, generally benign tutelary. Originally, a patron of cultivated land, keeper of lot.
Tuonetar, name referring to both the mistress and the daughter of Tuoni.
Tuoni, the personification of Death.
Tursas, the Tavastian god of war. May be same as the Norse Tyr and the Germanic Tîwaz.
Tuulikki, daughter of Tapio and Mielikki, goddess of animals.
Ukko ("old man") the god of the sky and thunder, related to Thor (Estonian Taara).
Vellamo, the wife of Ahti, goddess of the sea, lakes and storms. A current image of Vellamo can be seen on the coat of arms of Päijänne Tavastia.
Vedenemo ("mother of waters"), Karelian goddess of water.^{[citation needed]}
Väinämöinen, the old and wise man, who possessed a potent, magical voice. The central character in Finnish folklore and he is the main character in the Kalevala.

In Finnish mythology, Ahti or Ahto is the god of the sea and of fishing, portrayed as a man with a beard of moss. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... Ajattara is an atmospheric black/death/doom Finland. ... Temperate rainforest on Northern Slopes of the Alborz mountain ranges, Iran A dense growth of softwoods (a conifer forest) in the Sierra Nevada Range of Northern California A decidous broadleaf (Beech) forest in Slovenia. ... Akka means Sister in Telugu. ... Ã„krÃ¤s (also Ã„grÃ¶i, Egres) was the god of fertility in the Finnish mythology. ... Hiisi (root: hiite-) are a kind of tutelary spirits in mythologies of the Baltic Sea area, especially in Finland. ... St. ... A goblin is an evil or merely mischievous creature of folklore, often described as a grotesquely disfigured or elf-like phantom. ... Iku-Turso [] (the eternal Turso; also known as Iku-Tursas, Iki-Tursas, Meritursas, Tursas, Turisas among others) is a malevolent sea monster in the Finnish mythology. ... Seppo Ilmarinen, the Eternal Hammerer, blacksmith and inventor in the Kalevala, is an archetypal artificer from Finnish mythology. ... Look up smith, Smith in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In Finnish mythology, Ilmatar or Luonnotar was the virgin goddess of the heavens. ... Jumala, Jumal, Jumali or Ibmel meas god in Finnish, both the Christian God and any other deity of any religion. ... Simplified drawing of a stone carving type found in Karelia, which is believed to have characteristics of both snake and thunder In Finnish mythology, Ukko (Estonian spelling Uku) is a god of sky, weather, crops (harvest) and other natural things. ... Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Kalevipoeg is an epic poem by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald held to be the Estonian national epic. ... Kalev, besides being a common Estonian first name, may refer to: Tallinna BC Kalev/Cramo, an basketball club based in Tallinn, Estonia Kalev (mythology), a character from Estonian mythology Kalev (company), an Estonian sweets company Kalev (submarine) Estonian Sports Association Kalev Yiddish name of NagykÃ¡llÃ³ Caleb, an individual mentioned... Tonttu or haltija is a Finnish version of the Swedish Tomte. ... A tutelary spirit is a god, usually a minor god, who serves as the guardian or watcher over a particular site, person, or nation. ... Kullervos Curse by Akseli Gallen-Kallela In the Finnish Kalevala, Kullervo was the ill-fated son of Kalervo. ... In The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien, TÃºrin Turambar was a Man of Middle-earth, who became a tragic hero (or anti-hero) of the First Age in the tale called Narn i ChÃ®n HÃºrin (The Tale of the Children of HÃºrin). Unpublished drafts of... J. R. R. Tolkien in 1916, wearing his British Army uniform in a photograph from the middle years of WW1. ... The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkiens works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher, with the assistance of fantasy fiction writer Guy Gavriel Kay. ... In Finnish mythology, LemminkÃ¤inen is a god of magic, or else a sorceror who could sing the sand into pearls. LemminkÃ¤inen is good looking, yellow wavy haired, and young. ... Lempo is a sort of goblin from Finnish folklore and mythology, who appears in the Kalevala. ... Lalli is a character in Finnish history. ... Bishop Henry and Lalli as depicted in Missale Aboense. ... In Finnish mythology and the mythology of Lapland, Louhi is a goddess of the land of the dead known as Pohjola. ... Pohjola is a location in Finnish mythology, referring to Pohja (North), as a point of the compass, the Northland — the whole polar region, and in the world of the Kalevala, the land of the Sami. ... Loviatar is the Goddess of Death, in Finnish mythology. ... In the Finnish mythology, the Nine diseases are the sons of Loviatar, the blind daughter of Tuoni. ... In Finnish mythology, Ilmatar or Luonnotar was the virgin goddess of the heavens. ... In Finnish mythology and lore, a menninkÃ¤inen is believed to be a leprechaun-like inhabitant of the forests. ... Mielikki is the Finnish goddess of forests and the hunt. ... Nyyrikki, the Finnish god of the hunt, has been tenously associated with Nimrod. ... In Finnish mythology, a NÃ¤kki is a Nix that resides in murky pools, wells, docks, piers and under bridges that cross rivers. ... StrÃ¶mkarlen from 1884 by Ernst Josephson has formed many modern Swedes view of NÃ¤cken. ... In Finnish mythology Otso, Ohto, Kontio, metsän kuningas (the king of the forest), and mesikämmen (honeypaws) are some of the many rarely-uttered circumlocutory epithets for the spirit that was never directly named. ... Peko (Finnish spelling Pekko, Pellon Pekko) is an ancient Estonian and Finnish god of crops, especially barley and brewing. ... Binomial name Hordeum vulgare L. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is a major food and animal feed crop, a member of the grass family Poaceae. ... Perkele originally referred to the Finnish thunder god, which was also sometimes referred as Ukko (=The old man). With Christianity the Swedish priests co-opted him for one of the titles of Satan. ... The Devil is a title given to the supernatural entity, who, in Christianity, Islam, and other religions, is a powerful, evil entity and the tempter of humankind. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Thor (Old Norse: ÃžÃ³rr) is the red-haired and bearded god of thunder in Norse Mythology and more generally Germanic mythology (Old English: Ãžunor, Old Dutch and Old High German: Donar, from Proto-Germanic *Ãžunraz). ... Tonttu or haltija is a Finnish version of the Swedish Tomte. ... A tutelary spirit is a god, usually a minor god, who serves as the guardian or watcher over a particular site, person, or nation. ... Piru is a small town in located in Eastern Ventura County, California, near the Santa Clara River and Highway 126. ... St. ... Surma is a character similar to Cerberus in the Finnish mythology of Kalevala. ... Tonttu or haltija is a Finnish version of the Swedish Tomte. ... A tutelary spirit is a god, usually a minor god, who serves as the guardian or watcher over a particular site, person, or nation. ... A sauna on Lake VÃ¤ttern, in Karlsborg Municipality, Sweden. ... Tapio is an East Finnish forest spirit or god. ... Tonttu or haltija is a Finnish version of the Swedish Tomte. ... A tutelary spirit is a god, usually a minor god, who serves as the guardian or watcher over a particular site, person, or nation. ... Tuonetar (Twon-etar), in Finnish mythology, is the Queen of the Underworld. ... In Finnish mythology, Tuoni was the god of the underworld (Tuonela). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Iku-Turso [] (the eternal Turso; also known as Iku-Tursas, Iki-Tursas, Meritursas, Tursas, Turisas among others) is a malevolent sea monster in the Finnish mythology. ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... TÃ½r, depicted here with both hands intact, is identified with Mars in this illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript. ... TÃ½r, depicted here with both hands intact, is identified with Mars in this illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript. ... Simplified drawing of a stone carving type found in Karelia, which is believed to have characteristics of both snake and thunder In Finnish mythology, Ukko (Estonian spelling Uku) is a god of sky, weather, crops (harvest) and other natural things. ... Thor (Old Norse: ÃžÃ³rr) is the red-haired and bearded god of thunder in Norse Mythology and more generally Germanic mythology (Old English: Ãžunor, Old Dutch and Old High German: Donar, from Proto-Germanic *Ãžunraz). ... Tharapita or Taara is the god of war in Estonian mythology. ... In Finnish mythology, Vellamo is the goddess of the sea, the wife of Ahti. ... PÃ¤ijÃ¤nne Tavastia is a region (maakunta / landskap) in Southern Finland south of the lake PÃ¤ijÃ¤nne. ... Illustration from the Kalevala, by Akseli Gallen-Kallela 1896. ...

