St George's Day

St George's Day

St. George is the patron saint of England, UK. His emblem is a red cross on a white background (shown above), which is also the flag of England and part of the British flag. Nonetheless, it was only in 1222 that the Council of Oxford declared April 23rd to be St. George's Day in England, and it wasn't until 1348 that St. George became the Patron Saint of England. 

But who was St. George? Very little is known about the real St. George. Historians believe him to have been born into a noble Christian family in the late third century in Cappadocia (which is now in modern day Turkey), around 280 AD. He followed his father's profession of soldier, and enlisted into the Cavalry of the Roman Army at the age of 17, during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. But his good looks, virtuous behaviour, physical strength and valour did not last too long as he acted to limit the excesses of Diocletian's actions against Christians at the time. Because of this rebellion, he was beheaded in what is now, The Middle East, on the 23rd April, 303 AD: ultimately, he became the first Christian martyr. 

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SEE ALSO: Do you know about St. Patrick? Ireland's Patron Saint

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There is another story surrounding St. George, however. There is the legend that George slayed a dragon and rescued an innocent maiden from death... But this is medieval, and mythical. Hence why you may see celebrations involving a man cladded in St. George's cross, on a horse, defeating a dragon even today. Of course, this is highly unlikely, and it's even more unlikely that he ever actually visited England. 

How does England celebrate?

By tradition, the 23rd April is the day for a red rose in the button hole, the national flower. Another custom is to fly or adorn the St. George's Cross flag in some way - which are very popular in the local pub! But despite the day's historical significance, St. George's Day isn't celebrated as much as you'd like to think across the country - nowhere near as much as the Irish would celebrate their patron saint, St. Patrick. 

Nonetheless, despite it's low-key celebrations, there are pockets of communities across England who keep the memory of St. George and the feeling of 'Englishness' alive and well. For instance, Salisbury holds an annual St. George's Day pageant and MP and Government individuals - such as Mayor of London Boris Johnson - spearhead campaigns to promote and encourage the celebration of St. George's Day. 

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SEE ALSO: Celebrate in Dubai with the Dubai St. George's Society 

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There have actually been calls within England to replace St. George as patron saint of England, as they believe him to have been to obscure and detached from the country itself. 

Other country celebrations:

• Hungary: it's actually 24th April that is celebrated as the day of Saint George the Dragonkiller. It is also the Day of the Police, who honour him as a patron saint. 
• Portugal: the Portuguese Army motto actually means "Portugal and Saint George, in perils and in efforts of war". 
• Valencia: this country celebrates St. George's Day with a different intensity, especially in the city of Alcoi. The day is commemorated as a thanksgiving celebration.
• Catalonia: St. George's Day in this country actually holds similarities to Valentine's Day, as the main event is the exchange of gifts between sweethearts, loved ones and colleagues. 

Did you know?

• In Orthodox countries, St. George's Day falls during Holy Week or on Easter Day, so is observed on Easter Monday.
• The Scout movement in England has been celebrating St. George's Day on April 23rd since its first years. 
• Bram Stoker in his famous Dracula claimed that evil things occur on St. George's Day, beginning at midnight. 
• 23rd April is also the birth and death date of the historically famous playwright William Shakespeare, thus has been dubbed as the International Day of the Book by UNESCO.