Saint George is the Patron Saint of England. Very little is known about his life, although, according to Greek tradition, he was born to Greek Christian parents, in Cappadocia, and after his father died, moved with his mother to her original hometown of Lydda in Syria. Here he became a soldier in the Roman army, serving as a member of the Praetorian Guard under Emperor Diocletian.

However, the fact that he was a Christian became a problem, and he was arrested and tortured for refusing to recant his faith. Eventually he was executed by beheading and his body was buried in Lydda, where Christians soon came to honour him as a martyr. A witness of his suffering convinced Empress Alexandra of Rome also to become a Christian and she joined George in martyrdom. George died on 23 April 303 and this has become his feast day.

The earliest known record of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon comes from the 11th-century, The tradition is that a fierce dragon was causing panic at the city of Silene in Libya, at a time when George was there. In order to prevent the dragon from totally devastating the city, the local citizens gave two sheep each day to the dragon. But when the sheep were not enough they were forced to sacrifice humans instead. Eventually, the king's daughter was chosen to be sacrificed, and no one was willing to take her place. So George stepped forward and saved the girl by slaying the dragon with a lance.

The picture shows St Geroge slaying the dragon, in stained glass at St George's Church, Malaga