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A History of St. George
Who was St George? What is myth and what is fact? Did he
really slay the Dragon? Why is he such a popular Saint, celebrated in so
many Countries, Races, Religions and Organisations?
The celebration of St George's Day is currently fairly low
key in England and much more celebrated elsewhere. However, the Society
and its members are clearly succeeding in their constant efforts to
revive St. George's Day as the day on which to celebrate being English.
There are many legends in many cultures about St. George,
but they all have a common theme; he must have been an outstanding
character in his lifetime, for his reputation to have survived for
almost 1,700 years!
Most authorities on the subject seem to agree that he was
born in Cappadocia in what is now Turkey, in about the year 280 AD. It
is probable that from his physical description, he was of Darian origin,
because of his tall stature and fair hair. He enlisted into the Cavalry
of the Roman Army at the age of 17, during the reign of the Emperor
Diocletian and very quickly established a reputation amongst his peers,
for his virtuous behaviour and physical strength; his military bearing,
valour and handsome good looks.
He quickly achieved the rank of Millenary or Tribunus
Militum, an officer's rank roughly equivalent to a full Colonel, in
charge of a regiment of 1,000 men and became a particular favourite of
his Emperor. Diocletian was a skilled military tactician and strict
disciplinarian, who set himself the task of rejuvenating the morale of
the citizens of Rome by reviving the prevailing traditions and paganism
of Rome. It may be recalled that this was a time of high inflation and
civil unrest and one outcome of this was the increasing influence of
Christianity.
Diocletian's second in Command was Galerius, the conqueror of
Persia and an avid supporter of the Pagan religion. As a result of a
rumour that the Christians were plotting the death of Galerius, an edict
was issued that all Christian Churches were to be destroyed and all
scriptures to be burnt. Anyone admitting to being a Christian, would
lose his rights as a citizen, if not his life.
As a consequence, Diocletian took strict action against
any alternative forms of religion in general and the Christian faith in
particular. He achieved the reputation of being perhaps the cruellest
persecutor of Christians at that time.
Many Christians feared to be loyal to their God; but, having
become a convert to Christianity, St. George acted to limit the
excesses of Diocletian's actions against the Christians. He went to the
city of Nicomedia where, upon entering, he tore down the notice of the
Emperor's edict. St. George gained great respect for his compassion
towards Diocletian's victims.
As news spread of his rebellion against the persecutions St.
George realised that, as both Diocletian and Galerius were in the city,
it would not be long before he was arrested.He prepared for the event
by disposing of his property to the poor and he freed his slaves.
When he appeared before Diocietian, it is said that St.
George bravely denounced him for his unnecessary cruelty and injustice
and that he made an eloquent and courageous speech. He stirred the
populace with his powerful and convincing rhetoric against the Imperial
Decree to persecute Christians. Diocietian refused to acknowledge or
accede to St. George's reasoned, reproachful condemnation of his
actions. The Emperor consigned St George to prison with instructions
that he be tortured until he denied his faith in Christ.
St George, having defended his faith was beheaded at
Nicomedia near Lyddia in Palestine on the 23rd of April in the year 303
AD.
Stories of St. George's courage soon spread and his
reputation grew very quickly. He soon became known in Russia and the
Ukraine as the Trophy Bearer and his remains are said to have been
buried in the church that bears his name in Lydda. However, his head was
carried to Rome, where it was preserved in the Church that is also
dedicated to him.
St George was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church and is
recognised in the liturgy of the Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox
Churches as well as the Roman Catholic Church. He has been revered in
the Ukraine since Christianity was established in 988 AD by Volodymyr
the Great the Prince of the Kyivan empire. The Romanesque Monastic order
in Prague established St. George's Church in the Castle in the year
920AD and in the year 1119 AD the Cathedral of St George was founded in
Novgorod. His reputation for virtue and chivalrous conduct became the
spiritual inspiration of the Crusaders and by this time the pennant or
flag with a red cross on a white or silver background became prominent
as a means of recognition by English Knights. It was also worn on breast
plates.
