Patron Saint of Soldiers
The Truth Behind the Legend of George and the Dragon
Saint George has long been famous for slaying a dragon but this story is believed by most to be an allegory.
Saint George is the Patron Saint of soldiers, boy scouts, cavellry, chivalry, farmers, field workers, butchers, horses, riders, saddlers, sufferers of leprosy, plague and syphilis, and archers.
He is also the patron of England, Aragon, Catalonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Moscow, Istanbul, Genoa and Venice.
Saint George's Feast Day
Despite being one of the most famous of the Patron Saints little is known for certain of the life and death of Saint George other than well known legends. This is surprisingly true of many of the most well known saints, another example being Saint Christopher. The reason for this is that until the Vatican took over the naming of saints in the 10th Century, saints were largely chosen by public acclaim. This often led to saints being chosen because of widespread legend and in some cases it is doubted whether some saints even existed. In 1969 the Vatican reformed the Feast Day Calendar and removed any saints for whom there was little or no historical evidence of existence. One of these saints was Saint George whose original feast day was 23rd April.
The Legend of George and the Dragon
Saint George is most famous for his legendary slaying of a dragon. This legend reached the height of its fame in 1265 when James of Voraigne's Legenda Aurea or The Golden Legend was published. The legend tells that a dragon living near a lake in Libya ate two sheep from the local villages each day. If sheep were not available the village drew lots to decide which two young women to send in the place of sheep. Many armies had tried and failed to slay the dragon. Saint George rode through the town and vowed to stop another maiden being sent to her death. He made the sign of the cross then went to slay the dragon with a single blow. After killing the dragon he spoke at length to the villagers converting them to Christianity. The reward he received for slaying the dragon he gave to the poor of the village.
The Origins of Saint George
The most commonly held belief is that George was of noble birth and served as a tribune in the Roman army. It is believed that he protested against the persecution of the Christians by the Emporer Diocletion; an opinion for which he was beheaded, making him a martyr. Several sources propose that the legend of Saint George and the Dragon is just an allegory for this story as Diocletian is often referred to in ancient texts as "the dragon". Saint George became recognised as a saint in the 10th Century due to the many miracles attributed to him. He was officially named a Patron Saint by the Pope in the 14th Century but his feast day was removed in 1969.
Due to the haziness of the true life events of Saint George, the Church mainly use his legends as a basis for teaching bravery defence of the poor and upholding the Christian faith.
To find out about Saint George as a Patron Saint of Soldiers you may be interested in the article The Medals of Saint George.
References:
