George the Victorious years of life. St. George the Victorious is a saint who is revered in different religions
1. Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious (St. George, George of Cappadocia, George of Lydda; Greek: Άγιος Γεώργιος) - one of the most revered saints in our Church, born in Cappadocia (rev. region in Asia Minor), in a Christian family.
2. His father accepted martyrdom for Christ when George was still a child. After the death of her husband, the saint's mother, who owned estates in Palestine, took her son home and raised him in strict piety. When the young man was 20 years old, his mother died, leaving him a rich inheritance.
3. Having reached the required age, George entered military service, where he, distinguished by intelligence, courage and physical strength, became one of the commanders and the favorite of Emperor Diocletian.
4. Having learned about the emperor’s decision to give all rulers complete freedom to deal with Christians, Saint George distributed his inheritance to the poor, appeared before the emperor and confessed himself to be a Christian. Diocletian immediately condemned his commander to torture.
"The Miracle of George about the Serpent." Icon, late 14th century
5. The inhuman torment of the saint continued for 8 days, but every day the Lord strengthened and healed his confessor.
6. Deciding that George was using magic, the emperor ordered the sorcerer Athanasius to be called. When the saint was not harmed by the potions offered by the sorcerer, the martyr was asked to resurrect the deceased in order to disgrace the faith of the saint and God in whom he believes. But, through the prayers of the martyr, the earth shook, the dead man stood up and left his tomb. Many believed then, seeing such a miracle.
Life icon of St. George
7. On the last night before the execution, the Lord Himself appeared to the martyr, who placed a crown on the head of the great martyr and said: “Do not be afraid, but dare and you will be worthy to reign with Me.”
8. The next morning Diocletian made a last attempt to break the saint and invited him to sacrifice to idols. Going to the temple, George expelled demons from the idols, the idols fell and were crushed.
The beheading of Saint George. Fresco by Altichiero da Zevio in the Chapel of San Giorgio, Padua
9. On the same day, April 23 (Old Style) 303, Saint George suffered a martyr’s death. Calmly and courageously, the Great Martyr George bowed his head under the sword.
10. On the day of St. George, the Church celebrates the memory of Queen Alexandra, the wife of Emperor Diocletian, who, seeing the faith and torment of the saint, professed herself a Christian and was immediately sentenced to death by her husband.
Paolo Uccello. Battle of St. George with the serpent
11. One of the most famous posthumous miracles of Saint George is his victory over the serpent (dragon), which devastated the land of a pagan king. When the lot fell to give the king’s daughter to be torn to pieces by the monster, the Great Martyr George appeared on horseback and pierced the serpent with a spear, saving the princess from death. The appearance of the saint and the miraculous salvation of people from the serpent led to the massive conversion of local residents to Christianity.
Tomb of St. St. George the Victorious in Lod
12. Saint George is buried in the city of Lod (formerly Lydda), in Israel. A temple was built over his tomb ( en:Church of Saint George, Lod), which belongs to the Jerusalem Orthodox Church.
Great Martyr George - Part 2
Great Martyr George - Part 3
Gustave Moreau – 1890. Saint George and the Dragon.
Many centuries ago, a peasant who lived near Nicomedia, one of the Middle Eastern cities, had a misfortune - his ox fell into the abyss and died. The owner of the animal was a poor man. He only had one ox; he did not have the means to buy a new one. Being in despair, that man did not know how to continue to live. But suddenly he heard that there was a prisoner in the city prison who had amazing abilities and allegedly knew how to return life to a dead body. In another situation, this man would have ignored such news, but now he was ready to accept any help. And now the peasant is already in a hurry to the prison, bribes the guards for a couple of coins and approaches the cell of that same prisoner.
What does he see? A young man lies on the stone floor, his body showing signs of severe torture. The peasant understood that his misfortune was nothing compared to what this prisoner had to endure. He was about to leave without making his request. But suddenly the prisoner opened his eyes and said to the peasant: “Don’t be sad! Go home. By the will of Jesus Christ, the God whom I serve, your ox will be alive and well again.” The delighted peasant hurried home, where he actually found his bull alive and well. A few days later he heard that the prisoner who had helped him had been killed by order of the emperor.
The name of this man remains in history and is familiar to every Orthodox Christian. His name was George, and the Church revered him as the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious.
The memory of Saint George is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on May 6 according to the new style. The tradition of his veneration has been preserved since ancient times.
George came from a wealthy family that lived in the city of Beirut (now the capital of the state of Lebanon). We do not know the names of George's parents, but it is known that they were Christians and also raised their son in the Christian faith.
