Folksy Friday - St George!

St George's Day!

St George's Day is celebrated by several nations, kingdoms, countries and cities of which Saint George is the Patron Saint, but for English peeps, he is most commonly associated as an English Patron Saint, slaying the dragon.  According to legend, he was a soldier in the Roman army, who killed a dragon, saving a Princess and releasing the people from the dragons threat. 

St Georges Day is celebrated on the 23rd of April.

In Brief!

A bit of history, it is believed that Saint George was born around the year 280 in what is now Turkey, he was a soldier in the Roman army, who rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a personal guard to the Emperor Diocletian.

He was executed for being a Christian on April 23rd 303 and  is buried in the town of Lod in Israel!

Saint George is renowned for slaying a dragon, according to legend, a town, Silene, was guarded by a dragon, who controlled access to the peoples water supplies, in order to get water, the towns folk had to offer a human sacrifice every day, this person was chosen by lots, on the day that Saint George visited the town, it was a Princess who had been selected to be sacrificed, but Saint George killed the dragon, not only saving the Princess, but giving the people of the town free access to their water once more.

In gratitude, the towns people converted to Christianity.

How Saint George became associated with England is a mix of politics and romantic legend, in 1190 the then King of England started paying the powerful Doge of Genoa to protect England's shipping sailing in the Mediterranean and the maritime Republic of Genoa had the recognisable red cross of St George on a white background as their flag.  And  during the Crusades, the Knights Templar used the flag as part of their uniform, so Saint George and his Cross have been symbols associated with England for Centuries.

St George Related Gallery!

The Folksy artisans have decided to dedicate April to St George and challenged each other to create items to symbolise the month, here are a few of my favourites, although there are many other gorgeous items I could have featured too.

Please click on the items pictured, to wing your way across to the shops in question, for more beautiful photographs that will slay you, fire your imagination and make you reach for your purse, hopefully without seeing red, as they are so reasonably priced.

I do hope you have enjoyed my St George gallery and will Fly the Flag proudly in the 23rd of April!