Supporters of the change, to be unveiled in a General Synod motion this week, claim Alban may be more appropriate not only because he was real while George may be mythical, but because of his self-sacrifice.

Alban was a 4th century martyr who was put to death after hiding a Christian priest from the Romans in what is now the Hertfordshire city named after him.

The proposal may dismay many England fans, who have been flying George’s banner in support of their football team. The flag of St Alban would be a diagonal yellow cross on a blue background.

Philip Chester, vicar of St Matthew’s, Westminster, who is gathering support for his private member’s motion, called the choice of George, who according to legend was a Roman cavalryman from what is now Turkey, “dotty”.

He added: “We are not at all sure George even existed . . . but we are sure St Alban is a real figure. What’s more, he lived in this country.”

Chester’s motion, which needs the signatures of 100 synod members before it is debated formally, calls on Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, “to acknowledge St Alban as the patron saint of England.”

Williams appeared cautious last week. “I think St Alban is irreplaceable in the history of English Christianity. Perhaps we ought to raise his profile because it’s the beginning of the church in this country with martyrdom, wisdom and courage,” he said.

George has been England’s leading saint since knights brought his legend back from the holy land in the Middle Ages and he was adopted by Edward III as patron of the Order of the Garter in 1348.

Some modern vicars, however, shy away from marking his feast day because they dislike his association with the violence of the crusades against the Islamic world.

David Stancliffe, Bishop of Salisbury, said: “There was a time when the image of St George associated with belligerence was helpful, particularly in our imperial past. But I think there’s been a change and now we want to honour holiness.”

• Anglican traditionalists have claimed that a statement by Rowan Williams intended to reunite the church has opened the way for them to set up their own “third province” within the Church of England.

  Williams was trying to heal the schism in the Anglican communion over gay priests when he said last week there was a “need for local churches to work for ordered and mutual respectful separation”.

  Additional reporting: Anna Mikhailova

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