From a young age, George wanted to enlist in military service - he was physically developed, brave and noble. Having become a warrior in the Roman army, George soon reached the rank of commander (in our opinion, colonel). Thanks to his talents, he becomes close to Emperor Diocletian.
Diocletian is a very interesting person. He was a man with an absolutely state mentality. For him there were no personal needs; he sacrificed all his personal desires and aspirations to the needs of the state. Diocletian, wanting to strengthen the Roman Empire, at some point decided to restore the ancient cult of worship of the emperor as a deity. Anyone who did not want to recognize the greatness of the emperor had to suffer death.
Thus began the persecution of Christians - after all, first of all, Christians refused to observe the cult of the emperor, considering this a betrayal of their faith. George understood that suffering awaited him too. Being a brave man, he himself appeared to Diocletian and declared himself a Christian.
Diocletian was at a loss - his faithful warrior calls himself a Christian and refuses to regard the emperor as a god. He tried to persuade George to renounce Christ. But when Diocletian realized that the words did not bring the desired effect, he ordered George to be subjected to various tortures.
To begin with, he was put in prison, and then they began to brutally torture him. The holy martyr endured everything patiently and did not renounce his faith. As a result, the emperor ordered George's head to be cut off. This happened in the city of Nicomedia in the year 303.
And here is how the feat of St. George is described in the work of the ancient historian Eusebius of Caesarea “Ecclesiastical History”: “Immediately, as soon as the decree on churches was promulgated in Nicomedia, a certain man, not unknown, but of the highest, according to worldly ideas, rank, moved by ardent Zeal for God and prompted by faith, he grabbed the decree, nailed in plain view in a public place, and tore it into pieces, like a godless and most wicked person. This man, who became famous in this way, withstood everything that was due for such insolence, maintaining a clear mind and calmness until his last breath.”
The Holy Great Martyr George is usually called “the Victorious.” Many believe that this naming is due to the fact that George brings victory in military operations. Indeed, in Russia it is customary to depict St. George on army banners, and the Order of St. George has long been considered the main military order in our country. The tradition of military veneration of the saint is reflected in many cultural monuments, for example, in the poem “St. George the Victorious” by Nikolai Gumilyov.
But the Church calls George “Victorious” not only because he is the patron saint of pious warriors. The Orthodox Church calls us to think more deeply about this naming. Christians call George “the Victorious,” first of all, for his courage and spiritual victory over his tormentors, who could not force him to renounce Christianity. Thanks to the example of courage shown by Saint George, as well as thanks to numerous martyrs like him, the Roman Empire already in the 4th century began to degenerate from a pagan state into a Christian state.St. George is often depicted in icons at the moment when he kills a giant dragon with a spear. The appearance of such an image is associated with an event that occurred after the death of the saint. Church tradition tells that a huge reptile settled in a lake near the Middle Eastern city of Ebal. The inhabitants of Ebal were afraid of her and, having begun to reverence her as a deity, began to make human sacrifices to her. During one of these sacrifices, an amazing rider on a horse appeared before the people and struck the reptile with a spear. This horseman, as you already guessed, was the Holy Great Martyr George.
The Church does not insist on the historical authenticity of this miracle. She calls on Christians to perceive the victory of St. George over the dragon as a spiritual image of the struggle between good and evil within every person. We often notice that we have bad habits, evil emotions, and an unkind attitude towards people. This is the dragon, the personification of evil, with whom the Church helps us fight and defeat through the prayers of St. George the Victorious.
The program uses materials from the Rossiya TV channel, the Culture TV channel, and the Sretenie center for cultural initiatives.
The most famous miracle of St. George is the liberation of Princess Alexandra (in another version, Elisava) and the victory over the devilish serpent.
San Giorgio Schiavoni. St. George fights the dragon.
This happened in the vicinity of the Lebanese city of Lasia. The local king paid an annual tribute to a monstrous serpent that lived among the Lebanese mountains, in a deep lake: by lot, one person was given to it to be eaten every year. One day, the lot fell to the daughter of the ruler himself, a chaste and beautiful girl, one of the few residents of Lasia who believed in Christ, to be devoured by a snake. The princess was brought to the serpent's lair, and she was already crying and awaiting a terrible death.
Suddenly a warrior on horseback appeared to her, who, making the sign of the cross, struck with a spear a serpent, deprived of demonic power by the power of God.
Together with Alexandra, George came to the city, which he had saved from a terrible tribute. The pagans mistook the victorious warrior for an unknown god and began to praise him, but George explained to them that he served the true God - Jesus Christ. Many townspeople, led by the ruler, listening to the confession of the new faith, were baptized. On the main square a temple was built in honor of the Mother of God and St. George the Victorious. The rescued princess took off her royal clothes and remained at the temple as a simple novice.
