St. George and the Dragon, 1868 Burne-Jones, Sir Edward (1833-98) / William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow, UK
The facts about St. George’s life remain dubious but he is believed to have been born in Cappadocia (now Eastern Turkey) in the year A.D. 270. He was a Christian and at the age of seventeen joined the Roman army and soon became renowned for his bravery.
When the pagan Emperor Diocletian started persecuting Christians, St. George pleaded with the Emperor to spare their lives. However, St. George's pleas were ignored and it is thought that the Emperor tried to make St. George deny his faith in Christ by torturing him. St George showed incredible courage and faith and was finally beheaded near Lydda in Palestine on 23 April, 303.
In 1222, the Council of Oxford declared April 23 to be St George’s Day.
Dragon-Slaying Hero
One of the best-known stories about Saint George is his fight with a dragon, which dates back to the Middle ages. The dragon was commonly used to represent evil, so it's an excellent tale of good triumphing over evil.
Read more about the legend of George and the Dragon