St. George's Day

A true story, of the history of Saint Georges Day..

Happy Saint George's Day.  Saint George is the Patron Saint of England.

Today marks the day that a dragon was slain.  <insert mother in law jokes here>

In old England, brave George is remembered for summoning tremendous strength, courage and determination.  He killed the fire breathing old dragon that had been attacking the villagers, destroying their crops and turning their homes into ashes.

St. George was actually an outspoken Roman soldier serving a Pagan Emperor. He protested the treatment and torture of Christians by his fellow Romans.

St. George, with hideous dragon, Mildred.

He paid for his beliefs when he made a plea to the Emperor Diocletian to spare the lives of Christians. The Emperor decided that if George cared so much for these lowly citizens, then he must also be a devout Christian himself.  He was tortured to force him to deny his faith and when this did not yield the desired response, he was beheaded. Poor George was only 33.

The slaying of the dragon is symbolic of the courage George showed against the Emperor.  It is however a little ironic that George did not win his battle, nor did he ever set foot in England.  He was born in Turkey and died in Palestine.

Saint George's day was adopted in 1222, when he replaced Saint Edmund the Martyr (King of East Anglia) as England's Patron Saint.

You can visit George and The Dragon here in London City: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/London%20City/60/236/23