Tuesday 23 April 2013

St George's Day: did you know?

Did you know that the legend of St George (the patron saint of England, Syria, Lebanon and indeed lots of other countries and whose commemorative day is today) is based on events not in Europe but in Libya? 


The story goes that George apparently overpowered a dragon that had been demanding the children of the town of Sylene in Libya. He wounded the dragon and led him back to into the town where he proclaimed that he would kill the dragon if the people of the city would convert to Christianity and be baptised. Led by the king, 15,000 citizens submitted and were baptised! 

Talk about making the most of a bad situation for the gospel! I for one am sure glad we have him as our patron saint and hope that we can somehow start aping our Medieval kin, for whom today (St George's day) was a major feast & national holiday, remembering George's valiance + his vanquishing of a pagan enemy. As Shakespeare (who is also celebrated today) put it: "Cry God for Harry, England and St George"

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