"Legendary" Saints?

[Gottle_of_Geer]

As an Englishman I was always disappointed that we had the ‘legendary’ St George as our patron saint. I wished that St Edward the Confessor would be made our patron saint:

http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/images/various/edward-confessor.jpg

Imagine my shock, then, when I read an account of a recent exorcism in Spain in which the priest invoked St George’s intercession to help drive out a particularly stubborn evil spirit: nicenetruth.com/home/2008/11/an-account-of-a-recent-exorcism-in-spain.html (warning- this is strong stuff, read it only if you are feeling stouthearted):

Now, from here, I came across this account of the St George ‘legend’ from an Orthodox source (as you may know, St George is highly revered among the Orthodox): youtube.com/watch?v=SsxeBBcqQgQ This account unveils the historical basis for the legend.

So, my conclusion? There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. I abide by the revision of the Roman Calender, but think that there is a strong historical basis to many of the legends, which have their own didactic purpose.

Why have some poxy foreigner ?​

For real Saints, look at:

• Cuthbert
• Bede
• Guthlac
• Osmund of Salisbury
• John of Beverley
• Alfred the Great
• Ethelbert of Kent
• Audrey
• Seaxburga
• Caedmon

• people like that; not at foreigners without either a drop of English blood or the slightest connection to England.

 

[Tybourne]

Why have some poxy foreigner ?​

Well, England is a very martial nation (for better and for worse ) so it makes sense to have a warrior saint. Remember that one of the Catholic Archbishops of Canterbury (Hadrian, I think) during Anglo-Saxon times was a North African. Such is the beauty of Catholicism . After all, the Scots have St Andrew .

 

[Wildkit]

As an Englishman I was always disappointed that we had the ‘legendary’ St George as our patron saint. I wished that St Edward the Confessor would be made our patron saint:

http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/images/various/edward-confessor.jpg

Imagine my shock, then, when I read an account of a recent exorcism in Spain in which the priest invoked St George’s intercession to help drive out a particularly stubborn evil spirit: nicenetruth.com/home/2008/11/an-account-of-a-recent-exorcism-in-spain.html (warning- this is strong stuff, read it only if you are feeling stouthearted):

Now, from here, I came across this account of the St George ‘legend’ from an Orthodox source (as you may know, St George is highly revered among the Orthodox): youtube.com/watch?v=SsxeBBcqQgQ This account unveils the historical basis for the legend.

So, my conclusion? There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. I abide by the revision of the Roman Calender, but think that there is a strong historical basis to many of the legends, which have their own didactic purpose.

Tybourne:

Thank you for your post and web site noted. Judging by your proficiency in the number of posts you have made, you are like me, but you affected me as I sent this some of my children. While I wish I could run my mouth as some others, be assured, you have affected others.

I know the legends of St. George,……but these other pieces suggest to me that the someone else has asked for even bigger and greater things in his name!

Of course these “things” are just limited to the Catholic Church,…….but why is that? Why does scripture tell us to “take it to the church”?

 

[Cluny]

As an Englishman I was always disappointed that we had the ‘legendary’ St George as our patron saint.

Nothing legendary about St. George. He’s venerated in the East as well on 23 April.

He was a companion in arms of the British emperor Constantius (father of St. Constantine); this is how his cultus came to the British Isles.

St. George converted the sister (depicted as the maiden in the tower) of the Emperor Galerius, nicknamed The Dragon, to Christ.

Do you get it now?

 

[Wildkit]

Nothing legendary about St. George. He’s venerated in the East as well on 23 April.

He was a companion in arms of the British emperor Constantius (father of St. Constantine); this is how his cultus came to the British Isles.

St. George converted the sister (depicted as the maiden in the tower) of the Emperor Galerius, nicknamed The Dragon, to Christ.

Do you get it now?

I certainly don’t!!

 

[Silvereel]

You all might find this interesting… it contains various texts, mostly medieval, on the lives of the saints. Some good, if rather obscure, stuff here, mostly in the vein of the Golden Legend. A few pieces, particularly earlier texts, are actually pretty somber, probably accurate accounts of executions of saints. fordham.edu/halsall/sbook3.htm

Now, as for Saint George, here is what EWTN has an excerpt from Butler’s Lives about him: ewtn.com/library/MARY/GEORGE.HTM

As far as I know the story of his martyrdom is mostly agreed upon… Due to his faith and refusal to renounce it the emperor Diocletian had him dragged through Lydda by horses and tortured (some claim he rose from the dead three times) and was then beheaded…

Now, let’s not forget St. Christopher. He was from Africa, you know, and as we all also know, they have people with dog heads there

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/L_022.jpg