April 23rd – Jurģi (St. George’s Day/Ūsiņi). The Great Spring Awakening

Jurģi, also known as Ūsiņi in ancient Latvian tradition, is the day when spring finally takes full command of the earth. It is the moment when nature’s gates swing wide open: the grass turns green, trees begin to bud, and new life enters the homestead. In Latvian folklore, Ūsiņš is the deity of light and the protector of horses, bringing leaves to the trees and grass to the land.

Traditions and the Sun Meal A key tradition is the "First Night Watch" (pieguļa), where men took horses to the pastures overnight for the first time. Around a campfire, they prepared Pantāgs—a special dish of scrambled eggs. Eggs on this day symbolize the sun and new life, and eating them ensured solar energy for the entire year.

Folk Beliefs and Signs:

• Beauty Ritual: Wash your face in running water before sunrise on Jurģi to stay healthy, beautiful, and alert all year long.

• The First Guest: If the first visitor on this day is a man, it brings luck to the home and prosperity to the livestock.

• The Weather: If it rains on Jurģi Day, expect a wet summer, but also plenty of lush grass and hay.

• Joyful Noise: One must make noise, sing, and be merry on Jurģi to ward off evil and wake up the earth.