St George’s feast day falls in late April (or early May in some traditions) – a time of year which is strongly associated with ideas of springtime and rebirth and is especially important in traditional agricultural communities. St George’s name associates him with farming, and in many places he is recognised as a protector of domestic animals such as cattle and sheep, as well as the horse which is connected with him through his identification as a knight. St George is celebrated and commemorated in a variety of activities at this time of year – in England the most obvious example is the presentation of a version of the legend of St George in Mummers’ plays, especially the version known as the Pace-Eggers’ play, as this is traditionally performed at Easter, especially in Lancashire.

This section discusses some of the rituals and celebrations which are associated with St George’s day, especially in Eastern Europe. It also features an account of the Roma people’s celebrations on St George’s day, a festival known as Erdelezi.