St George’s Day falls on the 23^rd April. It is a celebration of the patron saint of England and is England ’s National Day. 

St. George's Day is not celebrated as much in England as other National Days are around the world but in the early 15th century it was a major feast that was on a par with Christmas! 

The popularity of St Georges Day is slowly increasing – which may be a reaction to the increasing nationalism of the Welsh and the Scots – and there is now a major campaign to make St Georges Day a National Holiday.

There has also been call to replace St George with another saint that has more of a connection to England – a radio 4 poll on this subject found St Alban to be the most popular choice!

So who was Saint George?

There is virtually no historical reference to St George. What is known is that he was a soldier of noble birth in the Roman army and was of Turkish descent. He was beheaded by Diocletian for protesting against the Emperors persecution of Christians.

He was quickly venerated throughout Christian-dom as an example of a courageous man who defended the poor and defenceless Christian faith. It was because of his popularity that many miracles were attributed to him. He was officially recognised as a saint in around 900.

George became popular in England in the 8^th century when the account of his visits to Caelon and Glastonbury were translated into Anglo-Saxon and he was, of course, immortalised by the tale of George and the dragon.

The origin of the story of George and the Dragon is obscure – possibly it is an allegory for the persecution of Diocletian who was sometimes referred to as a dragon in the ancient texts – more likely it is loosely based on other mythology predating Christianity, with roots in Greek myth or Vedic and Hindu legends.

The story of George and the Dragon

Far far away, in the town of Silene, in the country of Libya there was a pond as large as any lake. This pond was large and deep, and in that pond there had lived for centuries a dangerous dragon, the bearer of plagues.

Now, the people of Silene lived in fear for their lives and continued to do what their forefathers had done in order to appease the dragon. Each day, at sunrise, they took to the lake a sheep and a virgin - selected by lottery and dressed as though to be betrothed. The dragon would rear its head and consume both the sheep and the young woman in a gnash of its teeth. Thus the town of Silene bore its burden.

And so it happened that the lot fell to the daughter of the King of Silene, the town’s Princess. The King loved his daughter dearly and was racked with anguish at the prospect of losing her. All of the King’s gold and silver and half of his Kingdom were offered to the people in return for sparing his daughter’s life. Now most of the people had lost a child to the evil dragon and so refused his request.

The Princess was dressed in all her bridal finery by her servants and was sent to the edge of the lake to be eaten by the dragon. The King was distraught.

News of this event reached St George who immediately rode out to the lake, fortified by a cross. When the Princess saw him approaching she began crying and trembling and begged him to leave her to her grisly fate.

At that moment the dragon lurched out from the lake. St George was quick as a flash and charged at the creature with his lance causing the dragon to fall down with a grievous wound. St George called on the Princess to throw her girdle around the dragon’s neck, and she did so immediately. The moment the girdle was on him, the dragon became as meek as a pet, and followed the Princess like a dog on a lead.

St George and the Princess led the dragon back to the town square in Silene. The people were screaming in fear and terror! But St George calmly killed the dragon before their very eyes.

The town of Silene rejoiced that their nightmare was finished and wanted to bestow great riches upon St George. He was however, a devout and holy man, and refused their gifts, asking only that they be baptised.

And so it was that the King, the Princess and all the people of Silene converted to the Christian faith on the very site where the dragon had perished.

A church was built upon that very site to the memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St George.  A spring arose from the altar there, whose waters cured all disease.

And that is the story of George and the Dragon.