This Thursday, 23 April, you will see the flag of St George flying from the tower of Chelmsford Cathedral. We wanted to take a moment to tell you what it means to us.
The cross at the heart of St George's flag is, first and foremost, a Christian symbol. It speaks not of power or superiority, but of sacrifice, of love freely given, and of the redemption of all people. It is a sign of a love that knows no boundaries and a hospitality that welcomes the stranger as a friend.
That is the story we tell from this Cathedral every day. It is the story of a God who, in the words of John's Gospel, so loved the world - the whole world - that he gave his only Son.
St George himself reminds us of our global interconnectedness. He was not English but was born in what is now Turkey and served as a Roman soldier in Palestine. He was a man of complex heritage whose life took him far from home. He was venerated not only by Christians, but across faiths. At the ancient shrine of Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, Christians, Muslims and Jews have gathered for centuries to honour his memory. He died, around AD 303, not in battle, but as a martyr, refusing to renounce his faith. In a powerful sense, the patron saint of England is himself a figure of multicultural identity and quiet, unyielding courage.
In February this year The Bishop of Barking, The Right Revd Lynne Cullens, was among a group of Church of England bishops who spoke clearly on this very matter - the flag of St George 'cannot be owned by any one group or cause. Rather it is a symbol of unity, inclusion and our common life around which we all gather.' It is in that spirit - and that spirit alone - that we fly it here.
When we fly this flag, we are not making a political statement. We are making a theological one. We are saying: this Cathedral is a place for everyone. That the cross stands for love, not exclusion. That England, at its best, is a place of welcome, of honesty about its history, and of genuine care for neighbour - whoever that neighbour might be.
This St George’s Day, we pray that we might all find the courage to face our present-day dragons with grace, and that our national symbols might always be used to build bridges rather than walls.
We fly the flag as an invitation. It is a sign that this Cathedral is a place of sanctuary for everyone, regardless of background or belief. We invite you to come in, to light a candle and sit quietly in our Cathedral. To know that you are welcome here - whoever you are, wherever you have come from.
Happy St George's Day.
