ST GEORGE'S DAY CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD

 ST GEORGE'S DAY CELEBRATIONS TODAY 

It’s that time of the year again - April 23rd, a day of celebration, but in this time of Covid, England’s celebration will be somewhat virtual.

We all know that William Shakespeare - arguably England’s most famous writer - was believed to have been born on 23rd April 1564, sadly dying on his birthday in 1616. The 23rd is also our national patronal day of St George. 

St George's Day in celebrated in many countries around the globe including the old kingdoms of the Crown of Aragon in Spain, Portugal, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Macedonia; also the cities of Moscow, Genova, Ljublijana in Slovenia, and many others around the world. The Palestiniians refer to the Feast of St George and it is celebrated in the Monastery of St George in al-Khader near Bethlehem. It is also known as Georgemas.

The worldwide Scout movement has been celebrating St. George's Day from its inception and he is also regarded as the patron saint of other organizations. So who was St George? Well - the scholars tell us that he was a martyr who died on 23 April 303 whilst defending Christianity at Lydda in Palestine. During the 12th century Crusades, visions of St George were reported as predictions of victory which led to his adoption as the patron saint of chivalry. In 1344 he was chosen as patron of the Order of the Garter and by the 15th century he was accepted as England’s patron saint.

 

Our Essex Mumming and Morris Dancers act out the legend of St George who fights and kills a dragon to save the life of a princess (and to secure the conversion to Christianity of her father’s subjects) and like other dragon legends before and since, it is an allegory of the triumph of good over evil. Whether from secular or saintly perspective, flags now decorate pubs and buildings and the Royal Society of St George – will probably celebrate (virtually) this special time of year.