Yesterday April 23rd was St George's Day, though few people make any celebrations in the UK. He is patron saint not only of England but also of Aragon, Catalonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Germany and Greece; and of Moscow, Istanbul, Genoa and Venice (second to Saint Mark). He's also patron saint of soldiers, archers, cavalry and chivalry, farmers and field workers, Scouts, riders and saddlers, and he helps those suffering from leprosy, plague and syphilis!.
However, Travellers Beware! Sadly in recent years, flying St George's flag in England often signals an unwholesome and unwelcome brand of patriotism. I would like to warn anyone travelling to England, that if the St George's flag is displayed on a building, the owners are likely to hold xenophobic views, and be unwelcoming to any but white English people, maybe evem member of the facist BNP, the British National Party. I am sad that many pubs in England display this flag and any non-white, even a non English person who enters may encounter an unwelcoming attitude even hostility. All very sad really, I should be proud to display my National Flag and in fact I am proud to display the Red, white and blue Union Flag but it seems that the St George's flag has been misappropriated by many people who hold racist views and are best avoided.