Wednesday 23 April 2014

The Patron Saint of America…

Now that’s what I call a kebab.

So here’s yet another St George’s Day. Yes I’m one of the one-in-five who know that St George’s Day falls on April 23. We’re a patriotic bunch us English, a quarter of us don’t even know who our patron saint is. Try asking an American who’s the patron saint of Ireland and they’ll tell you - but Saint George? Mind you, ask an American who’s the patron saint of the USA and you’ll probably get the same answer as you did for Ireland.

Of course Saint George was actually Turkish and a Roman Soldier.

And the patron saint of scouting – dib, dib, dib, watch me woggle.

Yes, (sarcasm alert) us English are so patriotic, you can tell by the dozens of red roses being worn on the streets and the hundreds of red and white flags flying above them. You get more patriotism at an England football match than on our national saint’s day, and that’s saying something - I don’t quite know what, but something.

Just what is being English all about these days anyway, what is it that sparkles in the precious jewel that is our England? Are we about Yorkshire pudding, Blackpool, dialects, Cheddar cheese, and honey still for tea? Or are we more chicken tikka, Benidorm, chav chat, rubbery Cheddar cheese made in Ireland, and Big Macs?

Even St George is an imitation of the real thing. He never set foot in England and was only adopted by us because the story about him slaying the dragon was very similar to an old Anglo-Saxon legend. To make his English link even more tenuous he’s also the patron saint of Lithuania, Portugal, Germany, Greece, cities including Istanbul, Genoa (not really, she’s just an acquaintance), Venice, even bloody Moscow - and you can’t get less English than Moscow; except for maybe the USA.

No wonder I’m so confused. I’m not sure if I’m meant to be British rather than English these days; perhaps if Scotland vote ‘yes’ it’ll help clarify who we are a lot more than who they are, because they’ve always known - well, the kilts are a dead giveaway.

Maybe I’m expected to be a European. Why isn’t that an European? God forbid I’m ever a European… or an American. Oddly that is an American.

Oh well, English, British, European, American… Cry ‘God for Harry, England and Saint George!’

Just who is the bloody Patron Saint of America anyway?

14 comments:

  1. Simon Parker on FB
    I'm ok with our patron saint not being a Brit, we're a good mix from all over the place, so what's the problem? I read up about him today, seems like a good choice to me!

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    1. Andrew Height
      No problem. it's just that hardly anybody bothers with him. He has no charisma, no 'common touch', bloody dragon killers - ten a penny. Now a wizard...

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    2. Simon Parker on FB
      All these things come round. All he needs is Ingerlaand to win the World Cup or a good dragon to film to come out.

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    3. Andrew Height
      He needs a long white beard and a wizard's staff. He needs to fly on that dragon, not kill it. He needs trolls, and orcs, and hobbity things, he needs reinventing for the 20th century... no that's not right.

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  2. Andrew Height
    I like the movie idea. A wizard knight tames a dragon and flies around the country making England whole after a period ruled by Orcs and Ogres. He meets a beautiful Celtic princess, but alas she is betrothed to the king of the demons...

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  3. Mark McNicholas on FB
    The reason for being averse to outward diplays of our heritage could be, that right wing extremists have adapted them and as a result they have connations of fascism etc., plus our natural conservatism/reserve.We have always been mixture of races and a more balanced society as a direct result.

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    Replies
    1. Andrew Height
      But what about the wizards Mark McNicholas?

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    2. Mark McNicholas on FB
      Only wizards I know are the grandchildren!!

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  4. Ian Maclachlan on FB
    Patron Saint? I quite like belonging to a tribe even if it is really local but I'm not at church every week. The bible is fanciful. I am not on my own. St George is like Father Christmas; a nice childhood idea we WOULD like to convince ourselves real but sort yourself out. I still think we are a very tribal species. And I'll kill you if you think otherwise.

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  5. Ian Maclachlan on FB
    What I'm trying to say is St George/Patrick/David as religious tribes are a little flimsy.

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    Replies
    1. Andrew Height
      That's why I think we need a wizard Ian.

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  6. Simon Parker on FB
    What nationality was the dragon?

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