As every year, on Friday 19 April 2013, Ljubljana City Hall was paid a visit by the ancient Slavic mythological hero Zeleni Jurij, or ‘Green George’ from Bela Krajina, who brings to the countryside spring, happiness and green branches, a symbol of abundance.

In related Slovenian folklore, images of Green George and later St George were associated with representations of the coming of spring, nature reawakening, and the opening of the earth (with keys as a symbol), the emergence of medicinal plants and all forms of fertility. Therefore, this event is accompanied by a number of ceremonial rituals – burning bonfires, jumping through fires, singing and dancing, parades, weddings and sowing, as well as giving shepherds, livestock and homes decorations made of flowers and the first pasture grasses.

Our predecessors celebrated this festival in Slovenia on 23 and 24 April. It was one of the most important milestones in the annual cycle. ‘George’ carol singing was widespread in all Slovenian regions and in parts of Croatia that are close to the border with Slovenia. Meanwhile, in Bela Krajina the traditional folksongs have been preserved and those related to George have passed into children’s folklore. Despite its origin, the Bela Krajina tradition has preserved the name Green George, which has elsewhere mostly been replaced by St George.