Today we celebrate the name's day of Jaakko (Jacob). Once again it has been
originally celebrated in the remembrance of a saint and apostle James, son of
Zebedee. He was the brother of John the Apostle. In Finland the day of Jacob
ends the women's week. From 18th to 24th, only women celebrate their
name's day. This is also the time of the year when the harvesting of the crops
is beginning. During the women's week the weather has been thus very carefully
followed and also the coming weather has been predicted from the weather during
women's week. Of course people have been hoping for clear sky and rainless
days, so that the harvesting would be successful. But we have a saying that the
women are so sensitive to cry, that it always rains during women's week. If it
rains much, it is going to rain the next 7 weeks. If it rains just few drops,
it is going to be rainless for the next 7 weeks. This year it has not rain
much. :)
The following women have their name's day during women's week
18.7.2013 Riikka (originates from Fredrika, Henrika, Ulrika)
19.7.2013 Sari, Saara, Sara, Salla, Salli (originate from the Hebrew name
Sarah, meaning madam or princess)
20.7.2013 Marketta, Maarit, Reetta, Reeta, Maaret, Margareeta (originate from
the Greek word margarites meaning pearl)
21.7.2013 Johanna, Hanna, Jenni, Jenna, Jonna, Hannele, Hanne, Joanna
(originate from the man's name Johannes, Hebrew meaning the grace of God)
22.7.2013 Leena, Matleena, Leeni, Lenita (originate from Hebrew Magdalene,
meaning a person origin from Magdala)
23.7.2013 Olga, Oili (originate from Scandinavian name Helga, meaning saint)
24.7.2013 Kristiina, Tiina, Kirsti, Kirsi, Krista, Kiia, Tinja (originate from
Latin/Greek name Christina, meaning the female follower of Christ).
But back to Jaakko. What do we celebrate today. It used to be believed that
Jaakko is throwing the cold stone to water. So after his day the surface
temperatures of lakes are going to be cooling and the autumn is closing. The
day of Jaakko used to be celebrated according to the Julian calendar (until
1753), so the day of Jaakko was actually 5th of August if we move it to the
calendar we use nowadays. That is the date when the surface temperatures of our
lakes begin to cool according to the Finnish Environment Institute. The
background of this celebration is the pilgrimage of the Saint Jacob and the
throwing of the cold rock is seen to describe his sins and letting go of
them.
We also have a Jaakko that throws the stone or rock to the sea every year on
his name's day. The chairman of the Finnish Unscientific Society (Suomen
Epätieteellinen Seura) Mr. Jaakko Koskinen throws the rock to sea on the shores
of Helsinki today at noon.
http://www.epätieteilijät.fi/ (in Finnish)
It is totally humoristic event, but a very nice way to concretize an old legend
or myth.
The surface temperatures in our biggest lakes are at the moment in Southern and
Central parts of Finland between 15 - 19 C, in Northern parts of Finland around
10 - 15 C. The temperatures at the Baltic sea is around 15 - 17 C.
Jaakko has been given to first name to Finnish males starting from the end of
19th century to 2012 to 61.874 men. And let's not forget that also the
following men are celebrating their name's day today
Jaakob, Jimi, Jaakoppi
The British and Scottish kings' name James was also formerly translated to
Finnish as Jaakko. Nowadays we use the real name and do not translate them anymore
to Finnish. For example the father of Queen Elizabeth II is know in Finland as Yrjö
VI (George VI), but the new born prince of Cambridge is called George also in Finland.
