Petition · past parliament
To replace St George with St Cuthbert as the patron saint of England.
Rejected
19 signatures
What the petition asks
St Cuthbert would make a much better patron saint for England, because:
1. He lived in England (unlike St George).
2. He worked to bring harmony and peace (unlike St George).
3. He is associated with wildlife and wild places, representing the natural capital of our country.
1. He lived in England (unlike St George).
2. He worked to bring harmony and peace (unlike St George).
3. He is associated with wildlife and wild places, representing the natural capital of our country.
Born in Melrose, Scotland in AD 635, Cuthbert was a soldier before becoming a monk, earning a reputation for sanctity and devotion. He was a Celtic Christian, but after the Synod of Whitby (AD 664) he worked to bring Roman and Celtic Christians together and heal divisions. He did his greatest work at Lindisfarne and spent was an ascetic hermit on the Farne Islands, which are now one of our finest nature reserves. He was Bishop of Lindisfarne for just a year before his death on 20th March 687.
Why it was rejected
It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.
St George's status as patron saint of England is a matter of tradition, rather than having any legal or constitutional status.
Timeline
| 20 Mar 2017 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
19
Status
Rejected
Rejected
5 Apr 2017
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.