St. George's Day

Ha! Another battling saint. (St. Michael’s Day, aka Michaelmas, a.k.a. the Feast of Michael and All Angels, is two seasons from now, but I had a Michael the Archangel episode a few weeks ago.) Today’s saint is George, and in the interests of time (mine and maybe yours) I am posting some links for your edification. I've not much to say about St. George myself since I still had much to learn about him. And it's not all about battles. (A good thing, given my other posts of today on birds and reverence and other non-violent realities. But I never said I wouldn't contradict myself.)

Good summary including all the patron saint information and some nice pictures, from a Catholic parish in Hawaii. Patron saint: we knew about England, Greece, Palestinian Christians, chivalry, and the Order of the Garter, but herpes and syphillis?! And all manner of skin diseases. Nothing to indicate this was related to any of his reputed martyrdoms. Read more here.

Padre Rob offers an icon and muses on Saint George as dragonslayer, defender from evil, and possible patron of same-gender marriage.

MadPriest offers a not so mad reflection by Garth Hewitt on St. George, patron for our times. Lots of good info and some thoughts on dragons and empires.

He also has a slightly more mad segment here with pics and a selection of music in honor of the day -- and of England, of course.

A contemporary icon by Irina Kolbneva is here.