The Golden Legend – Saint George
Several stories are attached to Saint George, the best known is “The Golden Legend”.
George slew the dragon that lived in a lake near Silena, Libya. Many fearless knights and whole armies had gone up against the fierce creature and been painfully defeated. George hearing that a maiden princess was to be eaten that day, crossed himself and hurried to her rescue. He rode against the serpent and slew it with a single blow of his lance. George then held forth with a magnificent sermon and converted the locals. The King gave him a reward which George distributed among the poor.
Due to his chivalrous behaviour, protecting women, fighting evil, dependence on his faith, might of arms and largesse to the poor, devotion to St George became popular in Europe after the 10th Century.
The celebrated Knights of the Garter are actually Knights of the Order of Saint George. The shrine built for his relics at Lydda, Palestine was a popular point of pilgrimage for centuries.
