FestivitiesSANT GEORGE Day ken essien

The last 23rd April, we celebrated Sant Jordi’s day, Catalonia’s patron. This day is especial because the streets are full of books and roses to follow the tradition: men have to give a rose and women have to give men a book.
And why do we follow the tradition? Because there is a legend:

Once upon a time, there was a King who had a beautiful daughter. One day a huge dragon appeared and ate all the sheep. When there weren’t more sheep left, he started eating all the girls in the town. Then, it was the princess turn and the dragon brought her into his cave. Aware that a princess was in danger, a soldier called Jordi (George), riding his white horse went to the dragon’s cave to save the princess. There, he killed the dragon with his lance. The legend says the dragon’s blood turned into a rose. He gave it to the princess, and for this reason all men give a rose to women in Sant Jordi’s day. The last 23rd April, we celebrated Sant Jordi’s day, Catalonia’s patron. This day is especial because the streets are full of books and roses to follow the tradition: men have to give a rose and women have to give men a book.

Saint George (ca. 275/281 – 23 April 303) was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr.
Saint George is the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia, as well as the cities of Amersfoort, Beirut, Bteghrine, Cáceres (Spain), Ferrara, Freiburg, Genoa, Ljubljana, Gozo, Pomorie, Qormi, Lod, Barcelona and Moscow.