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