Saint George

Who they were

George, whose Greek name means 'farmer', was born in Cappadocia around 280 into a Christian family. He moved to Palestine and joined Diocletian's army. When the emperor issued his edict against the Christians in 303, George gave his goods to the poor, tore up the edict before Diocletian himself and professed his faith, and was martyred.

Many legends grew up around him. The famous story of the dragon, which dates from the time of the Crusades, tells of a dragon at Silene in Libya fed with sheep and then with young people chosen by lot, until the king's daughter was chosen and George passed by and slew the dragon with his lance. His skull is kept at San Giorgio in Velabro in Rome.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: George has been honoured as a martyr since the fourth century, in East and West. The dragon story is a legend, not an examined miracle.

Why that counted as sanctity

George gave up his position and his life rather than deny Christ. The legend of the dragon says the same thing in a picture: good wins over evil in the end, because it is God who acts in the saint.