St George's Day - the English patron saint who came from Turkey
Saint George's Day, also called the Feast of Saint George, on 23rd April, is the national day of the patron saint of England. This mythical figue is also the patron saint of several other countries including Bulgaria, Georgia, Portugal and parts of Spain.
Saint George was reputedly a Roman soldier and early Christian born in Anatolia in AD 270 who was martyred on 23rd April in AD 303 when he refused to recant his faith. From the 12th century, an additional story became added to his legend in which Saint George saved a princess from a dragon by killing it with his spear.
The earliest documented mention of Saint George in England comes from Catholic monk the venerable Bede in the 7th century. From the Norman period, the idea of Saint George gained in popularity. As a military figure, he was a popular totem of the Crusaders. His emblem, a red cross on a white background was adopted by Richard The Lionheart.
In 1348, Edward III put his Order of the Garter under the banner of St. George. The badge of the Order shows Saint George on horseback slaying the dragon, and St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle was built by Edward IV and Henry VII in honour of the order. In 1421 the feast day was pronounced a major church festival, and no work was permitted on this day. Church attendance was mandatory.
Down through the ages, the saint has been invoked for protection for soldiers in battle. In 1940 King George VI created a new award for acts of the greatest heroism or courage in circumstance of extreme danger. The George Cross, named after the king, bears the image of St George vanquishing the dragon.
As an English tradition, Saint George's Day somewhat faded in importance after the union with Scotland that created the United Kingdom in 1707. In the recent political climate, there has been a modest revival in activities on April 23rd, with some public buildings, churches and pubs flying the red and white flag of Saint George, and a number of celebratory activities, including in Trafalgar Square in London.
Those less keen in an English nationalistic celebration are inclined to point out the irony of a man born in Cappadocia in Anatolia, now Turkey, and who never visited these shores, being the patron saint of England.
Further reading
Links to external websites are not maintained by Bite Sized Britain. They are provided to give users access to additional information. Bite Sized Britain is not responsible for the content of these external websites.