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Saint George's Day, also called the Feast of Saint George, is the feast day of Saint George as celebrated by various Christian Churches and by the several nations, old kingdoms, regions, states, countries and cities of which Saint George is the patron saint including Bulgaria, England, Georgia, Portugal, Cáceres, Alcoi, Aragon and Catalonia. The saint also has his state holiday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the difference that St. George is not the patron saint of the region, but with his populism and the day of local festivals and masses, in addition to being part of the history of the suburb of Rio by syncretism, made the saint the most venerated in the city.
Saint George's Day is normally celebrated on 23 April. However, Church of England rules denote that no saints' day should be celebrated between Palm Sunday and the Sunday after Easter Day, so if 23 April falls in that period the celebrations are transferred to after it. 23 April is the traditionally accepted date of the saint's death in the Diocletian Persecution of AD 303.
Saint George became the patron saint of the former Crown of Aragon, when King Pere I won the Battle of Alcoraz in 1096 commending his army and people to the auspices of the saint. He is also patron of several former territories under the Crown of Aragon, including Valencia, Catalonia, Sicily, Sardinia, and several regions of Italy.
In most cases, the reason for those cities' adoption of the Saint as their holy Patron and shared flag is linked to the Aragonese colonial influence and various battles that occurred throughout the Mediterranean during the Reconquista. The international expansion of the Reconquista that followed over the next two centuries across the Mediterranean also led to the adoption of the cross of Saint George as a coat of arms by Christian Crusaders.
More information: English Heritage
The Catalan version of the legend of Sant Jordi says that after a fierce battle between the knight and the dragon, the beast fell through the sharp iron and that from the drops of blood that reached the ground a rose was born that bloomed profusely every April. This is the explanation that the oral tradition gives to the custom of giving roses on St. George's Day, April 23.
Legends and imaginary stories aside, we know that the tradition of giving roses to lovers comes from afar. St. George's bond with the world of chivalry and courtly love may have been the germ of tradition. We also know that in the 15th century the so-called Fira dels Enamorats was held in Barcelona and that sellers of this flower settled around the Palau de la Generalitat. At the same time, it was customary to present with a rose the women who attended the Eucharist officiated in the chapel of St. George in the palace. And finally, there are those who say that the custom of giving roses has Roman roots, specifically the festivals in honour of the goddess Flora, which were later Christianized.
In the symbolic universe, the red rose, the colour of passion, is the flower of female love, while the carnation is reserved for male love. The decoration of the rose, for Sant Jordi, is also quite curious and mixes elements from different sources. On the one hand, female love represented by the rose of red, velvety and fragile petals, and sometimes accompanied by a spike representing fertility, gives rise to a very ancient interpretation of cereal seeds. But there are also those who make a more prosaic reading of it and relate it to the arrival of good weather. On the other hand, the flower of Sant Jordi is also usually decorated with elements that evoke Catalan culture, such as ties or ribbons with the flag, which recall the vindictive content of the day.
Today, florists, corners, avenues, streets and squares become points of sale and distribution of thousands and thousands of roses that are given to loved ones, as tradition dictates, but also to friends, girlfriends, parents, co-workers and clients. Because this flower has transcended the original meaning of love and has also become a gift of courtesy and friendship. As you can see, the rose has become the protagonist of the festival, to the point that domestic production does not cover the demand, so it is necessary to resort to imports from other parts of the world far away.
In the 15th century, a rose fair was held in Barcelona on the occasion of Sant Jordi. It was attended mainly by grooms, fiancés and young couples, and this suggests that the custom of giving a rose has its origins in this festival, which was held at the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya. It was proposed to turn this date into a precept festival for the first time in 1436, when the proposal was formulated in the Catalan Parliament. The proposal would take effect in 1456.
More information: GenCat (Catalan Version)
Since the 15th century, in Catalonia, St. George's Day has been a special day, and it is customary for couples to give each other a red rose like blood and a book. The monarchs Pere the Catholic, Jaume I or Pere the Ceremonious contributed to the saint's popularity. Despite being traditional, the popularization of giving roses was actively restored in 1914, thanks to the impetus of the Commonwealth.
Sant Jordi has been declared a National Day of Catalonia by the Generalitat, but this day is not a work holiday: it is a work and school day for students. For Sant Jordi, official receptions are held at the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya and in the world of education, where Floral Games are held, it is a day of big celebration and participation in which the printed and recited word has all the prominence.
The town of Montblanc, according to the Catalan Customs of the folklorist Joan Amades, was the place in Catalonia where Saint George killed the dragon and saved the princess. That is why, since 1987, the people of Montblanc have been reviving the Medieval Week of the Legend of Sant Jordi. The high point of the celebration is the representation of the legend of the noble horseman, hero and saviour of princesses, in the scenes picked up by the popular tradition.
The day has a vindictive aspect of Catalan culture and many balconies are decorated with the flag of Catalonia. There are stops with political demands, to help humanitarian organizations, to raise funds for schools or just to get some extra money. The media broadcast live from the most emblematic points. But above all it is necessary to emphasize the festive atmosphere that generates the day. There are activities in libraries and concerts in the streets that add to the busy Catalan cultural agenda.
Books and roses are sold all over Catalonia, but it is on the Rambla de Barcelona where the event reaches its maximum expression. Storms are added to the usual stops on the Rambla. There are also readings of poems or excerpts from books and theatres and performance halls do special promotions.
More information: Casa Batlló
alerta al drac,
que s'amaga rere els núvols
ran d'aquest llac.
Knight, good knight,
dragon alert,
which hides behind the clouds
ran of this lake.
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