St. George has lavished his name and popularity on almost the entire planet, thanks perhaps

to the touching story linked to his figure. A story of which there is no historical certainty, but that a tradition has been responsible for deeply rooted in many corners of the world.

George was a soldier from Cappadocia in the service of the Roman Emperor Diocletian who died a martyr for not wanting to renounce his Christian faith. Years after his death he was canonized and his attractive story turned him into a paladin of the European medieval imaginary, protector of knights and soldiers, crusaders and Templars.

The legend of the dragon, according to which he struck down a beast and freed a city or an entire kingdom from its yoke, also contributed to his being declared patron saint in several countries -England, Portugal, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Georgia…- and in many other cities. In Spain he is the patron saint of towns such as Cáceres, Santurce (Vizcaya), Santurdejo (La Rioja), Alcoy and Banyeres de Mariola (Alicante), or Golosalvo and Madrigueras (Albacete).

And autonomous communities, such as Aragon and of course Catalonia, where the day of Sant Jordi (George) has great relevance for being both the day of lovers and the day of the book. To commemorate the victory over the dragon, as well as two literary greats who also died on April 23, but in 1616, Shakespeare and Cervantes, couples, friends, and relatives exchanged roses and books.

 

Sources:

Día de Sant Jordi: Leyendas, rosas y libros: Casa batlló. Casa Batlló de Antoni Gaudí, Barcelona. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2022, from https://www.casabatllo.es/el-dia-de-sant-jordi/