Celebrating our Saint of the Month
Saint George
Feast Day: 23rd April
Patron of England and Catalonia
Saint George (AD 275–281 to 23 April 303), according to legend, was a Roman soldier of Syrian origin and officer in the Guard of the Roman emperor Diocletian. When George refused to recant his Christian faith, Diocletian had him tortured, killed and beheaded near Lydda in Palestine. As a Christian martyr, George later became one of the most venerated saints in Christianity and numerous countries, cities, professions and organisations claim him as their patron.
Saint George's parents were Christians of Syrian background: his father Gerontius was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother Polychronia was a Christian and a Syrian native from Lydda in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina (Palestine). Accounts differ regarding whether George was born in Cappadocia or Syria Palaestina, but agree that he was raised at least partly in Lydda.
As the patron saint of England, Saint George is popularly identified with England and English ideals of honour, bravery and gallantry. Chief among the legendary sources about the saint is the Golden Legend, which remains the most familiar version in English owing to William Caxton's 15th-century translation.
Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George is immortalised in the story of Saint George and the Dragon, which was Eastern in origin, brought back with the Crusaders and retold in medieval Romances. The legend gradually became part of the Christian traditions relating to Saint George and was used in many festivals thereafter.
According to the Golden Legend, the episode took place somewhere called Silene, in Libya. The town had a small lake with a plague-bearing dragon living in it, which was poisoning the countryside. To appease the dragon, the people of Silene fed it two sheep every day. When they ran out of sheep they started feeding it their children, chosen by lottery. One day the lot fell on the king's daughter. The king, in his grief, told the people they could have all his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared; the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon. Saint George by chance rode past the lake. The princess tried to send him away, but he vowed to remain. The dragon emerged from the lake while they were conversing. Saint George made the sign of the Cross and charged the dragon on horseback, seriously wounding it with his lance. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle, and he put it around the dragon's neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a meek beast on a leash. The princess and Saint George led the dragon back to the city of Silene, where it terrified the populace. Saint George offered to kill the dragon if they consented to become Christians and be baptised. Fifteen thousand men including the king of Silene converted to Christianity. George then killed the dragon, and the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. The king built a church to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint George on the site where the dragon died and a spring flowed from its altar with water that cured all disease.
Saint 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 is 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 was 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 Saint George. The Council of Oxford in 1222 named 23rd April Saint George's Day.
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 and so Saint George became, in the popular imagination, English. 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.
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. Shakespeare has King Henry V finishing his pre-battle speech with the famous phrase, ‘Cry God for Harry, England and St. George!’
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.
Feast Day: 23rd April
Patron of England and Catalonia
Saint George (AD 275–281 to 23 April 303), according to legend, was a Roman soldier of Syrian origin and officer in the Guard of the Roman emperor Diocletian. When George refused to recant his Christian faith, Diocletian had him tortured, killed and beheaded near Lydda in Palestine. As a Christian martyr, George later became one of the most venerated saints in Christianity and numerous countries, cities, professions and organisations claim him as their patron.
Saint George's parents were Christians of Syrian background: his father Gerontius was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother Polychronia was a Christian and a Syrian native from Lydda in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina (Palestine). Accounts differ regarding whether George was born in Cappadocia or Syria Palaestina, but agree that he was raised at least partly in Lydda.
As the patron saint of England, Saint George is popularly identified with England and English ideals of honour, bravery and gallantry. Chief among the legendary sources about the saint is the Golden Legend, which remains the most familiar version in English owing to William Caxton's 15th-century translation.
Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George is immortalised in the story of Saint George and the Dragon, which was Eastern in origin, brought back with the Crusaders and retold in medieval Romances. The legend gradually became part of the Christian traditions relating to Saint George and was used in many festivals thereafter.
According to the Golden Legend, the episode took place somewhere called Silene, in Libya. The town had a small lake with a plague-bearing dragon living in it, which was poisoning the countryside. To appease the dragon, the people of Silene fed it two sheep every day. When they ran out of sheep they started feeding it their children, chosen by lottery. One day the lot fell on the king's daughter. The king, in his grief, told the people they could have all his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared; the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon. Saint George by chance rode past the lake. The princess tried to send him away, but he vowed to remain. The dragon emerged from the lake while they were conversing. Saint George made the sign of the Cross and charged the dragon on horseback, seriously wounding it with his lance. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle, and he put it around the dragon's neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a meek beast on a leash. The princess and Saint George led the dragon back to the city of Silene, where it terrified the populace. Saint George offered to kill the dragon if they consented to become Christians and be baptised. Fifteen thousand men including the king of Silene converted to Christianity. George then killed the dragon, and the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. The king built a church to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint George on the site where the dragon died and a spring flowed from its altar with water that cured all disease.
Saint 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 is 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 was 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 Saint George. The Council of Oxford in 1222 named 23rd April Saint George's Day.
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 and so Saint George became, in the popular imagination, English. 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.
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. Shakespeare has King Henry V finishing his pre-battle speech with the famous phrase, ‘Cry God for Harry, England and St. George!’
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.
