This Sunday, April 23rd is St George's Day. St George is the patron saint of England. Apart from the legend of him slaying the dragon, very little is commonly known about him. St George is a bit of an enigma. It is no wonder that most people know very little about him, because actually very little is known about him by anybody. So little, in fact, that the Roman Catholic Church, in 1969, reduced his status to the lowest possible ranking. Most English people will be surprised, as was I, to learn that St George was actually a Roman soldier who served in England during the early fourth century. He was reportedly executed for objecting to the mistreatment of Christians. Yet despite this tenuous link to England he was adopted as the country's patron saint.
References to St George occur throughout English history. The Cross of St George (a red cross – representing Christ's blood at his crucifixion – on a white background - for purity) was adopted as the regalia of the English Army at or around the time of the Crusades. In the 16th Century, Shakespeare mentions St George in Henry V's speech at the gates of Agincourt:
'I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge
Cry God for Harry, England and St George!'.
Incidentally, William Shakespeare was born and died on St George's Day.
In more modern times, King George VI instituted the George Cross for “acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger”.
The Cross of St George is the national flag of England and the White Ensign of the Royal Navy. Despite the obscure links between England and St George, the symbol represents one thousand seven hundred years of pride in our heritage, achievements and cultural identity. The St George's Cross will fly high at Blighty's this weekend.
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