As far as I am concerned, St George has nothing to do with England. He was chosen as our patron saint by King Edward III (1312-1377). Apparently, St George seemed to represent the ideal of chivalry but even in Edward III's time he was a semi-mythical character.
He never visited England and may have been a Roman military leader, mostly based in the eastern region of modern Turkey. His life story is uncertain. There are many half-truths and theories but for the life of me I cannot understand why he gained his legendary status. He was venerated in various parts of the middle east and of course the nation of Georgia is named after him. He is also the patron saint of Catalonia in Spain.
England deserves a saint from these islands - pure and simple. If we can have a referendum about leaving The European Union we can surely have a referendum on who should be our patron saint. My money would be on Saint Cuthbert (634 - 687). He was a real man who did a lot of good in his lifetime and became The Bishop of Lindisfarne. He is buried in Durham Cathedral.
I have devised a voting slip to be printed off and posted back by English people only. We don't want any Americans, Australians, Canadians, Irish, Germans, New Zealanders, Swedes, Welsh or Scots deciding who the replacement Patron Saint of England should be:-
I'm torn between St. Winston (my cousin, by the way) and St. William. But since I'm an American, my vote doesn't count so go your own way, you Limeys!
ReplyDeleteI checked to find out the nicknames for citizens of Arizona and North Dakota so I could insult you right back! However, the answers are Arizonan and North Dakotan - so that idea didn't work.
DeleteDidn't Saint George slay a dragon, though?
ReplyDeleteErrr... Hello! Dragons are purely mythical dear!
DeleteSt Cuthbert or St Bede would be fine with me. For the US I would suggest St Abraham (Lincoln) rather than any of those more recent individuals. Incidentally, how did Barack get his Nobel Peace Prize before he actually did anything???
ReplyDeleteBarack just seemed so peaceful - the way he walked and his beatific smile. I agree that St Abraham would be another good option for the Yanks.
DeleteI'm a Canadian with deep roots in Norfolk and Cambridge. Can I not vote for St. Cuthbert on behalf of my ancestors (and cousins in Blighty who don't know what the devil the fuss is all about)?
ReplyDeleteDeep roots in Norfolk? Are you a parsnip Karen?...Okay, as you are voting for Cuthbert, the electoral committee will accept your voting slip.
DeleteWe don't get to choose just because we don't live there? Awww.
ReplyDeleteSo there will be no St Elsie!
DeleteWilliam Blake would be my nomination and "Jerusalem" for the national anthem.
ReplyDeleteI would have "Agadoo" by Black Lace as the national anthem.
DeleteI'm torn between Florence Nightingale and John Lennon. On balance though I would plump for Florence. Never, ever Churchill!!! He tried to stitch my husbands ancestor up!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and William T. turner, captain of the Lusitania share a grandfather. Lusitania was torpedoed. The authorities tried to place the blame on Turner but he'd had the presence of mind to stuff the charts he was working on down his vest before jumping into the sea. You can read more online if you're interested!
Churchill's many mistakes and character flaws seem to have been forgotten through the passage of time.
DeleteWell I am going to be contrary and not vote for any of them. But would vote for Saint Cedd another Northern saint buried at Lastingham in North Yorkshire.
ReplyDeleteI see you have blogged about Cedd a few times. This makes we want to visit Lastingham.
DeleteAnd there is a very good pub over the road from the church, think you can even get rabbit pie over there.
DeleteAs an American, I am not allowed to vote, but I can give my two cents. What about Saint Elizabeth, after Elizabeth II? If Biden beats #45 in November, I think he is eligible for sainthood, even though he is still alive.
ReplyDeleteSaint Elizabeth is a great idea. I had not thought of her.
DeleteIt isn't a working poll. I would have chosen St John. Of course as an Australian my vote doesn't count.
ReplyDeleteSo St George who sounds so English was a blue jaw, used to to warmth of southern Europe and sadly for him is interred in the rather cold and grim Durham Cathedral.
Lay off the whisky Andrew! It's St Cuthbert who is interred at Durham Cathedral - not St George.
DeleteCan I cast my grandmother's vote? She was born in Greenwich, and died in Florida - in 1996.
ReplyDeleteThe Electoral Committee will consider your request.
DeleteI love your suggestions for American saints! Also- have you considered Keith Richards for your English saint? He has performed many miracles you know, him still being here the main one.
ReplyDeleteMr Richards is of The Earth, not the heavens above I am afraid ma'am.
DeleteMy vote here would be for Saint Prine, for the folk singer John Prine whom so many artists emulated but so few people knew who he was.
ReplyDeleteNow you have sent me off to YouTube seeking the best of John Prine.
DeleteI say we get away from patron saints altogether. Or what about Saint Boadicea? Does a patron saint have to be an actual saint?
ReplyDeleteI do not know the rules about saints but surely we can reinvent them. Saint Stephen is the patron saint of stonemasons.
DeleteI thought only the churches can decide that some legendary person can be named a saint, Neil. Of course, many of the saints that have been named have unbelievable stories but that doesn't seem to stop them. So I guess you shouldn't let that stop you either, Neil, from naming your own saints! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteSaint Ellen could be the patron saint of Illinois.
DeleteSt. Thomas Hammord Bartholomew.
ReplyDeleteYou mean the canal builder?
DeleteI would go with Saint Florence, but I'm not English, although some of my ancestors were.
ReplyDeleteI was going to go with this lady for a Canaian saint but it turns out she already is.
Kateri Tekakwitha
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kateri_Tekakwitha
Didn't Leonard Cohen write about her in "Beautiful Losers"? It is an awfully long time since I read that enthralling book.
DeleteAlthough I like the sound of Saint Margaret, I'm not a fan of Thatcher so that's a NO. Your patron saint reminds me of Mt. Rainier here in Washington which is named for a naval friend of Captain George Vancouver. The closest Rear Admiral Peter Rainier got to the mountain was the East Coast of the U.S. Ridiculous. I think she should be called Tahoma.
ReplyDeleteI have seen Mount Rainier. Thanks for explaining its name. By the way, as a Margaret you sound infinitely nicer than Thatcher.
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