Monday, April 23, 2012

St George's Day.................

Today is St George's Day. Apparently it's no longer a big deal in England these days. That is a shame. The Scots celebrate St Andrew's Day, the Irish St Patrick's Day and the Welsh St David's Day. So why do the English not make a stand. It's considered nationalistic and even racist to say one is English. Or so I am told. Well, I am English, I was born in England and English I will be until I die. While I no longer live there that does not change a thing.
Its time for true English people to stand up and be counted. The red cross of St George is the English flag, flown by Francis Drake, Walter Raleigh and even the Mayflower. The union Jack is made up of the flags of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales it is the British flag.

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Why did we choose St George as our Patron Saint? He was a Roman soldier after all. We are not the only country to hold him up as a National Saint. I do understand that innocent blood has been shed under the Cross of St George, especially during the crusades. Now with many of those peoples from those countries now living there, well that is where the racism comes in I would suppose. However........it is after all England. They knew our history and chose to live there despite that. We have our history, good and bad. A lot of bad things have been done in the name of Christianity but it is still our history. While the current immigrants choose to live there and make it their homeland, I do not believe that it means giving up what makes England well.....England.
St. George was born in Syria around 275 AD and never set foot in England.
George was born to a Christian family and became a great warrior. Roman emperors tried to get him to denounce his Christianity but he refused to and he eventually died a martyr. St George and the Dragon is the motif most people associate with him. The tale is that there was a dragon threatening a state and each day it demanded more and more sacrifice.
George eventually killed the dragon because the dragon's next victim was a princess and George loved her.


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St George was declared patron saint on England in 1348 but it wasn't until 1415 that St George's Day was declared a national feast day and holiday in England
As crusaders returned to England they brought with them tales of St George's great bravery and his reputation grew. During the 14th Century, English soldiers wore a sign of St George and he was promoted to Patron Saint of England when Henry V led his army to victory at Agincourt.
For God, Harry, England and St George.............the battle cry.
Well maybe that is all in the past but it is still our history, still our national pride and I believe in tradition. Wear the red rose of England and St George and fly the English flag. Make it a national holiday just as the others do on their Saints Day.

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2 comments:

  1. I know as a race we are naturally reserved, but I do agree we shouldn't be afraid to say we are proud to be English.

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  2. I think things are changing. We,the English have been made to feel confused and doubt our history by those who for political reasons, wish to shame us. Not anymore. Every other nation is allowed to take pride in their culture and heritage and we are waking up to the fact that we are allowed to be proud too. There is a sea change - you can feel it in the people and in the villages - we are finding ourselves again.

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