Places

Kyöpelinvuori (Raatikko); where women who die as virgins go.
Tuonela; (also Manala, Pohjola) abode of the dead, Underworld.
Kalevala
Pohjola
Aarnivalkea, an eternal flame marking the spot of buried treasure

KyÃ¶pelinvuori, in Finnish mythology, is the place where dead women haunt. ... LemminkÃ¤isen Ã¤iti by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. ... The Kalevala is an epic poem which Elias LÃ¶nnrot compiled from Finnish folk lore in the 19th century. ... Pohjola is a location in Finnish mythology, referring to Pohja (North), as a point of the compass, the Northland — the whole polar region, and in the world of the Kalevala, the land of the Sami. ... The Aarnivalkea are spots where an eternal flame associated with Will o the wisps burns in Finnish mythology. ...

Animals

Brown Bear; the bear was considered the most sacred of animals, only referred to by euphemisms (see taboo). The killing of a bear was followed by a great feast in honour of the bear (peijaiset), where a substantial part of the celebrations consisted of convincing the bear's spirit that it'd died accidentally and hadn't been "murdered". Afterwards, the bear's skull was hung high upon a pine tree so its spirit could re-enter the heavens. Kalevala on the bear.
Swan of Tuonela; (Tuonelan joutsen).
Elk of Hiisi; (Hiiden hirvi).

Image File history File links Venesarvinen_hirvi. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 Ursus arctos range map. ... A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) against words, objects, actions, discussions, or people that are considered undesirable by a group, culture, or society. ... In Finland, Peijainen is the ritual burial of a bear that has been communally brought down and has died. ... The Swan of Tuonela (Tuonelan joutsen) is an 1895 tone poem by the Finland-Swedish composer Jean Sibelius. ...

Artifacts

The Sampo, a magical artifact that brought good fortune to its holder. According to Lönnrot's interpretation in the Kalevala, it was a mill that made flour, salt, and gold out of thin air.
Väinämöinen's magic kantele which he made from the jaws of a huge pike.
Väinämöinen's great sword, which shines like sun and is extraordinarily sharp.

In Finnish mythology, the Sampo was a magical artifact constructed by Ilmarinen that brought good fortune to its holder; nobody knows exactly what it was supposed to be. ... I archaeology, an artifact or artefact is any object made or modified by a human culture, and often one later recovered by some archaeological endeavor. ... Elias LÃ¶nnrot ( ) (April 9, 1802 â€“ March 19, 1884) was a Finnish philologist and collector of traditional Finnish oral poetry. ... The Kalevala is an epic poem which Elias LÃ¶nnrot compiled from Finnish folk lore in the 19th century. ... A factory (previously manufactory) is a large industrial building where goods or products are manufactured. ... Look up flour in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A magnified crystal of a salt (halite/sodium chloride) Salt covering the floor of Bad Water in Death Valley, CA, the lowest point in the US. A salt, in chemistry, is any ionic compound composed of cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negative ions) so that the product is neutral... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... Koistinen concert kantele with 38 strings A kantele, Finnish (or kannel) in Estonian, is a traditional plucked string instrument. ... Species E. americanus – grass and redfin pickerels E. lucius – northern pike E. masquinongy – muskellunge E. niger – chain pickerel – Amur pike Esox Linnaeus, 1758, is a genus of freshwater fish, the only member of the pike family (family Esocidae) of order Esociformes. ...

Nonhistorical traditions

Saint Urho

The legend of St. Urho was the invention of a Finnish-American named Richard Mattson, who worked at Ketola's Department Store in Virginia, Minnesota in spring of 1956. Mattson later recounted that he invented St. Urho when he was questioned by coworker Gene McCavic about the Finns' lack of a saint like the Irish St. Patrick, whose feat of casting the snakes out of Ireland is remembered on St. Patrick's Day.^[1] Look up Legend in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Virginia is a city located in St. ... Saint Patrick (Latin: , Irish: Naomh PÃ¡draig) was a Christian missionary and is regarded as the patron saint of Ireland along with Brigid of Kildare and Columba. ... St. ...

