reasons, he had the body transferred to Birsay, and later to Kirkwall. In 1919
enshrined bones were found in a pillar of the cathedral, but the wound in the
head did not correspond with the Orkneyinga saga.
Earl Magnus Erlandson was canonised in 1136.
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.
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