Thoughts for St George

We may wonder whether England’s patron saint, and the patron saint of our parish church, is a good role model for today – the dragon theme puts him in story land, and his links with crusaders can raise questions about whether he is offensive to Muslims and other faith communities.

The following is based on an exploration by Garth Hewitt, a Canon of St George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem, into the traditions held about George of Lydda in Palestine, who is known as the Great Martyr, and is also the patron saint of Christians in Syria, India and other places in the East. It seems to me that the George he describes is someone we can be proud of as we link ourselves with him in the Eucharistic prayer, and whose story connects with some of the most difficult issues in our world today.

At Lydda (now Lod near Tel Aviv) Hewitt found that there was a continuity of records concerning St George’s Church there go back to its founding in the 4^th century, which lends weight to the belief that the tomb there is indeed that of this George.

George is not only revered by Christians. Muslims call him. Al-Khader, or the “green one”, and Al-Khader (near Bethlehem), is named for him. The church and monastery of St George there are mainly visited by Muslims. In Lod itself it is not only the church that is dedicated to George, but also the mosque next door, one of the oldest in the region. In the indigenous community of Palestine, whether they were Christian, Muslim or Jew, all respected George. There seems to be a close identification or even merging of three figures: George, Al-Khader, and Elijah. Somehow people saw them as linked and consequently George is a figure of unity for people of different faiths. This gives him a hopeful relevance to interfaith issues of our time.

“The Green One”

Al-Khader, or "the green one", reminds us that George has an ecological connection. He was known as "the protector of the trees" as well as "the healer". He is seen as protector of the environment, giving him a particular relevance in our time as we face the challenge of global warming.

Prayers for St George’s Day

Reflecting these aspects of our patron saint we may want especially to pray on this day for Christians in Israel/Palestine, and for peace and justice in the Middle East; for tolerance and understanding between people of different faiths; for those facing hardship because of climate change; and, linking with George’s role as a soldier, for our armed forces stationed in troubled places around the world, especially Iraq and Afghanistan.