St George's Day has become a topic of debate as more and more
organizations promote celebrations on 23 April and more people wave the
flag of St George to proclaim their allegiance and identity. But who was
St George? How did this Near Eastern martyr become England's patron
saint and an icon of English culture? And what is his relevance for
today's secular, multicultural England?
New research reveals that from the third century St George was revered
as a healer, protector of women and the poor and patron of agriculture
and metal-working more than a military dragon-slayer. Discover the
origin of the cross of St George and the roles of Richard I, Edward III
and Henry VIII in making St George the patron saint of England.
With a foreword by Professor Emeritus Dan Brown, this richly-illustrated
celebration of English culture shows how St George can be reinterpreted
for our times while remaining true to our English heritage. St George
can be enlisted in the cause of ecology, the campaign against FGM, and
the fight to end modern slavery and resettle refugees. English yet
international, revered both by Christians and Muslims, St George is a
multicultural figure who symbolizes universal values.