Happy St. George’s Day!

St. George’s Day is today – the 23rd of April and it’s a day when many an English man or woman will celebrate their English heritage. However, St George wasn’t anywhere close to being English.

Revered as a slayer of dragons and venerated as a saint, the details of his life are even suggested as being ‘fanciful stories’ by the Catholic Encyclopedia.

But whether his life is fact, or fiction – he is the Patron Saint of England (among other things) – and we should know a little more about him – at least I think we should.

Where is St. George from?

His father was a greek and on official in the Roman army, his mother was from the Roman province of Syria Palaestina and a Christian – he was born in Syria Palaestina; in Lydda to be precise.

The roman province of Syria Palaestina now encompasses a wide area which includes parts or whole of Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Israel. But we do know he was at least born in Lydda (which is mentioned as the place his mother is from) – that is the modern city of Lod – which is quite clearly inside Israel (southeast of Tel Aviv).

St. George the Patron Saint

St. George is actually one of the most venerated saints, not just in the Catholic Church, but also the Anglican, Orthodox, Easy Syrian and Miaphysite Churches.

He is not only the patron saint of England, but also of Russia, Catalunya and Palestine, the Scout Movement and a well known military saint – to name just a few of his patronages.

St. George and the Dragon

Almost no article on St George would be complete without mention of the Dragon – and although speculation arose that the ‘dragon’ might well have been a crocodile, the legend goes that there was a dragon within a nest at the spring used to supply water to the city of Silene – or – perhaps the modern city of Cyrene in Lybra, or the city of Lydda in modern-day Israel. It was somewhere in that area – and the dragon was bad…. [sinister music here]

The story goes on, that in order to collect water, the citizens would make an offering of sheep, and when the sheep ran out, their maidens were offered up so that they might collect water from the spring. The maiden used as an offering is selected by random drawing of lots. Time came that the lot drawn was not for a ‘mere maiden’, but instead for the princess (of the city, region whatever).

St. George (presumably known as simply ‘George’ at this point), came upon the city at a most fortuitous time for the princess (or perhaps he was just lounging around and got off his bed when the princess drew the short straw) and makes it his goal to slay the dragon.

Protecting himself with a sign of the cross (he was a christian after all) – he sets about the task and rescues the maiden or princess.

The legend goes on that the city, now freed from the need for paganism and the barbaric acts of throwing animals and maidens to a ‘dragon’ – forgo their pagan past and convert to Christianity. Hurrah!

St. George in the modern era

It seems you just can’t keep a good saint down – as I live and breathe (and certainly after I am gone), people will continue to celebrate the life (and legend) of St. George). With April 23rd being a ‘national day’ – even if it isn’t a national holiday – the jolly old dragon slayer will be venerated in toasts and in re-enactments all over England and the world – so much so, that he can be seen riding his white steed down the high-streets (and Monday Market Streets) of modern English towns and cities.

Anyway – I’m sure you’ve read enough of my witterings – go have a beer & a plate of fish + chips and celebrate St. George!

If you’re wondering where might be a good place to enjoy said pint of beer (and I suggest an english ale – none of this foreign lager stuff) – how about the George & Dragon Pub – in my home village of Rowde – just outside of Devizes, in Wiltshire…

Directions to the George + Dragon.