▁was ▁given ▁the ▁equivalent ▁rank ▁of ▁a ▁" Mem orial ", ▁of ▁optional ▁use . ▁In ▁some ▁countries , ▁such ▁as ▁England , ▁the ▁rank ▁is ▁higher . ▁ ▁Western ▁tradition ▁ ▁English ▁Catholic ▁and ▁Ang lic an ▁tradition ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁earliest ▁documented ▁mention ▁of ▁St . ▁George ▁in ▁England ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁Catholic ▁mon k ▁the ▁v ener able ▁B ede ▁( c . ▁ 6 7 3 – 7 3 5 ). ▁ ▁His ▁fe ast ▁day ▁is ▁also ▁mentioned ▁in ▁the ▁Dur ham ▁Collect ar , ▁a ▁nin th - century ▁lit urg ical ▁work . ▁The ▁will ▁of ▁Alfred ▁the ▁Great ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁the ▁saint , ▁in ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁church ▁of ▁F ording ton , ▁Dor set . ▁At ▁F ording ton ▁a ▁stone ▁over ▁the ▁south ▁door ▁records ▁the ▁mi rac ul ous ▁appearance ▁of ▁St . ▁George ▁to ▁lead ▁cr us aders ▁into ▁battle . ▁Early ▁( c . ▁ 1 0 th ▁century ) ▁dedic ations ▁of ▁churches ▁to ▁St . ▁George ▁are ▁noted ▁in ▁England , ▁for ▁example ▁at ▁F ording ham , ▁Dor set , ▁at ▁Th et ford , ▁South w ark ▁and ▁Don c aster . ▁In ▁the ▁past , ▁histor ians ▁mistaken ly ▁pointed ▁to ▁the ▁Syn od ▁of ▁Oxford ▁in ▁ 1 2 2 2 ▁as ▁elev ating ▁the ▁fe ast ▁to ▁special ▁prom in ence , ▁but ▁the ▁earliest ▁manuscript s ▁of ▁the ▁syn od ' s ▁declaration ▁do ▁not ▁mention ▁the ▁fe ast