Slovenia is rich in ancient celebrations based on the passage of the seasons; in fact, many of these rites far predate the arrival of Christianity to the Slovenian lands. One such tradition is Zeleni Jurij (literally “Green George”), which marks the advent of spring in Bela Krajina, a small region in the southeastern corner of the country.

In days gone by, Zeleni Jurij was celebrated differently in various parts of the region, but what the celebrations had in common was the persona of Zeleni Jurij himself: A young man covered entirely in birch branches, often additionally decorated with colored ribbons. In some places, Zeleni Jurij went from house to house collecting money. Elsewhere, he rode to town on a white horse. In Črnomelj, Zeleni Jurij was paraded through the streets by singing young people who used ancient Slavic verses to interrogate this ancient harbinger of spring. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Zeleni Jurij – or at least his arboreal covering – was ceremonially thrown into the Lahinja River.

Whatever the details, the celebrations served as an important rite of spring. According to tradition, Zeleni Jurij spent the winter in the cold, dark underworld, and emerged in the springtime to bring warmth and fertility to the land -- and mark the final departure of winter.

Zeleni Jurij has its origins in Slavic mythology, but with the arrival of Christianity, the celebrations merged with the mythology of St. George, a Christian martyr also associated with fertility. The pagan-Christian blend was not unusual, since early Christian missionaries often accepted elements of pagan beliefs only to combine them with Christian teaching. It was due to this Christian influence that Zeleni Jurij was eventually celebrated on St. George’s Day in April.

Because of increased communication and changing rural lifestyles, Zeleni Jurij celebrations began to disappear in the modern area, and most were gone by the early 20th century. In recent years, however, local enthusiasts have made an effort to preserve this part of Slovenia’s national heritage. Each spring, the Slovenian President formally receives Zeleni Jurij and his entourage of young people. And each June, the town of Črnomelj organizes a Zeleni Jurij procession, bringing to life a rite of spring largely unchanged since the time when the Slavs first arrived in modern-day Slovenia.