St George's Day is observed as a National Day in England every April 23 to commemorate the death anniversary of the dragon-slaying saint.

St. George was a Roman soldier who lived during the time when Rome was ruled by Diocletian, who was anti-Christian. St. George, who was a Christian, refused to make sacrifices to Roman gods. It is believed that St. George was tortured over several years and eventually suffered a martyr's death in the 3rd century A.D.

St. George's Cross, a red cross that has a white background, is used as England's national flag. It's also included in the Union flag, which is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Island.

According to legends, St. George fought against a dragon and saved a princess. It is believed that the town of Silene had a dragon guarding its only well and the creature demanded human sacrifice.

On the day St. George visited the town, a princess was selected to be offered to the dragon. But St. George slew the monster and saved the princess. To thank St. George for his heroic act, the locals decided to embrace Christianity.

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St George's sculpture pixabay

In England, St. George's Day was widely observed like Christmas until the end of the 18th century. However, after England united with Scotland in 1707, the celebrations began to fade.

In recent years, St. George's Day has regained its popularity following the creation of numerous campaigns and petitions to make it a public holiday in England. Nowadays, it is still celebrated in England with parades and feasts.

In celebration of today's occasion, here are some facts about St. George, courtesy of English Heritage.

  1. He was not English. St. George was born in the 3rd century A.D. more than 2,000 miles away in Cappadocia or present-day Turkey. He is believed to have died in Lydda, which is modern-day Israel.
  2. He never visited England. Even though St. George has never visited England, he became popular with English Kings like Edward I and Edward III. His feast day was celebrated in England from the 9th century onwards.
  3. He is believed to be a protector. St. George is believed to be one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers," a group of saints who could help during epidemic diseases. Believers of St. George have invoked his protection against several fatal and infectious causes, including the Plague and leprosy. From around 1100, St. George's assistance was also sought to protect the English army.
  4. He was not a knight. St. George is usually portrayed as a knight in shining armor in popular culture. But isn't true, as he was more likely a Roman army officer.
  5. He is a patron saint of many other places. St. George is also a patron saint of Portugal, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Macedonia and many cities across Europe.
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