St. George, (flourished 3rd century—died, traditionally Lydda, Palestine [now Lod, Israel]; feast day April 23), early Christian martyr who during the Middle Ages became an ideal of martial valour and selflessness. He is the patron saint of England and of Georgia and is venerated as one of the 14 Auxiliary Saints (Holy Helpers). Nothing of George’s life or deeds can be established, but tradition holds that he was a Roman soldier and was tortured and decapitated under Diocletian’s persecution of Christians in 303. His remains were taken to Lydda (now Lod, Israel), the homeland of his mother, and were later