|
Saint George is popularly identified with England and English ideals of honour, bravery and gallantry, but actually he wasn’t English at all. Very little is known about the man who became St George.
-
Born in Turkey (in Cappadocia)
-
Lived in 3rd century
-
His parents were Christian
-
Became a Roman soldier
-
Protested against Rome's persecution of Christians
-
Imprisoned and tortured, but stayed true to his faith
-
Beheaded at Lydda in Palestine
St. George is believed to have been born in Cappadocia (now Eastern Turkey) in the year A.D. 284. He was a Christian. At the age of seventeen he joined the Roman army and soon became renowned for his bravery. He served under a pagan Emperor but never forgot his Christian faith.
The Emperor Diocletian gave him many important missions, and it is thought that on one of these he came to England. It was while he was in England that he heard the Emperor was putting all Christians to death and so he returned to Rome to help his brother Christians. He pleaded with the Emperor to spare their lives. Diocletian did all he could to persuade St. George to give up his faith, but he refused and was finally beheaded on 23 April, 303.
St George is patron saint not only of England but also of Aragon, Catalonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Palestine and Portugal amongst others, although he is celebrated on different days.
St George is also patron saint of scouts, soldiers, archers, cavalry and chivalry, farmers and field workers, riders and saddlers, and he helps those suffering from leprosy, plague and syphilis.
(Source: British Life and Culture)
St George is very commonly depicted sitting upon a horse and killing a dragon. In paintings, however, St George is very often shown as a knight carrying a shield with a red cross (or a banner with a red cross). | 
.jpg)
.jpg)
