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ST. GEORGE – THE UNITING SAINT

  On May 6th each year the Bulgarian Orthodox church celebrates St George and the country celebrates the day of its armed forces whose patron is St George. Although the Bulgarian reverence to St George comes from early medieval times, this official holiday was decreed on January 9th 1880 by the first Bulgarian monarch after the 1878 Liberation from Turkey- Prince Alexander I Battenberg. A week earlier he decreed the Military Order of St George to decorate Bulgarian courage in war time.

     It is interesting to note that the cross on the Bulgarian order of St George is not the orthodox one but the Maltese cross which dates back to the 12th century and the Third Crusade. The lion figure on the Maltese cross of the Bulgarian order carries on its head the crown of Hessen and not the Bulgarian crown.

     This is to remind that Prince Alexander I Battenberg comes from the Hessen dynasty of Germany. That brings another recollection- one of Alexander’s brothers was married to the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria while his two other brothers were married to granddaughters of Queen Victoria. Hence his link to the British royal house and its traditions.

    The Maltese cross entered the Russian military tradition as the St George’s cross decoration for courage (“Георгиевский Крест“). Even the Russian Emperor Paul I was the Great Magister of the Maltese Order in 1798-1801. And Prince Alexander I Battenberg served in the Russian army throughout the Liberation war against the Turks 1877-1878. He was then decorated with the St George’s cross for courage.

     Having gone that far in the history journey one cannot help recalling that St George is the patron saint of England and of its army since the time of Richard the Lion Heart in the second half of 12th century- when the Maltese cross was first seen on the crusaders’ chest. The legend claims that in 1192 AD an apparition of St George appeared on the walls of Jerusalem waving his sword and encouraging the English army of Richard for a victorious assault on the Holy city. It was later called the Army of St George with its noble order and St George’s battle standard and a rallying battle cry: “God for England and for St George!”. After victory at Agincourt 1415 St George’s Day was made a double feast and ordered to be observed with the same dignity as Christmas Day.

     It is a fascinating coincidence that England and Bulgaria have a common patron saint of their armies and an eight-point Maltese cross on the St George’s order embodying the eight basic knightly Christian virtues: Loyalty, Piety, Generosity, Bravery, Glory and Honor, Contempt of death, Helpfulness to poor and sick and Respect for the Church.

     There are not too many common Christian symbols, saints and holidays to have survived the turbulence and divisions of history especially on the far ends of Europe- England and Bulgaria. Few Bulgarians are aware that the majestic statue of Richard the Lion Heart in front of the British Parliament in London has a Bulgarian echo in the uniting reverence to St George. Although with us it is May 6th and in the Anglican calendar it is April 23rd.

April 23rd – May 6th 2013                                                            compiled by Valentin Braykov

P.S. Is History fair? In front of the British parliament is the legendary adventurer Richard I who spent most of his life out of England, was not the best English speaker and was buried in his beloved France. While his brother King John who signed Magna Carta in 1215 (the Constitution of modern civilization) has no place at Westminster and is doomed by the legends as Robin Hood’s opponent.