Saints usually evoke benevolent thoughts of Mother Theresa surrounded by lepers. But every March, Menahga plans a boisterous weekend to celebrate a giant sainted Finn with an even more ginormous grasshopper impaled on a pitchfork.
All hail the festival of St. Urho. His saintness is alleged, in Finnish folklore, to have eradicated a locust of grasshoppers feasting on the country's sparse grape crop.
Because of the short growing season, Finish grape farmers were also alleged to have injected vodka into the crop to enhance the alcohol content of the wine.
That folklore pretty much sets the tone of Menahga's annual tribute to a saint decked out in purple and green. Although St. Urho Day is officially March 16, Menahga schedules the festival on the weekend as close to the grasshopper annihilation as possible.
For his benevolent deeds and saving the careers of the Finnish vineyard workers, Urho was elevated to sainthood, although it's doubtful he's one of the Pope's litany of the holy.
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Urho supposedly uttered "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen" (roughly translated: "Grasshopper, grasshopper, go to Hell! in some languages or "scoot" in others.") That phrase is inscribed on the plaque under his statue in Menahga.
"You do know this is fictional?" a worried King Urho queried. "But he is the Pope's most chosen."
This year's royalty, anointed honorary Urho and Lena, were twins Leo Tomperi and Lori Elmore, whose claim to royal blood was that they turned 50 the night before, on Friday the 13th.
At high noon Saturday, they met their court, "high" being the state of mind of the participants, not the sun's direction.
A troup of grasshopper groupies bowed to the royalty under the statue of Urho and the changing of the guard began once a green and purple clad parade wound its way down Highway 71 for the signatory event.
For more on the festivities, see Wednesday's Enterprise.
