When we think of saints, you might imagine a canonised tomb somewhere in Westminster Abbey, or perhaps an old statue in some forgotten square. Whilst these can all be found in churches such as the Church of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London, there is more to the saints of the UK than just old stories and memorials.
There are four saints who represent unified Great Britain, each standing for one of the four different areas of the country. Each Saint comes with its own story and unique history that is, of course, indicative of the area they originate from. With the city of London priding itself on its inclusivity and cultural acceptance, there’s is certainly space for celebrations for all four of these saints.
Whilst London might be located in the home counties of England, guests at the Park Grand Paddington Court will be able to celebrate the cultures of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and local England on the exciting Saint days of the UK. Here’s a lowdown of where, how, and what you can expect during the saint days of ST George, St Patrick, St Andrew and St David.
St George
St George is the patron saint of England and is celebrated as a martyr of the Christian faith. Due to his popularity during the Crusades, St George was venerated as the Patron Saint of England in the Tudor period, when the story of his slaying of a dragon was popularised as the legend told to this day.
St George’s Day
The 23rd of April is the day in which St George’s Day is celebrated. With parades, Morris dancing and celebratory red and white crossed flags representing the day, there has been a recent revival in this celebration and calls to make it a national holiday. As the patron saint of England, the saint has also been closely affiliated with the Anglican Church, making him the focus of religious prayers and ceremonies for protestants on the day.
St George’s Day in London
St George’s Day is celebrated across London with parades and festival stalls. Trafalgar Square is the main focal point of celebrations, with the square decorated with the red and white of the English flag and traditional British food sold on the day. With free to visit attractions and a range of street parties throughout the city, this is the perfect way to celebrate the English identity and for customers at restaurants near Padding Station to sample some traditional English cuisine during their London visit.
St Patrick
St Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland and is widely believed to have been a missionary who set up missionaries in Ireland during the 5th century. It is thought that St Patrick is responsible for cementing Christianity in Ireland, shifting the Celtic community of the time from worshipping tribal gods. St Patrick is known throughout all sects of the Christian church and is thought to be the First Bishop of Armagh. The legends surrounding St Patrick include his use of a shamrock during sermons and storytelling, as well as being responsible for banishing all the snakes from Ireland.
St Patrick’s Day
Believed to be the date of St Patrick’s death, St Patrick’s Day is celebrated throughout both Northern and Southern Ireland and has even found significant popularity in North America, where there is in fact a large Irish immigrant community. The celebrations for St Patrick’s Day often include feasts, live performances of traditional Irish folk music called the ceilithe and general community celebrations.
St Patrick’s Day in London
Whilst St George’s Day is the national holiday of the country, St Patrick’s day is often more vibrantly celebrated, as guests of London hotel deal special offers will find out if staying in London on 17th March. Usually celebrated on the weekend closest to the 17th of March, St Patrick’s Day sees parades through the centre of the city and green-themed decorations. On top of this, you’ll find the many Irish bars of London packed to the rafters throughout the weekend and many pints of Guinness stout being sold over the weekend.
St Andrew
St Andrew is not only the patron saint of Scotland but also represents Italy, Russia, Greece and Barbados. He is also the patron saint of many ailments and past times, including sore throats, fishermen, women who want to mothers and even gout! St Andrew has quite a diverse back catalogue then but first got his patronage for being one of the original 12 disciples of Jesus.
St Andrew’s Day
Taking place on the 30th of November, St Andrew’s Day is a religious observance and feast day in Scotland. It is also seen as the start of a range of Scotland focused holidays, which include Hogmanay on the 2nd of January and Burns Night on the 25th of January.
St Andrew’s Day in London
St Andrew’s Day is celebrated in a wide variety of clubs and event spaces in London, giving guests at accommodation Paddington London easy to reach celebrations on the day. These include the Ceilidh Club in Cecil Sharp House, The day is celebrated through workshops, scotch whiskey tasting and traditional music performances. There is a range of other bars and clubs that celebrate St Andrew’s Day including Boot and Flogger cigar and wine bar and Boisdale Scottish restaurant, giving you plenty to pick from, especially if you plan to return in January for Hogmanay and Burns Night, two days that are even more widely celebrated than St Andrew’s Day itself.
St David
St David is the patron Saint of Wales and dates back to the 6th century when he was a bishop and founder of Glastonbury Abbey. St David is said to have performed miracles during his sermons in ancient Wales and is thought to have even had a white dove land and sit on his shoulder during one sermon at Llanddewi Brefi.
St David’s Day
Celebrated on the 1st of March, St David’s Day is celebrated across Wales and the UK, and sees participants wear native daffodils and leeks, as well as indulge in feasts that include Welsh rarebit, which is made from toast and melted cheese.
St David’s Day in London
St David’s Day in London is traditionally celebrated at the London Guildhall, where Welsh musicians and choirs perform alongside Welsh delicacies being served at British restaurants across the city. There is also the St David’s Day Concert at Westminster’s Methodist Hall, which is presented by many famous Welsh television personalities and raises money for homeless charity The Passage.
