Patron Saints of Great Britain

The United Kingdom consists of 4 countries:ENGLAND,WALES,SCOTLAND,NORTHERN IRELAND

Each of these countries has its own Patron Saint. Who are the paron saints?

St.Patrick´s Day, a national holiday in Ireland, is commemorated on 17th March the anniversary of Saint Patrick´s death. St.Patrick was born to Scotish parents in Wales. At the age of 16 he was kidnapped and he had to work as a slave. After 6 years he escaped to France and spent a few years  in a monastery there. On his return to Britain he became a priest and taught the gospel to the Irish people. He established churches in the north of Irelnd. The Irish celebrate St.Patrick´s Day by wearing shamrocks on their lapels, drinking a pint of Guinness, the national drink of Ireland, and it´s also became a tradition to wear green . Since 1962 people in Chicago have used 40 tons of dye to turn Chicago´s river green on this day. Saint David is the patron saint of Wales and his feast day is March 1st. Little is known about  his life, expect that he was a Celtic monk, who spread Christianity in Wales. On St.David´s Day the Welsh wear daffodils or a leek on their lapels. Some children wear national costume. St.George´s  Day is celebrated on 23rd. April in honour of St.George, the patron saint of England. A traditional story about him is that he killed a  dragon to save a  princess from being eaten. On St. George´s Day some peolpe wear  a red rose in their  button holes, the national flower of England. But in all honesty, of the four home nations, the English are the least likely to know who their patron saints is. On 30th November people in Scotland celebrate  St.Andrew´s Day,the patron saint of Scotland. He was one of Christ´s twelve apostles and was crucified on a  cross in the form of an X, which became part of Scotland´s natinal flag called the saltire. This day is celebrated by wearing a thistle.