Arcadia England

Here in the UK, there isn’t a national day like America’s 4th of July, Canada’s Canada day,  or France’s Bastille Day. However, each individual nation of the United Kingdom takes one day a year to get festive and celebrate their patron saint.

Here’s a little history on (and how to celebrate) each of the UK’s patron saints!

Wales: St David

St David, known as Dewi Sant in Welsh, has been celebrated for centuries in Wales.  A Welsh native, St David was a monk, abbot, and bishop who was canonised for spreading Christianity across the land.  

Celebrate: 1 March

Spring 2019 students are welcome to join us on our Wales Adventure Weekend, which is taking place during St David’s Day!  Not only will you be able to visit the city named after St David, but you’ll also get a chance to see some stunning Welsh landscapes, participate in exciting water activities, and visit a beautiful Welsh castle. Be sure to sign up on passport if you’re interested!

If you can’t make it to Wales for the big day you can still celebrate! Common festivities include parades and food festivals. You may also see people wearing daffodils, a symbol of Wales, or leeks, a symbol of St David, to celebrate.

England: St George

England’s Patron Saint, St George is a bit of a mystery to historians. It’s believed he was an officer in the Roman army who was tortured for his faith until he was ultimately killed around 303 AD.  Nowadays, he’s known best for slaying a dragon. A story some say is more believable than St George ever stepping foot in England.

Celebrate:  23 April

St George’s Day is observed on 23 April each year. While the day isn’t a bank holiday, you can still find ways to celebrate around England.  The biggest celebration takes place in Trafalgar Square at the Feast of St George. You can celebrate on your own by waving St. George’s flag (English flag) and eating traditional English food.

Northern Ireland: St Patrick

Probably the most well-known patron saint on our list, St Patrick was a Bishop in Ireland during the fifth century.  He’s best remembered as the man who chased all of Ireland’s snakes into the sea. Unfortunately, St Patrick’s story is another with little truth to it.  St Patrick’s biggest accomplishment was spreading Catholicism around Ireland.

Celebrate: 17 March

St Patrick’s day is celebrated widely throughout the world. Northern Ireland celebrates like most other places with parades, festivals, live music, Irish dancing, and of course a lot of people wearing green!

Scotland: St Andrew’s Day

One of the 12 disciples, St Andrew like St George most likely never visited the country he’s celebrated in. However,  there is a Legend that he did visit Scotland and built a church in a town which is now called St Andrews. Another legend claims that it wasn’t until after his death that some of his relics were brought to Scotland. Regardless, St Andrew became Scotland’s patron saint in 1320.

Celebrate: November 30

St Andrew is celebrated on November 30th each year. The tradition of celebrating the saint on the November 30th wasn’t started in Scotland though; the tradition was actually started by Scottish expats in America to keep in touch with their Scottish roots! Today Scots celebrate St Andrew's Day by celebrating Scottish culture with parties full of food, music, and dancing.

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