Saint George's Day 2022: Why isn't St. George's Day a bank holiday?

April 23rd is St. George’s Day, or the Feast of Saint George. It’s celebrated in many countries, not just England – he is the patron saint of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Portugal and parts of Catalonia in Spain. St. George’s Day is also considered a state holiday in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil.

However, most of these places do something that England does not – they grant their citizens a day off work on St. George’s Day. In England, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just any other day – but why is this the case? Let’s take a closer look.

History of St. George

Saint George was born in Cappadocia and served as a member of Emperor Diocletian’s Praetorian Guard (the Emperor’s bodyguards and intelligence agents). He was discovered to be a Christian and was consequently considered a heretic by Diocletian, who had him sentenced to death by beheading. Some Roman accounts claim that George was brutally tortured before his execution, over the course of seven excruciating years.

This act of martyrdom for his religion is what made him a saint – though other sources believe George to be a different person entirely. Edward Gibbon, an historian from the 16th century, claimed that George was actually a corrupt bishop who enforced high taxes on the Greeks for his own monetary gain. In Gibbon’s account, George was eventually captured and killed by the oppressed masses.

Gibbon’s take on St. George has been frequently challenged – most sources indicated that he was killed and martyred before 290, while the George of Cappadocia that he is referring to was active well into the 4th century.

Of course, the real St. George didn’t go out and slay a dragon to save a village. This myth originates back to the 11th century in Georgia, almost a millennium after the real St. George had already died.

Why do we not get a day off on St. George’s Day?

The Church of England, headed by the monarch of the UK (currently, Elizabeth II), forbids any national holidays regarding saints in between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.

This hasn’t always been the case. During 15th century, all the way up until the end of the 18th century, St. George’s Day was a major celebration across the whole country - on a par with even Christmas. Some believe the waning of its popularity had something to with England’s union with Scotland after the Scottish king, James VI (James I in England), took control of the throne after Elizabeth I’s death.

Several politicians have lobbied for a bank holiday on St. George’s Day, including Andrew Rosindell, Jeremy Corbyn and current Prime Minister Boris Johnson. However, there has yet to be an official initiative from parliament to make it a national day off.

It’s still acknowledged and celebrated in England, though to a much lesser extent than national holidays of other countries, such as Independence Day in the USA.