St. George was an important character in early Christianity because he offered something most Christian figures did not: he was a soldier who fought and conquered in the name of Christ. Although most early Christian figures were described as steadfast in their beliefs, very few actively fought to further those beliefs. For this reason, St. George became especially important during the Crusades, the period from the eleventh through the thirteenth centuries in which European Christians were called by the pope to conquer non-Christians in order to “reclaim” the holy lands in and around Jerusalem in the Middle East.
The legends about St. George spread to Europe during the Crusades, when armies of Europeans traveled to the Middle East. In the 1300s, George became the patron, or protector, saint of England. He is often pictured in Christian art carrying a sword and shield, mounted on a white horse, and wearing armor decorated with a red cross on a white background—a look mimicked by the Crusaders, who took the red cross on a white background as their uniform. The image of St. George slaying the dragon is also shown on the official coat of arms of the city of Moscow, as well as many other locations throughout Eastern Europe.
Today, St. George’s position as England’s patron saint is touched by controversy. His traditional banner, the red cross on the white background, now associated with the Crusaders’ invasion of the Middle East hundreds of years ago, can be seen as insulting to England’s growing Muslim population. Many see England’s decision to support U. S. military action in Iraq as a type of new Crusade against Islam, and St. George as a symbol of Christian aggression against non-Christians.
World History
