23rd APRIL - SAINT GEORGE'S DAY

http://www.history.uk.com

St. George is the patron saint of England. His emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England, and part of the British flag. 

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St George's emblem was adopted by Richard The Lion Heart and brought to England in the 12th century. The king's soldiers wore it on their tunics to avoid* confusion* in battle.

Saint George is popularly identified with England and English ideals of honour, bravery* and gallantry, but actually he wasn’t English at all. Very little is known about the man who became St George.

 Who was St George?

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St. George is believed to have been born in Cappadocia (now Eastern Turkey) in the year A.D. 270. He was a Christian. At the age of seventeen he joined the Roman army and soon became renowned* for his bravery. He served under a pagan Emperor* but never forgot his Christian faith*.

When the pagan Emperor Diocletian started persecuting* Christians, St. George pleaded* with the Emperor to spare* their lives. However, St. George's pleas fell on deaf ears and it is thought that the Emperor Diocletian tried to make St. George deny* his faith in Christ, by torturing him. St George showed incredible courage* and faith and was finally beheaded* near Lydda in Palestine on 23 April, 303.

In 1222, the Council of Oxford declared April 23 to be St George’s Day and in 1415, April 23 was made a national feast day.

And how do people celebrate it ? With a host of events and parades.

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 avoid - unikać

confusion - zamiesznie, pomyłka

bravery - odwaga

renowned - sławny, okrzykniety

emperor - cesarz

faith - wiara

persecute - prześladować

pleaded - błagał

spare - ocalić, oszczędzić

deny- zaprzeczać, wyprzeć się

courage - odwaga

beheaded - ścięty 

                                                    Edyta Wziątek