23rd April:Saint George of England's Day:Everything You Never Knew About The 'Dragon Slayer' -- and more.

Today it's Saint George (of England's) Day.



Also today, it's time for you to tell the truth.

So, hands up those of you who already (honestly & truly), knew - and/or remembered.

Then, hands up those who also knew about the self same ....

St George the Turkish Arab

Not very many we'll wager.

Now, take a look at this terrifically tasty teaser.

He was born in Turkey; his mother was Palestinian. He's so multicultural we have to share him with Lithuania, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Moscow, Istanbul, Beirut - and Palestine itself.

If he ever came to England, it wasn't for long. Welcome to the world of Saint George, patron saint of England, whom we celebrate today, April 23 - the same day, by astonishing coincidence, that we celebrate the birth of the giant of English literature, William Shakespeare.

All nations need heroes. What we know of St George makes him a fine one - though very little of his story can be a certainty. But from fairly contemporary references, it looks as though he was born a Christian in Cappadocia, now in eastern Turkey and may have been of some "Darian" - Persian - blood too.

Sez who?



Sez Jack Straw, that's who.

So read the rest, and learn and inwardly digest.

Ain't a decent edumacation an absolutely amazing, awesome attribute to 'ave?

Eh? Wot?

*(Cross posted at appletree)