Fun facts about St George

Throughout March and April there are a host of Saints Days including St David, St Patrick and St George, who is the patron saint of England. He is celebrated annually on 23rd April, but how well do you know him?  

Did you know… St George wasn’t English?  

He might be England’s patron saint, but St George is likely to have been born in what is now Turkey and is likely to have died in the Middle East. Many historians even argue about whether he ever came to Britain, but he was known because he had quite the reputation. His emblem, the red cross, was adapted by King Richard I (aka Richard the Lionheart) and that was how the English flag came to be.  

Did you know… He wasn’t a knight? 

While we usually see St George dressed in armour, he wasn’t known to be a knight. Historians do say that he was a soldier, likely in the Roman army but he certainly wasn’t a knight. It is believed that he refused to acknowledge paganism, which led to his assassination and how he became a martyr.  

Did you know… He isn’t just the Patron Saint of England? 

Yep, he is also the patron of soldiers, farmers and plague suffers among other things. He is also the patron saint of the Scouts! At one time he was also known as being one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers who were known to help people in need. Other countries who have St George as their patron are Venice, Genoa, Portugal and Catalonia.  

Did you know… He didn’t slay a dragon? 

Sadly, this part of the tale is based on a completely fictional story that was published in the 15th century. George dates back much further though, the first time it is believed that he was mentioned in UK history is the 10th century.