Saint George’s Day – 23rd April
Saint George, the patron saint of England, is also a romantic figure of medieval romance and legends: a chivalrous knight, a devout martyr and most famously, a heroic slayer of dragons.
Despite his ubiquitous presence in churches, paintings, frescoes and English literature, St. George himself is an unlikely choice for patron saint of England as he is celebrated in many nations across the world -Â he wasn’t English and probably never even visited the country.
Nevertheless, the date of his death on April 23rd became England’s National Day, and by the fifteenth century was a major feast and national holiday rivalled only by Christmas.
In later years his name was adopted by King George V, who instituted the George Cross for acts of great heroism, the highest decoration awarded to civilians.
The Real Saint George
The real Saint George was made of flesh and blood and was born in Roman times to a noble family in Libya.
Raised as a Christian, he became a Tribunus in the army of the Emperor Diocletian and part of the Imperial Guard. In the year AD 302 Diocletian decreed that all Christian soldiers should be arrested and those remaining should offer sacrifices to the Pagan Gods.
George refused, and renounced the edict in front of his fellow soldiers. After being cruelly tortured on a wheel of swords, he was publicly executed on April 23 Â - when it was said that several witnesses were converted to Christianity on seeing his suffering.
Legends of how Saint George slayed the dragon may have their origin in the story of his execution, as historians believe that the dragon is an allegory for Diocletian himself, who was known as “the dragon”.
George and the Dragon
The story tells how a dragon had made its nest in the spring that supplied the people of Silene (probably Cyrene) in Libya, to whom a daily sacrifice of a beautiful maiden had to be made.
As the supply of eligible females dwindled, the only one available was the King of Egypt’s daughter. When St George heard of her plight, he rode to her rescue and fought a long and hard battle with the dragon, during which he was forced to take refuge under the boughs of an orange tree that protected him from the dragon’s poison.
Eventually he managed to pierce its skin through the only part of its body unprotected by its scales: under the dragon’s wing, and George won the heart of the lady.
Becoming Saint George
The legend of George against the Dragon spread throughout the Roman Empire.
George was widely seen as a saint, and his popularity increased among Europeans after the Crusades, when the red cross of St George was worn on the white tunics of the Crusaders to differentiate them from their enemies in battle.
He was canonised by Pope Galasius l in 1494, who played down the more fantastical elements of the story by describing him as among those “whose names are justly reverenced among men but whose acts are known only to God”.
In 1222 the Synod of Oxford declared St George’s Day “a feast day in the kingdom of England”. As the country’s patron saint, St George was called on to save it from enemies in times of peril.
St George and the Modern Day
Despite the patron saint’s dashing credentials, the tradition of Saint George’s Day waned by the end of the 18th century when union took place with Scotland.
Ironic then that Burn’s Night, the Scottish celebration, and St Patrick’s Day are more widely celebrated in England than the country’s own National Day.
But things are about to change, however.
In 2006 Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford, proposed in the House of Commons that St George’s Day should be a public holiday and a campaign is afoot to give Saint George’s Day the recognition it deserves. Recently the London Mayor, Boris Johnson, gave his backing to the movement which he said had been ignored in London for far too long.
English Heritage, the Royal Society of Saint George, and the St George’s Day Events Company are just three organisations dedicated to encouraging and promoting celebrations, whilst the St George Unofficial Bank Holiday calls for people to take the day off work and celebrate their Englishness!
This year, events will take place in London in Trafalgar Square and across the country, including parades, maypole dancing, Morris dancing, theatrical and musical shows, and food festivals.
So come on! April 23 is the time to gird your loins, pin a red rose to your lapel, fly the flag of St George and eat some roast beef and Yorkshire pud or fish and chips (or even chicken tikka massala!).
External Links:
St George’s Day Dot Com Website
English Heritage: St George’s Day
The Royal Society of St George
St George’s Day Events Company
 Chester St George’s Day | Liverpool St George’s Day | York St George’s Day | Leeds St George’s Day | Newcastle St George’s Day
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