Saint George the Triumphant, Great Martyr

Life of Saint George:

George, the truly great and glorious Martyr of Christ, was born of a father from Cappadocia and a mother from Palestine. Being a military tribune, or chiliarch (that is, a commander of a thousand troops), he was illustrious in battle and highly honored for his courage, virtue of his mind, physical strength, military bearing and his handsome appearance. Saint George stood out among his fellow soldiers and became a favorite of Diocletian the Emperor. When he learned that Diocletian was preparing a persecution of the Christians, Saint George presented himself publicly before the Emperor and denounced him. When threats and promises could not move him from his steadfast confession, he was put to unheard-of tortures being confined in a dungeon, where they placed him supine on the ground; his legs they confined in stocks, and on his breast they placed a heavy stone. But Saint George valiantly endured the sufferings and glorified the Lord overcoming them by his faith and love towards Christ. Enraged, George's torturers began to refine their cruelty. They beat the Saint with ox hide whips, subjected him to the wheel, threw him into quicklime and forced him to run in shoes with sharp nails inside. The holy Martyr endured everything patiently. Finally, the Emperor ordered the Saint's head to be cut off. Thus, the holy sufferer departed unto Christ in Nicomedia in 303 AD. The Great martyr George, for his valance and for his spiritual victory over the torturers, who could not force him to renounce Christianity, and likewise for his wonderworking assistance to people in danger is additionally called the "Trophy bearer" or the “Triumphant”. By the wondrous signs that took place in his martyrdom, he guided many to the knowledge of the truth, including Queen Alexandra, wife of Diocletian (who later also died a martyr for Christ – celebrated on April 21st).

Relics of Saint George:

After his beheading, his servant collected his precious relics and testament and went to Palestine, where he and the Christians interred that sacred body with reverence and honor. The servant also fulfilled all the requests bequeathed by the saint. Now much time had passed before the great and ever-memorable Constantine held the scepter as the first Christian Emperor (306-337) and shone forth in piety as an equal to the apostles. It was during his reign that the friends and admirers of Saint George, under the direction of the emperor's mother, Saint Helen, built an elegant and beautiful church in Lydda (thirty miles from Jerusalem). The Christians translated the relics of Saint George to the newly built church. Simultaneously with the deposition of the relics, the church was consecrated and dedicated on the third of November. From the creation of this spiritual centre the Christian community expanded in Lydda, so that in 325 its bishop attended the first Ecumenical Council. In the fifth century, the majestic basilica attracted many pilgrims. After the Arab conquest in the seventh century, the Crusaders rebuilt the church into a fortified cathedral. In 1260, the cathedral was destroyed by the Mamelukes. On account of the fame of the saint's miracles, in 1268, the Muslims built a large mosque on part of the Crusader cathedral's ruins, which had incorporated stonework from earlier churches, including columns and other architectural remains from the Byzantine church that had stood on the site. Parts of the fifth-century basilica are even now incorporated in the mosque called Djamaa-al-Kabir, which has persevered on one of the pillars the following Greek inscription: "Those administering the city of old adorned this splendid edifice sacred to the glory of Christ." It was in 1870 that the Orthodox received permission to erect a church on the remaining portion of the ruins that lie adjacent to the mosque. The present day Church of Saint George was built over the ruins of the Crusader cathedral in 1893. Remnants of the Byzantine church can be viewed in the courtyard. The tomb of the Great-martyr is now in the crypt of this church. Since the saint has wrought many miracles for the demonized, a set of chains in which the demonized were restrained has been attached to a column at the right of the iconstasision (icon stand). For those who hasten with faith to the saint, an ever flowing stream of miracles gushes forth from the saint's relics; for God knows to glorify those who glorify Him. Hence the holy Church commemorates this feast annually on the third of November, that is, the translation of the relics of Saint George, to the glory and praise of Christ, our true God, and His Great-martyr George.

Depictions of Saint George:

On icons, Saint George is depicted sitting on a white horse, slaying a dragon with a spear. It is said that not far from the place where Saint George was born, in a lake lived a dragon that frequently devoured people. In order to appease the wrath of that dragon the superstitious inhabitants gave up a youth or maiden to be eaten. Once the lot fell on the daughter of the local ruler but when the beast began to approach her, a radiant youth appeared on a white horse, which killed the dragon with a spear and saved the maiden. This youth was the Great Martyr Saint George. By such a miraculous appearance he converted to Christ the inhabitants of that country, who until then were pagans.

Commemoration of Saint George:

Feast Day: April 23rd – If the feast day of Saint George falls within the Lenten Period it is moved to the first day after Pascha (Easter)*

Saint George is one of the most widely venerated saints of the Orthodox Church as he stood out as a shinning beacon of Christian love and sacrifice at a time where the precious blood of martyrs was abundantly shed and thus George, Giorgios or Georgia is a popular name among Eastern Orthodox Christians.

Apolytikion (Hymn) in the Fourth Tone

As the liberator of prisoners, and the protector of those in poverty, physician of the sick, and defender of ruling kings, O George Triumphant Great Martyr, intercede with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

Cultivated by God, you became manifest as an honorable tiller gathering for yourself the sheaves of virtue. For you sowed with tears but reaped with gladness; in the contest you competed with your blood and came away with Christ. By your intercessions, O Holy One, all are granted forgiveness of sins.