In the year 1348 King Edward Ill established the Knights of
the Garter, which is the oldest order of Chivalry in Europe. The Order
of the Garter was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Edward the
Confessor and St George. The Insignia of the order consists of a collar
and badge appendant known as the George, the Star, the Garter and the
Sash with the Investment Badge called the lesser George. This is a gold
and richly enamelled representation of St George on horseback slaying
the dragon.
A similar representation of St George can be seen in our
Armorial Bearings and in the collar and appendant that officers of The
Royal Society wear.
In 1352 the College of St George was established in Windsor,
with 6 Chorister boys and since then, St George's school has played an
important role in the daily worship and on State Occasions in the
Queen's Free Chapel of St George in Windsor Castle. By providing free
education and sustenance for the boys, a priceless musical inheritance
in choral worship has been established and their numbers increased until
the Plague struck in 1479 when the numbers were reduced from thirteen
to six again but recovered to thirteen by Michaelmas in 1482.
It was in the year 1415 AD that St. George became the
Patron Saint of England when English Soldiers under Henry V won the
battle of Agincourt.
In 1497 in the reign of Henry VIII, the pennant of the Cross
of St. George was flown by John Cabot when he sailed to Newfoundland
and it was also flown by Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh. In
1620 it was the flag that was flown by the Mayflower when the Pilgrim
Fathers arrived in Plymouth Massachusetts. It is also the flag of the
Church of England and as such is known throughout Christendom.
In the year 1728 AD Maximilian II Emanuel, the Elector of
Bavaria, established by Papal Bull The Royal Military Order of St
George, as a means of honouring distinguished military service for it
was clear that by this time, his name had become associated with the
purity of spirit, selfless devotion to duty and boundless courage and
valour in the face of adversity. In more recent times, St George was
chosen as the patron saint of Scouting, because of the ideals that he
represents and it is interesting to note that he is also the Patron
Saint of Barcelona in Catalonia, Aragon, Russia, Bavaria, Beirut,
Czechoslovakia, Portugal, Lithuania and Hungary, to name but a few.
Virtually every country in Europe and the Commonwealth has a church
dedicated to St. George.
During World War 2 King George V1 established the George
Cross for outstanding acts of Civilian Valour and one of the earliest
recipients was the Island of Malta, for its outstanding courage in~ the
face of the constant bombardment by the Italian and German Airforce. It
is, coincidentally, the Island that was so closely associated and
governed by the Crusaders who arrived from the Island of Rhodes in the
14" Century, following their 200 year war with the Turks.
The legends about St George spread far and wide and it
was claimed that near the town of Silene in Libya, a dragon dwelt,
keeping the population in terror. To satiate him the population tethered
an animal, until they had no more. They then provided human sacrifices
and in ultimate desperation, a young princess was selected, the king's
daughter named Cleolinda. The story then relates how St. George rode up
on his white charger, dismounted and fought the monster on foot; until
it eventually succumbed. He then dragged the dying monster into the
city, using the girdle of the Princess and slew the dragon in front of
the people. St. George was greeted as their saviour and the King offered
him a bag of gold as a reward for saving his daughter. This he refused
and asked that it be given to the poor.
The story is a powerful allegory, emblematic of the triumph
of good over evil; but it also teaches of enduring Christian faith in
the extreme and the trust that at all times should be placed in the
Almighty by the invocation of the name of St. George, Soldier, Saint and
Martyr.
In the 13" Century, there was a Guild of St. George to which
the Honourable Company of Pikemen were related before evolving into the
Honourable Artillery Company. Many regiments of the Army still
celebrate St. George's Day with great ceremony.
In Barcelona, it is traditional to give a book as a token of
St. George's Day, whilst in Russia and the Ukraine the day is
celebrated by Spring Festivals and Picnics to celebrate the end of
winter. In the world of Scouting, it is the first day for camping.
Killjoy 
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