The history behind St George’s Day - and when it takes places this year

Every April 23, England celebrates its patron saint, St. George, who according to legend, was a soldier in the Roman army who killed a dragon and saved a princess.

His past is rich and varied, but what’s the story behind the legendary man we celebrate annually and how did he become our patron saint?

When is the Feast of Saint George?

The Feast of Saint George, which is more commonly known as St George’s Day, is annually commemorated on 23 April, and is the day which sees England celebrate its patron saint.

St. George is now a highly celebrated saint in both Western and Eastern Christian churches and a huge number of patronages of St.George exist all over the world.

Since the 14th century, St.George has been both England’s patron saint and the protector of the royal family. His cross forms England's national flag and features within the Union Flag of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

St.George continues to be remembered and celebrated to this very day, with April 23 being a national day of celebration dedicated to the life, courage and martyrdom of St.George.

St.George's Day is celebrated not only in England, but in the several countries, nations, kingdoms and cities of which St.George is also the patron saint.

Who is St. George and where did he come from?

The early life of St.George is relatively unknown with accounts differing in regards to his place of birth.

Some believe George was born in Cappadocia and others that he originates from Syria Palaestina, but it is agreed by many that he was raised at least partly in the Lydda area of Palestine.

It is believed his parents were Christian, belonged to nobility and were of Greek heritage.

His father, Gerontius, was a Roman army official from Cappadocia, and his mother, Polychronia, was from Lydda, Palestine.

George’s father died when he was 14 years of age and he then returned with his mother to her homeland of Syria Palestina.

Aged 17, shortly after his mother’s death, George traveled to the capital at Nicomedia, where he then joined the Roman army, climbing through the ranks and being promoted to the rank of military tribune by his late twenties, where he was stationed as an imperial guard of the Emperor at Nicomedia.

How did St. George become a Martyr?

On 24 February 303 AD, the Emperor Diocletian, issued an order that every Christian soldier in the army should be degraded and that every soldier was required to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods.

George, when seeing this, distributed his wealth to the poor and confronted the emperor, declaring himself to be a Christian.

It is believed that the Emperor then tortured George in order to get him to deny his faith and convert, but George withstood this torture and refused to cave.