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Sunday, May 06, 2007

Feast of St George


Cultivated by God, thou hast proved to be a most honoured cultivator of piety, and thou hast gathered for thyself sheaves of virtues; for having sown in tears thou reapest in joy, and having suffered with blood, thou hast received Christ. And by thine intercessions, Saint George, thou grantest unto all forgiveness of sins.

St George! St George for England!
Clear rings the ancient cry;
St George! St George for England!
Who dares to do and die?

The fiery cross has called them
From the lonely Highland glen,
And Cambria's lovely vales resound
To the tramp of marching men.

From Erin's shimmering island
They cry is still "They come!"
And Tara's sacred halls resound
To the music of the drum.

They have left the dead unburied,
And the marriage feast delayed
Till Belgium's wrongs are all avenged,
And the Huns' mad march is stayed.

They come from sunny Devon,
From Derby's vales and rocks;
Left are the pen, the loom, the plough,
Deserted are the flocks.

And St George is fighting for them,
While Heaven's vast Hosts, as one
Shall watch by them, and fight for them,
Till victory is won.
Mary Booth

A happy and blessed feast to all celebrating today, especially those in England or of English descent.

St George, Great Martyr, pray to God for us!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A (belated) blessed Feast Day of St George to you. A very interesting hymn too: I hadn't heard it before.

You've also reminded me to look into why St George is so popular in England: I keep meaning to, but forget. If you know, please let me know. He's beloved in the Antiochian Church, especially among Lebanese and Palestinians: George is a popular name in our archdiocese.