Photos by Malle-Liisa Raigla
On Saturday evening, the members of Haapsalu motorcycle club MC Müristaja from Paide brought the Jury’s Night signal light to Haapsalu castle grounds, which was received by Anton Pärn, the head of Läänemaa museums.
Pärn, receiving the fire, said that the fire of Juryöö has been lit in Estonia for hundreds of years – it was the time when field work began and the most common time of farm purchase. 680 years ago, the fire of the night of judgment became the fire of the resurrection. St. George’s Uprising broke out on St. George’s Day, April 23, 1343 in Harju County, when Estonian peasants began to resist the supremacy of the Danish and Livonian orders. The start of the uprising was signaled by a signal light lit in Harjumaa. Soon the uprising reached Läänemaa, where the Haapsalu bishop’s castle was besieged. The leaders of the uprising, or the four kings, were killed on May 4 in Paide. That is why the fire from Paide is shared. MC Müristaja brought Haapsallu’s jury night signal for the third year.
In addition to Pärna, who left a candle with fire brought from Paide at the memorial to those who fell in the War of Independence and at the bust of the legendary mayor of Haapsalu, Hans Alver, the defense allies also lit torches and left them on the castle grounds. The Thunderers then took the fire to their own club.
Nowadays, the lighting of the Jury night fire symbolizes freedom and that Estonia is alive.