St. George was an extremely fine Roman soldier who, apart from the myth of slaying the dragon; was, according to many academic scholars, tortured and executed by beheading in 303.AD by Emperor Diocletian for refusing to relinquish his Christian faith. He did however, bequeath his wealth to the poor before paying the ultimate sacrifice, hence his subsequent elevation to Sainthood.
The Plantagenet King Edward III of England (1327 - 1377) adopted St. George as his hero and took the red cross of St. George as his military banner into several victorious battles. Following the battle of Agincourt in 1415 the former King decreed that St. George would become a national feast day and it has remained so ever since.
In the present day when we are seeing so many Christians being persecuted and executed by extreme religious fundamentalists in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, it is more important than ever that we commemorate our Patron Saint. We must stand together and be proud to be patriotic to our beloved country.
