On the back of some old English coins you will find the figure of a
warrior on horseback, and in his hand a long spear with which he is
slaying a dragon. That figure with the helmet and spear is St. George,
the patron saint of England, and the patron saint of all that is
chivalrous in Christianity. Regarding this hero and martyr we know very
little; and indeed there are two men who have claims to be regarded as
St. George. The most noble of these, and probably the true saint, was
born of Christian parents in Cappadocia, became a warrior prince, and
having testified for the Christian faith, was put to death at Nicomedia
on April 23rd, 303 A.D., by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. From this
time, and for that reason, he was venerated by all the Christian
Churches, until about the year 494 A.D. George of Cappadocia was
formally made a saint by Pope Gelasius.
A great many legends have gathered round the name of St. George. The
most famous of these, of course, is the story of how this Christian
warrior slew a dragon that was about to kill and devour a young girl.
With heavy labour, and at great risk to himself St. George is said to
have rescued the maiden and destroyed the dragon. It is a very
interesting adventure, but unfortunately it cannot be accepted as
literally true. In these old days it was quite common to attribute to
brave men the slaying of a dragon, and that St. George was the bravest
of the brave we need not doubt. There is also no doubt that, as a
Christian warrior, he fought against all that was sly, cruel and
ravenous--these being the evil characteristics of a dragon.
Several nations adopted St. George as their patron saint, for his
bravery was known all over Christendom, and he was specially honoured
during the Crusades. It was in England, however, that the saint was held
in highest esteem. In 1222 A.D. the 23rd April became a great national
festival by order of the Council of Oxford; while in the reign of Edward
III. the famous Order of St. George, or the Blue Garter, was instituted.
This is an Order of Knighthood, and when it was formed there was a great
tournament in which forty of the stoutest and bravest of England's
knights held the field against all the foreign knights who had been
summoned to enter the contest. This Order of St. George, better known as
the Order of the Garter, still exists, and its motto is still the same:
_Honi soit qui mal y pense_.
In recent times St. George's Day has not been generously honoured by the
English people. This is, indeed, a very great pity, because the saint is
closely linked with English history; because his emblem--the red cross
on a white ground--is to be seen wherever the British flag flies; and
because he represents all that is best and bravest in the English
character. "God and St. George"; "Saint George and Merrie
England"--these were the stout battle cries which led on to victory when
the foundations of the British Empire were laid. He is a good patriot,
therefore, who remembers St. George's Day.