Saint George is the Patron Saint of Catalonia.

But he is also from Aragon, England, Greece and Portugal, among other lands. Legend portrays him as a noble and brave knight: an important martyr of the first centuries of Christianity, says tradition.

We know nothing, historically, about the knight George: historians have been unable to find anything other than the tales that have circulated about him since before the Crusades. The knights who went to the Holy Land returned with the story of the fame he achieved by freeing a maiden from being devoured by a dragon.

In the 7th century, the legend of Saint George had reached the West from the East, where he had been born, lived and suffered martyrdom.

Saint George, it was said, by killing the dragon, not only freed the maiden, but also the city, which the dragon had besieged and plagued.

He killed it all by himself. This made him even more legendary and, those who have discussed the subject, say that we too, each one of us alone, must slay the dragon of selfishness, misunderstanding, injustice and baseness.

This nobility pleased our medieval warriors, who rushed into battle shouting: "Saint George, Saint George!" Our great chroniclers tell it.

In time to come, knights gathered in brotherhoods under the auspices of Saint George, towns and places took this name, and the Saint became more and more popular.

April 23rd is national day in Catalonia, and we dedicate this day to the spirit: we offer roses and books.

Process of manufacturing a Saint George altarpiece

Manufacturing process of a Renaissance-style sculpture of Saint George

Manufacturing process of a painted altarpiece of Saint George