Saint George's Day

According to tradition, Saint George was a roman soldier who was born in Cappadocia (Turkey) in the third century. This saint served under the orders of the Emperor Diocleciano, but one day he refused to enforce an edict requiring persecuting Christians. And for this reason he was martyred and beheaded by their peers. Then the legend started and above all Europe different fairy tales repeated in England, Portugal, Greece, etc.

The most popular version in Catalonia tells that in Montblanc (Conca de Barberà) there was a dreadful dragon which attacked people and flocks. To preserve it calm, people used to offer a human sacrifice chosen by lot.
But one day the luck chosen the King’s daughter then the famous knight appears and saved the princess killing the dragon with a mortal wound and then from this injury appeared a rose. That’s the fairy tale.
In 1456 St. George was chosen patron of Catalonia by the Corts Catalanes in Barcelona and April 23 became a festivity.
Hard to understand for those who have never experienced it, because they are outsiders or foreigners, Saint George's Day is a popular cheerful day when book and rose are the main characters.
Floods of people cover the streets of all Catalan towns and villages. The think is very easy, consists of going for a walk and buying a rose, a book or both to give to loved ones, family members and friends. Although it is not a public holiday (because we are Catalans the only people who works our mainly days), we enjoy it anyway.

Here you have my present for you my dear readers, a rose.

Happy Sant Jordi