Petition · past parliament

Restore St Edmund as Patron Saint of England & make 20th Nov a public holiday

Rejected 11 signatures

What the petition asks

Restore St. Edmund as the rightful Patron Saint of England and make 20th November a public holiday for England.
Edmund is an indigenous Anglo-Saxon who died in defence of the Christian religion, whereas St George NEVER even came to England !
Edmund is an indigenous Anglo-Saxon who died in defence of the Christian religion, whereas St George NEVER even came to England !
Unlike many medieval saints, St Edmund was a real person - he was a king who ruled the Anglo Saxon realm of East Anglia between AD 855 and 869.
He was the Patron Saint of England before St George.
Edmund shared the title of patron saint of monarchy with Edward the Confessor from 1066 onwards, while St George became England's only patron saint in 1400.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

We can't accept your petition because the UK Government and Parliament aren't responsible for the issue you raise. The Government is not responsible for designating patron saints. St George was made patron of the Order of the Garter by King Edward III.

Timeline

23 Apr 2022 Petition opened for signatures
26 Apr 2022 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 11
Status Rejected
Rejected 26 Apr 2022

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.