Next Monday, the 23rd of April, is the celebration of Saint George’s Day. As the patron saint of England, he is known for his incredible courage and faith, as well as for fighting for others.
Despite being famous around the world, however, not many people know that he was not born in England and never visited England in his life. It is thought that he was born in Cappodocia, which is now part of Turkey, in the 3rd century. Although he has been commonly described as a knight, Saint George was actually a Roman solider who probably was of high rank in the Roman army.
The most famous tale about Saint George is from the book The Golden Legend by Jacques de Voragine, in 1483. The story depicts how he fought a dragon in Uffington, Berkshire, with his courage and strength helping him slay the dragon and spread Christianity. Following the success of the book, Saint George quickly became the hero of Europe, especially in England, and as a result, was regarded as the protector of the English.
His brave image is commonly seen in medieval paintings, sculptures or other art forms - artists often depicted him wearing a white tunic bedecked with a red cross and riding on a horse, fearlessly fighting a dragon.
Although the tale of Saint George killing a dragon is obviously not factual, his kindness gained him a great reputation. As a result, in 1222, the Council of Oxford named the 23rd of April as Saint George’s day. Like Shakespeare’s famous phrase ‘Cry God for Harry, England and St. George!’, let us remember this ancient mythical legend by buying yourself a piece of jewellery which shows Saint George's most famous deed.
