Eberndorf

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Florianising has been practised in Gösselsdorf for decades, with egg dishes at night and Šnetice at the festival.(Bild: zvg)

In Gösselsdorf, singers go from house to house on the eve of May 4th to bring people blessings and protection from "fire and hail" with a song!

"Our youngest boy is the egg bearer," says municipal councillor Andreas Kutej. A good 170 households are visited at the Florianisingen in Gösselsdorf, which takes place every year on the eve of May 4th. The song is sung in two languages, German and Slovenian: "Oh, dear holy Florian, give us a good year too, that the Lord God will protect us from hail and fire . . ."

Old custom is lived
St. Florian, the patron saint of fire departments, bakers, chimney sweeps and blacksmiths, is commemorated every year on 4 May. "We've been practicing this custom for more than 40 years," say Waller landlords Thomas and Monika Sdovc. This Friday, bachelors will also meet at Gasthof Wallerwirt, and married men are now also allowed to join in. The landlord and landlady: "First we rehearse and then the singers set off." Then they go from house to house. As a small thank you, the singers receive pork fat and eggs from the residents. Floriani singer Kutej: "After the tour, we all meet up again at the Wallerwirt. It's usually just after midnight. Wallerwirtin Sdovc: "We then have an egg dish to fortify us during the night."

Food is recycled
The collected fat and eggs are then used to make Šnetice - white bread baked with egg - at the Florianifest, the date of which is yet to be announced. Chairman Gernot Hobel: "Donations collected are donated to a charitable cause."

Incidentally, the custom was once also practiced in the village of Eberndorf. Kutej: "Unfortunately, that ended a few years ago. However, we are in the process of reviving the custom with the ice shooters."