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| Saint George Killing the Dragon, 1434/35, by Bernat Martorell |
One of England’s most renowned heroes will be celebrated at Lancaster City Council’s Visitor Information Centres on Monday 23rd April.
The date marks St George’s Day, the Patron Saint of England and the centres at Lancaster and Morecambe will be dressed for this special occasion with traditional flags and banners.
St George’s Day fact sheets, ‘Things you never knew about St George’ and ‘The Legend of St George and the Dragon’ will be available, as well as lots of information on special events happening both locally and throughout the country.
The displays will be in the centres from Saturday 21st April for one week, so why not pop along and find out more about the ‘real’ St George.
While you’re there, you may also like to take the opportunity to get ready to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Both centres now stock a new range of giftware to celebrate this special year including china mugs, tea towels, note books, pin badges, magnets and confectionary all with a royal theme.
There will also be a chance to win a selection of ‘Best of British’ gifts in a free prize draw.
Saint George, one of the most prominent military saints, was born somehwere between 275/281 – 23 April 303) and was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a soldier in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. He’s one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic (Western and Eastern Rites), Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a group of saints venerated together in Roman Catholicism because their intercession is believed to be particularly effective, especially against various diseases.
Saint George is also patron saint of countries such as Georgia, Egypt, Bulgaria, Aragon, Catalonia, Romania, Ethiopia, Greece as well as England, and patron saint of cities such Genoa, Beirut, Rio de Janeiro Barcelona, Moscow and Tamworth and the Maltese island of Gozo – as well as a wide range of professions, organizations and disease sufferers.
Local visitor information centres are open as follows:
• Morecambe VIC, Old Station Buildings, Marine Road Central – Monday – Saturday – 9.30am – 5pm.
• Lancaster VIC, Storey Creative Industries Centre, Meeting House Lane – Monday – Saturday, 9.30am – 5pm