Saint George
- Feast
- 23 April
- Patron of
- England, soldiers, scouts, Georgia and Catalonia
Very little is known of George for certain. Tradition holds that he was a soldier in the Roman army who refused to give up his faith and was martyred around 303, in the persecution under the emperor Diocletian. His tomb at Lydda, in Palestine, was a place of pilgrimage from early times, and his cult spread across East and West.
The story of George killing a dragon to rescue a princess came much later, and the Golden Legend carried it all over Europe. Crusaders took him as their patron, and his red cross on white became the flag of England. Painters show him in armour on a horse, driving his lance into the dragon.
The saint for anyone who needs courage for a fight they did not choose. The dragon has always stood for the evil a Christian must face down, which is why so many soldiers and scouts have claimed George as their own.
The print of Saint George
Questions
When is the feast of Saint George?
The feast of Saint George is kept on 23 April.
What is Saint George the patron saint of?
Saint George is the patron saint of England, soldiers, scouts, Georgia and Catalonia.
Is Saint George a good confirmation saint?
The saint for anyone who needs courage for a fight they did not choose. The dragon has always stood for the evil a Christian must face down, which is why so many soldiers and scouts have claimed George as their own.
Is Saint George the patron saint of people named George?
Yes. Saint George is the traditional name saint for anyone called George, Georgia, Georgina, Jorge, Giorgio and Georges, and the feast on 23 April is their name day.
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Other patron saints
AgnesAnneAnthony of PaduaAugustine of HippoBenedict of NursiaBernadette SoubirousCarlo AcutisCatherine of SienaCeciliaChristopherClare of AssisiDominicDymphnaFaustina KowalskaFrancis of AssisiFrancis XavierGerard MajellaGianna Beretta MollaIgnatius of LoyolaJoan of ArcJohn of the CrossJohn Paul IIJohn the BaptistJosephJosephine BakhitaJuan DiegoJude ThaddeusKateri TekakwithaLucyMartin de PorresMary MagdaleneMaximilian KolbeMichael the ArchangelMonicaNicholasPadre PioPatrickPaulPeregrine LaziosiPeterPier Giorgio FrassatiRita of CasciaSebastianTeresa of ÁvilaTeresa of CalcuttaThérèse of LisieuxThomas AquinasJeromeCatherine of AlexandriaMartin of Tours