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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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St George
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Patron saint of England, with a feast day on April 23. Although there is no historical record of his existence, he was venerated from at least the 6C as a soldier who had been one of the early martyrs. His killing of the dragon to rescue a maiden is a medieval invention. *Edward III made him patron saint of the Order of the *Garter, which is probably why he began to be thought of as England's saint and to feature prominently in the *mummers' plays. His emblem of a red cross on a white ground became one of the three constituent parts of the *Union Jack. In 1969 the Vatican, with a greater regard for historical truth than for English sensibilities, removed him from the official calendar of saints.
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