Book description
Pope Gelasius, who canonized St George in 494, described him as one
of those 'whose names are rightly reverenced among us, but whose
actions are known only to God.' The story of England's Patron Saint is
so encased in myth and legend that the truth of his remarkable life is
unknown to the great majority of us.
In many ways the attitude of the English, reflects the many
contradictions in the story of St George and the growth of his legend
worldwide. A Christian martyr, murdered by a Roman emperor in
Palestine, he is a legendary dragon-slayer who saved a virgin princess
from sacrifice - but not before insisting her entire town converts to
Christianity. Yet he is also the model for mythical Islamic hero Al
Khidr. He is the Patron Saint of England but never set foot on English
soil and the legend of his knightly deeds came from the imagination of
a bishop in Italy.
In recent years, through national pride more than religious fervour,
the popularity of St George's Day has risen sharply, with more
parades, parties and pub get-togethers than we saw in the latter half
of the twentieth century.
