Happy St George’s Day from the Euro Weekly News

TODAY is the feast day of St George, commonly known as the patron saint of England.

But did you know that St George is actually a celebrated and important figure in parts of Spain too?

The historical figure, who is supposed to have slain a man-eating dragon and saved a princess, is in fact also patron saint of Aragon and Cataluña.

Although most commonly associated with England, St George was adopted as patron saint of the Spanish city of Caceres in 1229. Meanwhile in Cataluña, St George´s Day- also known as Dia de Sant Jordi or San Jorge- sees men gift women roses, while they are offered books in return.

Other celebrations include parades featuring reenactments of Moorish and Christian soldiers, as well as the legend of the dragon slaying.

St George is thought to have been a third-century Roman soldier executed for protesting against Emperor Diocletian’s torture of Christians.  The saint is thought to have been boiled alive in molten lead, before being forced to swallow poison and later crushed between two spiked wheels and beheaded.

Before his death, St George was supposed to have killed a man-eating dragon and saved a princess; a myth which has been retold for thousands of years.

While traditional celebrations of Morris dancing and reenactments have taken place today across England, the Church of England has this year delayed its religious saint’s day celebrations until April 29 during to 2019’s late Easter dates.