Yesterday, 23 April, was St George’s Day, a special day of celebration, not only for England’s national saint, but the birthday of England’s most famous writer born in 1564, William Shakespeare. Sadly, it is also the day he died in 1616.
Worldwide Celebratory Feasting on St George’s Day
Feasts were prepared for this national patronal day in England and in many other countries including the old kingdoms of the Crown of Aragon in Spain –Catalonia and Valencia; Portugal, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Genova, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Beirut and many other others worldwide.
Patron of the Order of the Garter
Few facts are known about St George, other than he died a martyr’s death on 23 April 303 for defending Christianity at Lydda in Palestine. During the crusades in the 12th century, visions of St George were reported as predictions of victory leading to his adoption as the patron saint of arms and chivalry. In 1344 he was chosen as patron of the Order of the Garter and by the 15th century he was accepted as patron saint of England. According to Shakespeare, Henry V led the attack on Harfleur to the battle cry of ‘God for Harry! England! And St George!
800-year-old English Legend
The legend of St George where the hero fights and kills a dragon to save the life of a princess (and to secure the conversion to Christianity of her father’s subjects), is 800-years-old and, like other dragon legends before and since, it is an allegory of the triumph of good over evil.
The Famous Order of St George
Everywhere on this day, Englishmen rejoice. In London’s Covent Garden every year at this time, members of the Royal Society of St George gather in the square. "Mummers" who play out the age-old stories of St George and the dragon, entertain visitors to London. Morris Dancers also weave their special magic in their colourful clothes and hats decorated with flowers. The red and white flags of England decorate the whole Covent Garden square and red roses are worn in lapels and adorn hat brims. .
Membership of the Society is open to all people who share a love of their country and ‘Englishness’. Those joining the Society today are following in the footsteps of such great Englishmen as Lord Baden-Powell, defender of Mafeking and founder the world-wide Scout movement and that other distinguished gentleman, Sir Winston Churchill, soldier and statesman, whose leadership of his nation in wartime continues to provide inspiration to generations of fellow Britons.
American Chapters of the Society of St George and their Presidents
Before the American War of Independence, Societies of St George were founded in the then North American Colonies for the relief of British immigrants to give them general assistance in the new country. Records from 1770 show New York, 1771 Philadelphia and 1773 Charlestown as the earliest trio of branches formed in America. Among the Society’s more famous Presidents have been the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Windsor (when Prince of Wales), Field Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, the Duke of Devonshire and Rudyard Kipling – all vigorously supporting Englishness.
Source:
The Folklore of Essex book published November 2005 by The History Press of Stroud, author Sylvia Kent (2nd edition).
Additional information obtained from The British Library, London.
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