(Newswire.net — January 12, 2022) —
Most people would likely confess to knowing just two things about Saint George:
1. Saint George is the patron saint of England
2. Saint George’s Day is not currently a bank holiday, but should be !
That’s more or less where the trivia-savvy of the average person comes to an end.
Millions take great pride in celebrating Saint George’s Day, and may even have religious items bearing his likeness around the home.
However, when it comes to the backstory of England’s patron saint, knowledge tends to be somewhat thin on the ground.
With this in mind, here’s a brief overview of seven fascinating things you most likely never knew about Saint George:
1. He’s not only the patron Saint of England
England isn’t the only place where Saint George is celebrated as the nation’s patron saint. He’s also the patron saint of Georgia, Malta, Ethiopia, Palestine and several other countries – some of which make much more of a song and dance about him than the English.
2. Saint George’s Day, England’s National Day
Though modern-day celebrations are more subdued, Englishmen may still be seen doing things like Morris Dancing (as shown in the video above), eating fish and chips, or attending a Punch and Judy puppet performance to commemorate St George’s Day.
Suppose you want to make your day memorable by decorating your home with different religious items that remind you of St. George. In that case, you can buy religious itens from the online store Holyart, where you will get guardian angels, bas-reliefs, Holy cards having imagery of Saint George, sacred Icons and many other religious accessories.
3. Saint George may have never set foot in England
It’s of no specific relevance to his importance, but historical records suggest it is entirely likely that Saint George never actually visited England during his lifetime. He was actually born in what eventually become Turkey and is unlikely to have strayed particularly far from home soil.
4. He was made patron saint of England quite recently
Here’s something you might not know – Saint George was not England’s first patron saint. It was originally Saint Edmund (aka Edmund the Martyr) who was picked for the job, until he was replaced by Saint George in 1199. Saint George took over for the simple reason that King Richard I declared that he liked him better.
5. The day of his death is the same as William Shakespeare’s
Both the patron saint of England and the country’s most celebrated writer of all time died on April 23. Though of course, in very different periods of time.
6. The pope forbade some tales of Saint George to be told in church
Legend has it that Saint George had nine lives, resulting in countless attempts on his life to fail. Some of which were apparently so dangerous that a fifth-century decree attributed to Pope Gelasius declared that such details were not to be mentioned in church, as they were more likely to be mocked than believed.
7. He has a close connection with agriculture
It’s not something many people know, but Saint George’s name means‘earth worker’ and saint George’s day falls in the spring at a time when crops are beginning to grow. Across Europe throughout history, millions have prayed to Saint George in the hope of a good seasonal harvest.
8. The infamous dragon entered the tale at a later date
Last but not least, the tale of Saint George heroically rescuing a princess from a dragon originates from the 11th century. As opposed to being interpreted in the literal sense, historians believe that the story is a symbolic in nature, representing the triumph of good over evil.