So You Think You Know St. George’s…

Many a Regency romance ends with a great society wedding at St. George’s in Hanover Square…but how much do you know about the famed church?

1. The Parish Church of St. George was completed in what year?
   1. 1711
   2. 1716
   3. 1725
   4. 1731

Answer: C  St. George’s was part of the Fifty New Churches Act passed in 1711, but wasn’t until 1720 that a location was approved and a design was chosen.  The first stone was laid in 1721 and the building was certified complete on March 20, 1725. Three days later it was consecrated by the Bishop of London.

2. What denomination is St. George’s?
   1. Catholic
   2. Anglican
   3. Lutheran
   4. Presbyterian

Answer: B  St. George’s is an Anglican (Church of England) church, part of the Diocese of London. It is the parish church of Mayfair.

3. Which American president was married at St. George’s?
   1. Teddy Roosevelt
   2. Franklin Roosevelt
   3. Woodrow Wilson
   4. Andrew Jackson

Answer: A  Teddy Roosevelt married his childhood sweetheart Edith Kermit Carow in 1886. He took a room at Brown’s Hotel in Dover Street to meet the residency requirement, and remains the only American president to be married at St. George’s. His wedding also inspired many other Americans to marry at the church.

4. According to tradition, St. George was a native of Asia Minor.  When did he become the patron saint of England?
   1. The sixth century
   2. The ninth century
   3. The eleventh century
   4. The thirteenth century

Answer: C  A vision of St. George (along with St. Demetrius) spurred on the Norman troops at the battle of Antioch during the First Crusade in 1098. The Normans won the battle, and adopted St. George as their patron.

5. Which famous composer was a regular worshiper at St. George’s?
   1. Handel
   2. Brahms
   3. Bach
   4. Purcell

Answer: A  George Friderick Handel emigrated to London from his native Germany in 1724, purchasing a house in Brook Street just as the church was nearing completion. His opinion was sought on the suitability of the organ when it was being installed, and he provided the music for the testing of candidates to play it. In 1726 he became a naturalized British citizen, attending services at St. George’s until he died in 1759.

So how did you do? What fact surprised you most?

Want to learn more about St. George’s? Visit their website at http://www.stgeorgeshanoversquare.org/Default.aspx