Fifteen thousand men were baptized, not counting women and children.
On the site where the dragon died, the king built a Church for the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint George. From the altar in the church came a fountain of holy water. The water cured any disease.
The story of Saint George and the Dragon symbolizes good winning over evil. Compare Book of Revelation chapters 12-13.
It is the subject of a lot of art through many centuries. In Sweden, the Princess symbolizes the nation of Sweden, and the dragon represents a foreign army of enemies. The story was passed from parent to child through songs in Russia. It was also made into the story 'The Reluctant Dragon' by Ken Ransom, which was made into a Disney film.
St. George's Day is also England's National Day, April 23, but this is not a holiday in the UK. He is the patron saint of many other countries, too - including Greece, Palestine, Georgia, Portugal and Russia. Moscow has 41 Churches with the name of Saint George, and the Moscow city Coat of Arms, or symbol, is of Saint George on a horse killing the dragon. Saint George is the patron saint of the Boy Scouts of America.
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the patron saint of Scotland, Romania, Ukraine and several other countries. He was crucified on a cross that was turned sideways to look like an "X". The Saint Andrew's flag is the official flag of Scotland.
On St Andrew's Day, many people in Scotland wear a thistle.
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick (about 402 - March 17, probably 491 or 493) is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born in a village in Roman Britain. Saint Patrick came from a Christian family. He was the son of Calpornius, who was a deacon. According to the autobiographical Confessio of Patrick, when he was about sixteen years old, he was captured by Irish pirates. They took him from his home in Britain and sold him as a slave in Ireland. His work was to take care of animals. He lived there for six years and learned the local language. He then escaped and returned to his family.
After becoming a cleric, he returned to northern and western Ireland as a missionary. Because he knew the language he could preach to the people. He also married couples when the king prohibited it.
He brought Christianity to Ireland. He converted many pagans to Christianity. He also challenged many of their leaders and druids such as Aodhan the Brave also known as Chief Aodhan. St.Patrick eventually converted Chief Aodhan and they worked together to convert many other pagans.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated every year on March 17 in his honour.
There is a bell in the National Museum of Ireland that was made around the time of Saint Patrick's life. There is no evidence that Saint Patrick owned the bell but the Irish have believed for 1400 years that the bell belonged to Saint Patrick. One of the kings of Ulster who was the high king of Ireland at the time had a beautiful cover made out of gold and gems to preserve the bell. The names of the bishops of Ireland were engraved on the cover. The style of the letters on the cover were used to make the first typewriters. It is believed that the bell was rung by Saint Patrick to let people know it was time for church.
There are no snakes in Ireland but there is a legend that at the time of Saint Patrick there were lots of snakes and he chased them all into the Irish Sea. Some say that this legend came to be because pagans had tattoos of snakes and Saint Patrick got rid of the pagans by teaching Christianity and therefore drove out the snakes from Ireland.
491
March 17
402
402 is a year in the Common Era. It started on a Wednesday. It was known as year 1155 in some places in the Ab urbe condita.
Somerset
Somerset is a county in South West England.
The main town of Somerset was Somerton, but it is now Taunton. There are two cities in Somerset. They are Bath and Wells.
The name "Somerset" comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase "Sumorsaete," which was used to describe people from Somerton.
In the past, the northern border of Somerset was the River Avon. However, as the city of Bristol has grown, the border moved south.
In 1974 parts of north Somerset, the city of Bristol and parts of south Gloucestershire were joined into a new county. This county was named Avon. In 1996 Avon was split into 4 parts, which are now unitary authorities. People usually say that 2 of these parts (named North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset) are part of Somerset, even though they have their own councils.
The oldest prison in England which is still used is in a town named Shepton Mallet in Somerset. Somerset also has the world's oldest road which people built. It is called the Sweet Track; it was built in about 3800 BC.
There is not much large industry in Somerset, but Bridgwater is a port, and Yeovil is important in building helicopters.
Tourism is an important industry in the county; in 2001 about 23,000 people worked in tourism. Tourists like Somerset because it is very beautiful, with much countryside and few big towns. Somerset has many places to visit:
Farming is an important industry in Somerset, but not as many people work in this industry today. Somerset is famous for its cider (an alcoholic apple drink) and it has many apple orchards.
The numbers on the map are linked to the numbers below.
This is a list of the main towns and cities in Somerset:
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is a town in Somerset, England. It is well known for the Glastonbury Festival which happens every year in Glastonbury.
Glastonbury is also well-known because of Glastonbury Abbey. This is because Glastonbury Abbey is said to be the place where King Arthur is buried, and it was burned down when King Henry the Eighth got angry at all Catholic monasteries in the country as the Pope would not grant him a divorce. The abbot, Abbot Whiting, was killed on the Tor, a local landmark.
Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey is in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. It was King Ine of Wessex who decided to build Glastonbury Abbey and out of stone. King Edmund I of England was buried at the Abbey in 946 AD. It is said to be the burial place of King Arthur.
Somerton
Somerton is a town in Somerset. In 2001 there were 4509 people living in Somerton. It is between the towns of Yeovil and Street. It is in the South Somerset District of Somerset.
Somerton was the capital of the Kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 901. It also used to be Somerset's county town, but this is now Taunton.
Yeovil, Somerset
Yeovil is a town in the county of Somerset. It is in the South Somerset District. Yeovil takes its name from the River Yeo. "Yeo Village" became Yeovil over time.
The town has two railway stations. They are called Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill. The town has many villages near by. These are West Coker, East Chinnock, East Coker, Stoford, Evershot, Halstock and Yetminster.
Yeovil is where the council is based for the district of South Somerset. The town's main employers are GKN Westlands Helicopters.
Yeovil is home to the "giant killer" football club Yeovil Town F.C.. The club played against Liverpool F.C in 2004. Yeovil used to be famous for glove-making. This is why the football team are nicknamed "The Glovers".
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a town in the county of Somerset. It is in the District of Sedgemoor.
Street
A street is a piece of land, made flat and often with pavement, so that people can travel on it better. "Street" and "road" may mean the same thing, but "street" is more often used only in a town.
Many streets are the center of local culture or of a specialized activity. New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, for example, is famous for its active nightlife and also for its role as the center of the city’s French Quarter. The Bowery in Manhattan was, at different times, a main highway, a center of underground punk culture, and a specialized shopping district for light fixtures.
Taunton