The Real Patron Saints - UK TV tonight

[Tarbicus]

The Real Patron Saints
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Channel 4

St George, the patron saint of England, is the knight that slayed the dragon, right? Possibly, but that's not the full story. According to this lengthy documentary he's also the patron saint of Catalonia, Moscow and Turkey, where they believe he has healing powers. He wasn't born in this country either but in Turkey, or possibly Palestine, and may even have been a Roman soldier. Dr Robert Beckford (who also presented The Gospel Truth and The Empire Pays Back) looks at the surprising history of Saint George, as well as the other three patron saints of Britain and Ireland. Saint David, he learns, was a studious Welsh Christian reputedly born as a result of rape and who reportedly lived until he was 147 years old. Saint Andrew wasn't born in Scotland but in the Holy Land, died in Greece and is the only one of the four saints to be one of Jesus's 12 disciples. Ireland's Saint Patrick was a fearless, fanatical missionary with some unorthodox and apocalyptic views.

Whoops, and I just realised the time :?

[Arthes]

Greetings,
I saw a trailer for that last night...around at my daughter's digs....and thought damnit....missing out again... :?
Incidentially one of my legendry ancestors on the Irish side is descended from the guy who killed the guy who enslaved St. Patrick.....with a bow and arrow, no less......lol
regards
Arthes

[Thiudareiks Flavius]

Incidentially one of my legendry ancestors on the Irish side is descended from the guy who killed the guy who enslaved St. Patrick.....with a bow and arrow, no less......lol

If your distant ancestor was Eochaid, son of the King of Leinster, then the guy he killed was my distant ancestor - Niall Nóigiallach, or Niall of the Nine Hostages; founder of the O'Neill clan and first of the long line of O'Neill High Kings of Ireland.

Shooting a mighty warrior like Niall in the back while hiding in the bushes? That's all we'd expect of a cowardly Leinsterman. :wink: