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St George
St George's Day is April 23

Saint George is the patron saint of England. He’s popularly identified with England and English ideals of honour, bravery and gallantry—but actually he wasn’t English at all. Very little, if anything, is known about the real Saint George. Pope Gelasius said that George is one of the saints "whose names are rightly reverenced among us, but whose actions are known only to God."

Facts in Brief
Everything about St George is dubious, so the information below should be taken as mythical rather than real.

Born in Turkey (in Cappadocia)
Lived in 3rd century CE
His parents were Christian
Later lived in Palestine
Became a Roman soldier
Protested against Rome's persecution of Christians
Imprisoned and tortured, but stayed true to his faith
Beheaded at Lydda in Palestine
23rd April was named as St George's day in 1222

Patron Saint
He is patron saint not only of England but also of Aragon, Catalonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Germany and Greece; and of Moscow, Istanbul, Genoa and Venice (second to St Mark). He’s also patron saint of soldiers, archers, cavalry and chivalry, farmers and field workers, riders and saddlers, and he helps those suffering from leprosy, plague and syphilis.

Who was Saint George
The story of Saint George is so wrapped in myth and legend that it’s difficult to extract the historical facts of a real life. Some believe he never existed or that he’s a Christianised version of an older pagan myth.

In the early centuries of Christianity, followers would write up fabulous accounts of the lives of their heroes. This enhanced George’s reputation but left the details of his life very blurred.

His Life
Early Life - What we believe to be the truth is that George was born in the Cappadocia region of central Turkey in the 3rd century; that his parents were Christians; and that when his father died, George’s mother returned to her native Palestine, taking George with her. George became a soldier in the Roman army and rose to the rank of Tribune.

Persecution of Christians - The Emperor of the day, Diocletian (245-313 CE), began a campaign against Christians at the very beginning of the 4th century. In about 303 CE George is said to have objected to this persecution and resigned his military post in protest.

Torture and Martyrdom - George tore up the Emperor’s order against Christians. This infuriated Diocletian, and George was imprisoned and tortured — but he refused to deny his faith. Eventually he was dragged through the streets of Diospolis (now Lydda) in Palestine and beheaded. It’s said that Diocletian’s wife was so impressed by George’s resilience that she became a Christian and that she too was executed for her faith.

Myths and Martyrdom
In the stories George is said to have been tortured in a number of gruesome and hideous ways. He was forced to swallow poison; crushed between two spiked wheels; boiled in a cauldron of molten lead. None of these attempts killed him and his wounds were healed in the night by Christ himself.

George was told his life would be spared if he would offer sacrifice to the Roman gods. The people assembled to see him do so but instead George prayed to the Christian God. Immediately, fire came down from heaven, an earthquake shook the ground, and priests, idols, and the temple buildings were destroyed. However, by this time it was God’s will that St. George should die for his faith, and he was beheaded without further trouble.

Stories of this nature abounded about pagan and Christian figures in the early Middle Ages. People would have expected their heroes to have undergone such experiences and in an age when many things seemed mystical, few were sceptical about such stories.

His Rise and Fall
The Golden Legend - The story of Saint George only achieved mass circulation when it was printed in 1483 by Caxton in a book called "The Golden Legend". This was a translation of a book by Jacques de Voragine, a French bishop, which incorporated fantastic details of Saints’ lives. It’s believed that Saint George was adopted in England because the story in the Golden Legend was similar to an Anglo-Saxon legend. St George was quickly incorporated into miracle plays adapted from pagan sources and is a prime figure in Spenser’s famous epic poem The Fairie Queen.

George Falls from Favour - George’s popularity faded after the Reformation when religious beliefs changed. He also lost ground as gunpowder became the primary weapon of war and protection, making the lance and sword less significant. In 1778 Saint George’s Day was demoted to a simple day of devotion for Catholics in England.

St George and England
The earliest known British reference to Saint George occurs in an account by St. Adamnan, the 7th century Abbot of lona. He’s believed to have heard the story from Arcuif, a French bishop who had travelled to Jerusalem and other holy places in Palestine. The saint is also mentioned in the writings of the Venerable Bede. George's reputation grew with the returning crusaders. A miracle appearance when it is claimed that he appeared to lead crusaders into battle, is recorded in stone over the south door of a church at Fordington in Dorset. This still exists and is the earliest known church in England to be dedicated to St. George. The Council of Oxford in 1222 named 23rd April Saint George’s Day.

Order of the Garter
When Edward III (1327-77) founded the Order of the Garter (c. 1348), the premier order of knighthood in England, he put it under Saint George’s patronage. The magnificent St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle was built by Edward IV and Henry VII as the chapel of the order. The badge of the Order shows Saint George on horseback slaying the dragon. From the 14th century Saint George was regarded as a special protector of the English. English soldiers were called to wear "a signe of Saint George" on chest and back. He became, in the popular imagination, English.

The Flag of St George
The flag of Saint George - a red cross on a white background - is incorporated into the Union Jack and recalled in the ensign of the Royal Navy.

Henry V
In 1415 Archbishop Chicele promoted the feast of Saint George to principal status after Henry V’s speech at the Battle of Agincourt invoking Saint George as England’s patron saint. Many believed they saw him fighting on the English side.

The George Cross
In 1940 King George VI inaugurated the George Cross for ‘acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger’. The award is usually awarded to civilians. Saint George slaying the dragon is depicted on the silver cross. In 1969 the Roman Catholic Church revised its Calendar of Saints and downgraded Saint George to its lowest status - commemoration - which means celebration of his feast is optional. He has not been, as some people believe, abolished.

Give it up now Euro's! The Inmates are now in charge of your future!

In 1969 the Roman Catholic Church revised its Calendar of Saints and downgraded Saint George to its lowest status - commemoration - which means celebration of his feast is optional. He has not been, as some people believe, abolished.

Good news for St. George devotees, if you hadn't heard. In 2000, his feast was raised again to a solemnity in England, with a special Mass and liturgy.

And anyone who thinks the dragon-slaying story is fanciful has never seen the crocodiles that grow in his part of the world (North Africa). The biggest in modern memory was a touch over 27 feet long, of which approximately 7 feet is head.

In 1969 the Roman Catholic Church revised its Calendar of Saints and downgraded Saint George to its lowest status - commemoration - which means celebration of his feast is optional. He has not been, as some people believe, abolished.

Good news for St. George devotees, if you hadn't heard. In 2000, his feast was raised again to a solemnity in England, with a special Mass and liturgy.

And anyone who thinks the dragon-slaying story is fanciful has never seen the crocodiles that grow in his part of the world (North Africa). The biggest in modern memory was a touch over 27 feet long, of which approximately 7 feet is head.

St George is the patron saint of England.

One can always live and learn. Thank you for the post. Shakespeare, of course was born and indeed died on the 23rd of April. His depiction of Henry V in Act 3,scene 1, stirs the blood( well some of us).

"Follow your spirit, and upon this charge, cry God for Harry and St George ".

This flag business is political correctness gone mad indeed. Now this political correctness is still a devastating weapon. The public, suborned by corrupt Marxist Socialists, know full well, it is an excercise in absolute power. They also know it is often "got up" rubbish. The problem is that too many are frightened to speak out. Maybe the Turks do not even bloomin' well care- who knows?

I still may yet live long enough to see the tide turn. Ah, there is one country in Western Civilization, where the tide is slowly and powerfully starting to turn against this programmed madness. I look across at it every day, just across the St Mary's River from Ontario, Canada.

What's with the politically correct CE's in a story about a Christian Saint?