St George is the patron saint of England (NOT Great Britain!). The flag is a red cross on a white ground. As a saint, or even a historical person, he and his exploits are of exceedingly doubtful authenticity, and a few years ago the Vatican removed him from the list of saints. The feast day cannot really be said to celebrated in England in any meaningful way, at any rate certainly not on a scale coming anyway near those of SS Patrick, David and Andrew ... not to mention St Robbie Burns. The most you are likely to see is the flag on some public buildings, the occasional pub (I actually saw one such this morning in Bristol), and church parades by organisations such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides (Girl Scouts in the USA). About the only other times you are likely to see the England flag in public are when it is being waved by England supporters at international sporting events (mainly soccer, rugby and cricket) when the England side is usually seriously up against it, with the notable exception of rugby where the England team is currently sweeping the world's best before them.
PS In honour of the good saint I have today submitted a tune with "George" in the title.
Trevor
The day obviously commemorates Richard Thompson's writing of the following:
The New Saint George
The time has come for action, leave your satisfaction
Don't you hear Saint George's tune, Saint George's tune is calling you on
Freedom was your mother, fight for one another
Leave the factory, leave the forge and dance to the new Saint George
Don't believe pretenders who say they would defend us
While they flash their teeth and wave the other hand is being paid
They choke the air and bleed us, these noble men who lead us
Leave the factory
St George (St. Jordi) is also our patron saint here in Catalonia.
It's a tradition here to celebrate the day by giving roses to the women and books to the men. The streets of our citys, towns and villages are full of stands selling flowers and books, and it's really beautiful to see everyone walking on the streets and buying roses and books to their loved ones.
St. George's Day is also a provincial holiday in Newfoundland. Nobody does anything to recognize it, its just a long weekend. Apparantly, a number of years ago, the government of the day tried to get rid of the holiday for that reason. However Protestant cabinet members refused to give it up unless the the government also nixed St. Patrick's Day, which Irish/Catholic members steadfastly refused to agree to. In the end, we got to keep both holidays. Guess that's probably the only example of anything good coming out of sectarianism!
it's also Shakespeare's birthday which i'll be celebrating rather more than some dodgy military character from the middle east who may or may not have existed. god save us from organised religion anyway.
and i'm thinking it should be britannia waives the rules etc,
yours in a hare splitting sort of way from an especially perfidious albion...
ps:
i'll look forward to telling all the knuckle-scrapers in the pub tonight about their poetic heritage...just as soon as this pub closes
Emily, It's not a hotel. It's the main entrance to a park (Parc Guell). It was initially designed as a private garden for a very rich man. Many years after the property went into the City Hall hands and now is a public park. I presume we're talking about the same place, although there's no spear with the dragon.
There are many other buldings by Gaudi in Barcelona and sorroundings, many of them with mosaic decorated facades, so it well may be you're talking about a different place.
Happy St George's Day
Happy St George's Day
All the best for St George's day folks.
PP
# Posted on April 22nd 2003 by Pied Piper
Re: Happy St George's Day
Ok, PP--Let all of us on the other side of the "pond" in on what St. George's day is. All I know is that he slew a dragon.....
# Posted on April 22nd 2003 by Andee
Re: Happy St George's Day
St George is the patron saint of England (NOT Great Britain!). The flag is a red cross on a white ground. As a saint, or even a historical person, he and his exploits are of exceedingly doubtful authenticity, and a few years ago the Vatican removed him from the list of saints. The feast day cannot really be said to celebrated in England in any meaningful way, at any rate certainly not on a scale coming anyway near those of SS Patrick, David and Andrew ... not to mention St Robbie Burns. The most you are likely to see is the flag on some public buildings, the occasional pub (I actually saw one such this morning in Bristol), and church parades by organisations such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides (Girl Scouts in the USA). About the only other times you are likely to see the England flag in public are when it is being waved by England supporters at international sporting events (mainly soccer, rugby and cricket) when the England side is usually seriously up against it, with the notable exception of rugby where the England team is currently sweeping the world's best before them.
PS In honour of the good saint I have today submitted a tune with "George" in the title.
Trevor
# Posted on April 22nd 2003 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Happy St George's Day
The day obviously commemorates Richard Thompson's writing of the following:
The New Saint George
The time has come for action, leave your satisfaction
Don't you hear Saint George's tune, Saint George's tune is calling you on
Freedom was your mother, fight for one another
Leave the factory, leave the forge and dance to the new Saint George
Don't believe pretenders who say they would defend us
While they flash their teeth and wave the other hand is being paid
They choke the air and bleed us, these noble men who lead us
Leave the factory
# Posted on April 22nd 2003 by kuec
Re: Happy St George's Day
St George (St. Jordi) is also our patron saint here in Catalonia.
It's a tradition here to celebrate the day by giving roses to the women and books to the men. The streets of our citys, towns and villages are full of stands selling flowers and books, and it's really beautiful to see everyone walking on the streets and buying roses and books to their loved ones.
# Posted on April 23rd 2003 by Toni Ribas
Re: Happy St George's Day
St. George's Day is also a provincial holiday in Newfoundland. Nobody does anything to recognize it, its just a long weekend. Apparantly, a number of years ago, the government of the day tried to get rid of the holiday for that reason. However Protestant cabinet members refused to give it up unless the the government also nixed St. Patrick's Day, which Irish/Catholic members steadfastly refused to agree to. In the end, we got to keep both holidays. Guess that's probably the only example of anything good coming out of sectarianism!
# Posted on April 23rd 2003 by Steve Barnes
Re: Happy St George's Day
Rule Brittania Brittania waves the rules Da Da dadadadadada Da Da Da
# Posted on April 23rd 2003 by Bryan
Re: Happy St George's Day
it's also Shakespeare's birthday which i'll be celebrating rather more than some dodgy military character from the middle east who may or may not have existed. god save us from organised religion anyway.
and i'm thinking it should be britannia waives the rules etc,
yours in a hare splitting sort of way from an especially perfidious albion...
ps:
i'll look forward to telling all the knuckle-scrapers in the pub tonight about their poetic heritage...just as soon as this pub closes
# Posted on April 24th 2003 by biggus dave
Re: Happy St George's Day
Toni,
Isn't there a gorgeous hotel by Gaudi or something featuring a huge mosaic dragon & spear on its facade? In Barcelona that is.
# Posted on April 24th 2003 by emily_bmore
Re: Happy St George's Day
Emily, It's not a hotel. It's the main entrance to a park (Parc Guell). It was initially designed as a private garden for a very rich man. Many years after the property went into the City Hall hands and now is a public park. I presume we're talking about the same place, although there's no spear with the dragon.
There are many other buldings by Gaudi in Barcelona and sorroundings, many of them with mosaic decorated facades, so it well may be you're talking about a different place.
# Posted on April 24th 2003 by Toni Ribas
Re: Happy St George's Day
The Patron Saint of England before St. George was Thomas
# Posted on April 28th 2003 by Rudall the time