HAPPY ST GEORGE'S DAY!

I really quite like St George. For a start he's the patron saint of quite a few places including England (since the 14th century) and Malta, and I am a quarter English and a quarter Maltese. St George isn't just the patron saint of countries and cities, but also soldiers and armourers. Not surprising then that he is often depicted in the most beautiful of armours.

The real St George was a Roman soldier, most likely born into a noble family in Cappadocia, an area that is now part of modern day Turkey. In around 303 AD, Emperor Diocletian had St George tortured and then executed near Lydda in Palestine for refusing to denounce his faith in Christ, making him one of the early Christian martyrs.

But what of the dragon? 

The earliest legend to feature St George defeating a dragon dates back to the 11th century. Dragons were often used to represent the devil or evil in the medieval period, and so the story of St George defeating the dragon could have simply been a symbolic representation of the triumph of good over evil. And it is as a dragon slayer that he is depicted on my 15th century pavise*. Rather appropriate considering his popularity as a military saint.

This masterful artwork was done by the wonderful Ross Chettleburgh** using period techniques. Her work is incredible and I love the detail in this - the subtle shades used on the horse, the tiny scales of the dragon and the carefully placed gold leaf really catches the light. Around the border is a guardian angel prayer:

Angele Dei,
qui custos es mei,
Me tibi commissum pietate superna;
Hodie illumina, custodi, rege, et guberna.
Amen.

* Shields of this type were mainly carried by European crossbowmen and gunners during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. They were often fitted with a prop or spike to enable them to be freestanding, but this one has handles to be carried by a pavisier.

** You can often catch Ross demonstrating her medieval illumination and painting skills with NANMA, a medieval re-enactment group based in Norwich.