Saint George's Day, Thursday 23rd April, is the
feast day of
Saint George and a national celebration for
England. It is celebrated by various
Christian Churches and by the several nations, kingdoms, countries, and cities of which Saint George is the
patron saint. April 23rd is traditionally accepted as the date of Saint George's death in 303 AD, and in 1222 the Council of Oxford declared the date to be St George’s Day, however it was not until 1348 that St George became the Patron Saint of England.
The Legend Of St George And The Dragon
The medieval legend of St George and the dragon is over a thousand
years old. The tale goes that the dragon settled by the fresh
water spring near the town of Silene in Libya. When people came to
collect water, they disturbed the dragon and so offered
sheep as a distraction but after some time the villagers ran out of sheep to offer. To keep the dragon at bay the people of Silene decided to choose a maiden from the town by
drawing lots. It was revealed that the
princess was to be the dragon’s next victim. Despite the Monarch’s
protests his daughter Cleolinda was offered to the dragon. However, at the last moment a knight in shining armor came to the rescue in the form of St George, a knight of the Crusades. He dismounted his white horse, drew his
sword while protecting himself with the sign of the cross and fought the
dragon on foot slaying the dragon and saving the princess. The
people of Silene were so exceptionally grateful they abandoned their pagan
beliefs to convert to Christianity.
At
Alfies we love a good story and stock a variety of antiques and collectables to celebrate this historic day. Here are a few of our favourites;
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| 1842 soldiers original and hand coloured print offered by Moe Heidarieh |
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| A 20th century Wedgewood lustre dragon vase, offered by Janes Antiques |
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