Melinci

Melinci
Melinci Location in Slovenia
Coordinates: 46°34′21.26″N 16°14′17.75″E / 46.5725722°N 16.2382639°E / 46.5725722; 16.2382639Coordinates: 46°34′21.26″N 16°14′17.75″E / 46.5725722°N 16.2382639°E / 46.5725722; 16.2382639
Country	Slovenia
Traditional region	Prekmurje
Statistical region	Mura
Municipality	Beltinci
Area
– Total	6.78 km2 (2.6 sq mi)
Elevation	175.6 m (576 ft)
Population (2002)
– Total	815
[1]

Melinci (Hungarian: Muramelence) is a village in the Municipality of Beltinci in the Prekmurje region of northeastern Slovenia.^[2]

There is a small chapel in the settlement. It is dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows and belongs to the Parish of Beltinci.

The Martyr of Melinci

A folk story called “The Martyr of Melinci” (Mälìnčki mantrník)^[3] collected by the Prekmurje Slovene writer Števan Kühar (1882–1915) describes how the Mura River was in flood and threatened to destroy the village. The men of the village gathered together and decided to bury alive a seven-year-old child, Števek from the Džuro farm (Džúrov Štèväk or Džurof Štefek) as a sacrifice to appease the river. After that the river never again flooded like it had before. The legend continues that the boy appeared in a dream to a pious woman, urging her to ask the village authorities to dig him up. This was permitted, but only a few shovels of soil had been turned before a powerful smell emanated from the earth. The officers of the parish then forbade the martyr to be disinterred. After this it was said that a light would appear at the place where Števek had been buried.

References

1. ^ Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
2. ^ Beltinci municipal site
3. ^ Števan Kühar. “Mälìnčki mantrník,” in Národno blágo vogrskij Sloväncof, p. 23 (1914), reprinted as “Melinčki mantrnik” in Kalendar Najsvetejšega Srca Jezušovega, vol. 19, pp. (Maribor, 1922, pp. 37–38).

External links

• Melinci on Geopedia