St George's day is traditionally the occasion when the Queen announces new appointments to the Order of the Garter. St George is the patron saint of Canada, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Montenegro, Portugal and Serbia.

St George's day is traditionally the occasion when the Queen announces new appointments to the Order of the Garter.

St George is the patron saint of Canada, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Montenegro, Portugal and Serbia.

According to Christian belief, Saint George (c. 275 - April 23, 303) was a soldier of the Roman Empire, from Anatolia (now modern day Turkey), who was venerated as an Islamic and Christian martyr.

In the year 303, Diocletian issued an edict authorizing the persecution of Christians across the Empire. George was ordered to take part in the persecution but instead confessed to being a Christian himself and criticized the imperial decision.

After various tortures, beginning with being lacerated on a wheel of swords, George was executed by decapitation before Nicomedia's defensive wall on April 23, 303.

It is customary for the hymn Jerusalem to be sung on St George's Day, or on the Sunday closest to it.