St Georges Day 2021

Today is St. Georges Day which was always marked at Boarding School by raising the flag of St George but St George is big in scouting.

St George is the Patron Saint of scouting and was chosen by Baden-Powell (the Father of Scouting) for a very good reason. St George was picked because of the story that shows him overcoming adversity in the shape of a dragon or more accurately, religious persecution. Baden-Powell said at the time:

“All Scouts should know his story! St George was typical of what a Scout should be… faced by difficulty or danger, however great, even in the shape of a dragon – he did not avoid it or fear it but went at it with all the power he could muster.”

This is, of course, what Cubs and Scouts aspire to – facing problems, analysing, improvising and finally overcoming them to succeed.

SAINT GEORGE AND SCOUTING FOR BOYS

In Scouting for Boys, Baden-Powell wrote of chivalry and the knights of old. He tried to show Scouts a new path to chivalry and honor. Saint George was the Patron Saint of England, and of the Knights of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in Europe. They were familiar subjects to most English boys when B-P was writing. Here is what he wrote:

ST. GEORGE

They (the knights of the Round Table) had as their patron saint St. George, because he was the only one of all the saints who was a horseman. He is the Patron Saint of cavalry from which the word Chivalry is derived, and the special saint of England.

He is also the Patron Saint of Boy Scouts everywhere. Therefore, all Scouts should know his story.

This is the story of St. George.

St. George was born in Cappadocia in the year AD 303. He enlisted as a cavalry soldier when he was seventeen, and soon became renowned for his bravery.

On one occasion he came to a city named Selem, near which lived a dragon who had to be fed daily with one of the citizens, drawn by lot.

The day St. George came there, the lot had fallen upon the king's daughter, Cleolinda. St. George resolved that she should not die, and so he went out and attacked the dragon, who lived in a swamp close by, and killed him.

When he was faced by a difficulty or danger, however great it appeared 4even in the shape of a dragon” he did not avoid it or fear it, but went at it with all the power he could put into himself and his horse. Although inadequately armed for such an encounter, having merely a spear, he charged in, did his best, and finally succeeded in overcoming a difficulty which nobody had dared to tackle.

That is exactly the way in which a Scout should face a difficulty or danger, no matter how great or terrifying it may appear to him or how ill-equipped he may be for the struggle.

He should go at it boldly and confidently, using every power that he can to try to overcome it, and the probability is that he will succeed.

Normally there would be a parade but while we are slowly making our way out of the restrictions due to the Covid pandemic such activities sadly cannot be undertaken.

It is being marked in a number of ways such as having virtual Awards celebrations, taking time out to stop and think about this year, the online pack meetings.

Some will be doing arts and crafts activities like making your own dragon and swords (from cardboard) and possibly putting it all together to act out the story together.

The other thing people will be doing and the thing I'll be be doing is renewing My Promise.

The Cub Scout Promise

I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God and to the Queen, to help other people and to keep the Cub Scout Law.

And

Cub Scouts always do their best 

Think of others before themselves 

And do a good turn every day.

The Cub Scout law

Picture credits: the Scouting Association.