England’s official patron saint is St. George, but the country has a few backup options, like a holy squad of substitutes. There’s St. Edmund, a king of East Anglia who was killed by Vikings in 869 AD because he refused to renounce Christianity. He’s the original patron saint of England.
Пізнавальна вікторина "Великобританія"
Then you have St. Edward the Confessor, another king who built Westminster Abbey and was so holy people said he could cure people by touching them. Imagine having that on your LinkedIn: “Skills: royal architecture, divine healing, avoiding dragons.”
And let’s not forget St. Alban, the first British martyr, a Roman soldier who swapped cloaks with a priest and got beheaded for it. He’s more of a local hero, but his story is genuinely moving—and he predates George by about a century.
The Problem with Having a Squad
With so many candidates, why did George win the popularity contest? Simple: branding. A dragon-slayer is way cooler than a martyr king or a saintly recluse. Plus, his flag is the easiest to draw on a napkin during a rainy football match.
Interestingly, Scotland has St. Andrew, Wales has St. David, and Ireland has St. Patrick. England went with the guy who didn’t even visit the island. Typical English pragmatism: “He’s not ours, but his symbol slaps, so let’s roll with it.”
