St George's Day will be marked across England today, as the annual celebration of the country's patron saint – mythologised as a dragon-slaying knight – commemorates the anniversary of his death in 303 AD.
St George's Day was declared a national feast day and holiday in 1415, following England's victory at the Battle of Agincourt, a key battle in the Hundred Years' War. It took on less significance when England unified with Scotland in 1707 – leading to the creation of the UK – and is no longer marked as a national holiday.
The legend of St George paints him as a fearless English knight who slayed a dragon and rescued a princess from death. But most historians believe he was actually a Roman soldier, not a knight, and he wasn't English – he is said to have been born in Cappadocia, in modern-day Turkey, in the late third century.
Widely celebrated as a warrior saint, in 134 his position was elevated to patron saint after his recounted intervention at the Battle of Crécy. He was also thought to have been tortured and executed in Palestine after refusing to renounce his faith.
Fable has it that as a crusader, King Edward I took a liking to St George, and kitted his troops in the St George’s cross when fighting the Welsh. He raised St George’s flag over Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland in 1300, among other things. In 1348, King Edward III gave St George a special position as a patron saint of the Order of the Garter in thanks for his supposed intervention at Crécy
Shared with other places such as Ethiopia, Catalonia, Aragon, Bulgaria, Russia and Portugal, England’s St. George’s Day will be acknowledged by many Christian churches, with this springtime celebration, also known as The Feast of George, being the perfect opportunity to fly English flag!
