Today is St George's Day and as Britons return to work from a four-day Easter break, many may be wondering why it is not a national holiday. St George is England’s patron saint who according to legend killed a dragon. He is celebrated as a patron saint and Christian icon around the world. But who was, and what is the history behind St George's Day?
Britons have enjoyed a four-day Easter break, with two bank holidays in one weekend.
Today is St George’s Day and as many return to work, they may be wondering why it is not a public holiday.
St George is England’s patron saint but there is not a bank holiday to celebrate him.
St George's Day 2019: Why is St George's Day not a bank holiday
Who was St George?
St George was a Christian born in Turkey in the year 280, who rose up the ranks of the Roman army as a soldier and became a personal guard to Emperor Diocletian.
St George was executed because of his Christian faith in the year 303 and was buried in Israel.
He was a Christian warrior most famous for slaying a dragon, which according to legend guarded the only well in the town of Silene.
The town’s residents had to offer a human sacrifice every day to the dragon, in order to get access to the water.
On the day St George was visiting Silene, a princess had been chosen to be sacrificed.
George killed the dragon and saved the princess, giving the people of Silene access to water and as thanks, they converted to Christianity.
The dragon in this legend is thought to represent a certain type of pagan belief that involved the sacrifice of human beings.
Why is St George’s Day not a bank holiday?
While many Christians observe St George’s Day it is not a UK bank holiday.
Businesses, schools and shops open as usual on April 23.
St George's Day was once celebrated as widely as Christmas but these celebrations diminished by the end of the 18th century after England had united with Scotland.
In recent years, there has been a push to make the day a public holiday in England.
St George is also the patron saint of a number of other nations including Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Portugal, and Russia.
Around the world, a number of days are devoted to St George, including April 23 and dates in November and December of the Gregorian calendar.
How does England celebrate St George’s Day?
While St George’s Day isn’t an English bank holiday, some people chose to mark it by flying flags with the image of St George's cross on some buildings, often pubs.
Occasionally people wear a red rose on their lapel and church services on the Sunday closest to April 23 often include the hymn “Jerusalem.”
The William Blake hymn describes a supposed visit to Glastonbury, England, by Jesus Christ during his youth.