About St George's Day

There’s the George from the popular folk tale who slays a dragon, and there’s the real St. George who died on 23 April.

So what do we know about the two Georges? Well the one that killed the dragon was born in Coventry and the real one was born either in Turkey or Greece depending on your point of view. Either way, he has served England for a thousand years.

Our relationship with St. George started in 1098 when he appeared to English Crusaders at the Battle of Antioch and helped them to victory. By 1415, St. George was so popular that 23 April was declared a national holiday and the Bishops of England ordered it to be celebrated like Christmas (imagine buying two lots of presents every year!).

The folk tale of St. George and the Dragon dates back to the Middle Ages when dragons were commonly used to represent evil, so it's an excellent tale of good triumphing over evil. Since then St. George has been popularly identified with English ideals of charity, chivalry and courage (now known as the 3 C's).

St. George's Day is a great opportunity to recognise what binds us together and celebrate England's rich culture, heritage and sporting traditions.

Provided by St. George Unofficial Bank Holiday, www.stgeorgesholiday.com