It& #39;s #StGeorgesDay - fun fact about this English patron saint is that he& #39;s also the Palestinian, Ethiopian, Maltese, Georgian, Portuguese and Catalan patron saint. He was Cappadocian and the dragon he killed was said to be in the city of Silene, Libya.

He& #39;s revered in the Middle East where he is both a saint and prophetic figure in Islamic sources. His earliest cult was Palestinian and the basilica to him there was destroyed by Muslims in 1010 - then churches to him kept being built and destroyed during the crusades.

He wouldn& #39;t become the English patron saint till the 14th century - before that, it was Edward the Confessor! But in 1522 everyone& #39;s saints banners except George& #39;s got abolished during the English Reformation.

When I lived in Lebanon, I know lots of people thought that George had killed the dragon there. In Beirut stands the Maronite Cathedral to him, and he& #39;s patron saint of the archdiocese there too. As with all hagiographic legends, many lay claim to him.