23 April St George ( ca 275-23 April 303 ) Patron Saint of England
According to tradition he was a Roman Soldier from Syria and a guard of Emperor Diocletian . He is one of the oldest venerated saints in the Catholic and Orthodox Church . He was immortalised by the story of St George & the Dragon , and is one of the 14 Holy Helpers . Historians debate if he ever existed , but the Church has no doubt . Chief among the sources for his legend is the Golden Legend ( translated in the 15 th c by William Caxton ) His father was also a soldier , George followed him in his career and went to Diocletian in Nicomedia .
In 302 Diocletian issued an antichristian degree , George refused to sacrifice to pagan gods , was tortured and executed The Iconography of George and the Dragon seems to be an image of his martyrdom , the maiden being the wife of Diocletian who witnessed the death , the dragon the Roman Empire . But the story is pre Christian , maybe George a Christian version of older deities . The legend was brought to Europe by the Crusaders .
25 April St Mark ( First Century )
Mark ’ s Gospel is thought to be the earliest , he was seen as St Peter ’ s interpreter , writing down what Peter remembered . He may have been the young man fleeing naked when Jesus was arrested , since he is the only one who mentions this . There are references to Mark in the Acts of the Apostles and in Colossians , when Paul was imprisoned in Rome . He may have written in Rome , which could have been AD 65 when Peter allegedly was there , or in Alexandria , since he writes in almost colloquial Greek , he probably is not from Palestine . He devotes 1 / 3 of his Gospel to the last week of Jesus ’ life , stressing his kingship and being the ‘ Son of God ’, indicating that Christians must suffer , too . .
He probably died in Alexandria about AD 70 from where his relics were taken to Venice . Some were later taken to Reichenau , Lake Constance , Germany . His principle cult developed in Venice , he is Patron Saint of that city , also of Egypt , of glassmakers and opticians .
In Venice he is seen as protector of justice and law .
StOM Page 7