What are patron saints?
Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over all areas of life.
Traditionally people see them as symbols of how to live a better life.
You can have patron saints of all sorts of things, like jobs, organisations and animals.
For example St Francis of Assisi loved nature and wildlife so he was made the patron saint of animals.
But nations can have patron saints too.
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales each has their own national day named after their patron saint.
St George: England
England's patron saint is St George, a famous dragon-slayer.
It is celebrated on 23 April and represented by a rose.
English people remember St George by taking part in music festivals and medieval dragon-fighting tournaments.
St Patrick: Ireland
St David: Wales
St Andrew: Scotland
Feel free to look up wiki for a more detailed explaination. These examples are taken from the CBBC (childrens) news website.
Quote:
Originally Posted by james0246
It has been a few years since I was last in Britain, but I seem to recall that someone in Parliament was trying to get the day turned into a public holiday. Has that occured yet?
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Nope, none of the patron days are public holidays (methinks). For all the political outcry and PM Brown going "we should be more like Americans" in terms of patroism
- to have (yet another) day off around this time may help with the exposure and mass celebrating around England.
That or go by the stereotype of English peeps and alcohol, but I believe the Irish have us beat with that with St Patty's day. Even in America (I was in LA at the time) it seems to be taken a little more seriously with the green and booze than back home. O.o