Happy St George’s Day!

Today we’re wishing you a happy St George’s Day.

Despite being the patron saint of England, St George was born in Turkey in the third century, and he never actually visited England!

Here are a few more facts about St George which you may not already know:

• He became popular with English kings from the 1200s, with Edward I having banners made with the emblem of St George
• But the St George cross was not used to represent England until the reign of Henry VIII in the 1500s
• During the Middle Ages, people believed that St George was one of the ‘Fourteen Holy Helpers’, a group of saints who could help during epidemic diseases
• England is not the only country to celebrate St George – Venice, Genoa, Portugal, Ethiopia and Catalonia among others recognise him as their patron saint and have their own celebrations in his honour.