According to the original "Ode to St. Urho" written by Gene McCavic and Richard Mattson, St. Urho was supposed to have cast "tose 'Rogs" (those frogs) out of Finland by the power of his loud voice, which he obtained by drinking "feelia sour" (sour whole milk) and eating "kala mojakka" (fish soup).^[2]

The original "Ode to St. Urho" identified St. Urho's Day as taking place on May 24. Later the date was changed to March 16, the day before St. Patrick's Day. St. Urho's feast is supposed to be celebrated by wearing the colors Royal Purple and Nile Green. Other details of the invented legend also changed, apparently under the influence of Dr. Sulo Havumäki, a psychology professor at Bemidji State College in Bemidji, Minnesota. The legend now states that St. Urho drove away grasshoppers (rather than frogs) from Finland using the incantation "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen!" ("Grasshopper, grasshopper, go from hence to Hell!"), thus saving the Finnish grape crops.^[3] Bemidji State University is a public Minnesota state university in Bemidji, Minnesota on the shores of Lake Bemidji. ... Bemidji is a city located in Beltrami County, Minnesota. ... Families Superfamily: Tridactyloidea Cylindrachaetidae Ripipterygidae Tridactylidae Superfamily: Tetrigoidea Tetrigidae Superfamily: Eumastacoidea Chorotypidae Episactidae Eumastacidae Euschmidtiidae Mastacideidae Morabidae Proscopiidae Thericleidae Superfamily: Pneumoroidea Pneumoridae Superfamily: Pyrgomorphoidea Pyrgomorphidae Superfamily: Acridoidea Acrididae Charilaidae Dericorythidae Lathiceridae Lentulidae Lithidiidae Ommexechidae Pamphagidae Pyrgacrididae Romaleidae Tristiridae Superfamily: Tanaoceroidea Tanaoceridae Superfamily: Trigonopterygoidea Trigonopterygidae Xyronotidae Grasshoppers are herbivorous insects of... An incantation is the words spoken during a ritual. ...

The "Ode to St. Urho" has been modified to reflect these changes in the feast day and legend. The Ode is written in a self-parodying form of English as spoken by Finnish immigrants.^[4] There is also a "Ballad of St. Urho" written by Sally Karttunen.^[5]

The selection of the name Urho as the saint's name was probably influenced by the accession of Urho Kekkonen to the presidency of Finland in 1956. Urho in the Finnish language also has the meaning of hero. Urho Kekkonen Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (September 3, 1900â€“August 31, 1986) was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland (1950-1953, 1954-1956) and later as President of Finland (1956â€“1981) and is many times referred as first dictator of Finland. ...

There are St. Urho fan clubs in Canada and Finland as well as the U.S., and the festival is celebrated on March 16 in many American and Canadian communities with Finnish roots.^[6] The original statue of St. Urho is located in Menahga, Minnesota. There is a beer restaurant called St. Urho's Pub in central Helsinki, Finland. A 200l book, The Legend of St. Urho by Joanne Asala, presents much of the folklore surrounding St. Urho and includes an essay by Richard Mattson on the "birth" of St. Urho. Menahga is a city located in Wadena County, Minnesota. ... Founded 1550 Country Finland Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki Area[1] - Of which land - Rank 185. ...

References

^ Williams, Linda Tyssen (2001-06-07). St. Urho legend's creator, Richard Mattson, dies: St. Patrick got fierce competition from Finnish grapes-saver. Mesabi Daily News. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
^ The Origin of St. Urho. St. Urho: Legendary Patron Saint of Finland. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
^ St. Urho: Legendary Patron Saint of Finland. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
^ McCavic, Gene. Ode to St. Urho. St. Urho: Legendary Patron Saint of Finland. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
^ Karttunen, Sally. Ballad of St. Urho. St. Urho: Legendary Patron Saint of Finland. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
^ St. Urho Celebrations. St. Urho: Legendary Patron Saint of Finland. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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