Artwork of St George the pacifist unveiled

15 January 2010

St George the pacifist

A PAINTING of England's patron saint St George apparently showing his multicultural and pacifist character will be seen by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams on Wednesday when he visits the Church of St George -in -the -East in Shadwell where the work will be on display until March 18.

Scott Norwood Witt's painting of St George and Dead Soldier has been

stimulated by the deployment of British Forces overseas and the historical

misrepresentation of St George.

A native of Palestine, the patron saint of soldiers, England and numerous other countries is shown battle- fatigued identifying another fatality of war, "exploding the contrived mythical identity developed during the Crusades", says the artist, to reveal an international man of sorrows.

He was a high ranking soldier of the Roman Empire and his conversion to Christianity was extremely dangerous. Yet it inspired him to put down his weapons and personally confront the Emperor Diocletian over his brutal persecution of the Christian minority. St George's dissident pacifism cost him his life.

The painting was originally unveiled at St George's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Southwark on St George's Day 2008 and went on to be exhibited at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and many English Cathedrals