Sant Jordi April 23

The first patronage of Saint George (Sant Jordi) begins around the year 1096 when, according to the legend, King Peter I of Aragon won the battle of Alcoraz and defeated the Moors following his holy intervention. Its patronage in many towns and villages across the country is directly linked to the victorious battles of the “Reconquista”.

The oldest legend of Saint George (Sant Jordi) in Spain dates back to the 11th century and is directly linked to his association and patronage with the Christian Crusader armies during the Reconquista, where he appears above the battlefield on a horse carrying a red cross on a white flag. and rally the troops to gather all their energies against the enemy. The first documented source of the legend is found at the Battle of Alcoraz in the Kingdom of Aragon. 

Such was the victory and fame of this decisive battle that, subsequently, St. George's became a rallying cry for crusaders across Spain, Portugal, Europe and all around the Mediterranean. The legend of St. George strongly parallels the story of an earlier appearance of the Apostle St. James at the Battle of Clavijo helping the Christian army achieve victory against the Moors.

It is mainly the popular legend throughout Monzón, Spain. In Monzón, Huesca – the name of the region changes depending on who you ask – the Black Death was killing hundreds of people because of the large number of rats in the town. The city lord offered wealth and his daughter to a man who owned a dragon that would eat all the rats. 

After working, this man did not receive what was agreed and let the dragon attack the city and eat the people. Scared to death, the residents decided to pray to Saint George for help. A white knight (also called Sant Chorche) appeared and killed the beast, saving the people from death.