From this miracle originates the image of St. George the Victorious - the conqueror of evil, embodied in a snake - a monster. The combination of Christian holiness and military valor made George an example of a medieval warrior-knight - a defender and liberator.
This is how the Middle Ages saw St. George the Victorious. And against its background, the historical St. George the Victorious, a warrior who gave his life for his faith and defeated death, somehow got lost and faded.
In the rank of martyrs, the Church glorifies those who suffered for Christ and accepted a painful death with His name on their lips, without renouncing their faith. This is the largest rank of saints, numbering thousands of men and women, old people and children, who suffered from pagans, godless authorities of various times, and militant infidels. But among these saints there are especially revered ones - the great martyrs. The suffering that befell them was so great that the human mind cannot comprehend the power of patience and faith of such saints and only explains them with the help of God, as everything superhuman and incomprehensible.
Such a great martyr was George, a wonderful young man and courageous warrior.
George was born in Cappadocia, a region in the very center of Asia Minor, which was part of the Roman Empire. Since early Christian times, this region was known for its cave monasteries and Christian ascetics who led in this harsh region, where they had to endure the heat of the day and the cold of the night, droughts and winter frosts, an ascetic and prayerful life.
George was born in the 3rd century (no later than 276) into a rich and noble family: his father, named Gerontius, a Persian by birth, was a high-ranking nobleman - a senator with the dignity of a stratilate *; mother Polychronia, a native of the Palestinian city of Lydda (the modern city of Lod near Tel Aviv), owned extensive estates in her homeland. As often happened at that time, the spouses adhered to different beliefs: Gerontius was a pagan, and Polychronia professed Christianity. Polychronia was involved in raising his son, so George absorbed Christian traditions from childhood and grew up to be a pious young man.
*Stratilate (Greek Στρατηλάτης) is a highly titled person in the Byzantine Empire, the commander-in-chief of the army, who sometimes combined the management of some part of the empire with military activities.
From his youth, George was distinguished by physical strength, beauty and courage. He received an excellent education and could live in idleness and pleasure, spending his parents' inheritance (his parents died before he reached the age of majority). However, the young man chose a different path for himself and entered military service. In the Roman Empire, people were accepted into the army at the age of 17-18, and the usual period of service was 16 years.
The marching life of the future great martyr began under the emperor Diocletian, who became his sovereign, commander, benefactor and tormentor, who gave the order for his execution.
Diocletian (245-313) came from a poor family and began serving in the army as a simple soldier. He immediately distinguished himself in battles, since there were plenty of such opportunities in those days: the Roman state, torn apart by internal contradictions, also suffered raids from numerous barbarian tribes. Diocletian quickly went from soldier to commander, gaining popularity among the troops thanks to his intelligence, physical strength, determination and courage. In 284, the soldiers proclaimed their commander emperor, expressing their love and trust in him, but at the same time presenting him with the difficult task of governing the empire during one of the most difficult periods of its history.
Diocletian made Maximian, an old friend and comrade-in-arms, his co-ruler, and then they shared power with the young Caesars Galerius and Constantius, adopted by custom. This was necessary to cope with riots, wars and the difficulties of destruction in different parts of the state. Diocletian dealt with the affairs of Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and made the city of Nicomedia (now Ismid, in Turkey) his residence.
While Maximian suppressed uprisings within the empire and resisted the raids of Germanic tribes, Diocletian moved with his army east - to the borders of Persia. Most likely, during these years the young man George entered service in one of Diocletian’s legions, marching through his native land. Then the Roman army fought with the Sarmatian tribes on the Danube. The young warrior was distinguished by his courage and strength, and Diocletian noticed such people and promoted them.
George especially distinguished himself in the war with the Persians in 296-297, when the Romans, in a dispute for the Armenian throne, defeated the Persian army and drove it across the Tigris, annexing several more provinces to the empire. George, who served in cohort of Invictors(“invincible”), where they were placed for special military merits, was appointed military tribune - the second commander in the legion after the legate, and later appointed committee- this was the name of the senior military commander who accompanied the emperor on his travels. Since the comites formed the emperor’s retinue and at the same time were his advisers, this position was considered very honorable.
Diocletian, an inveterate pagan, treated Christians quite tolerantly for the first fifteen years of his reign. Most of his closest assistants, of course, were like-minded people - adherents of traditional Roman cults. But Christians - warriors and officials - could quite safely move up the career ladder and occupy the highest government positions.
The Romans generally showed great tolerance towards the religions of other tribes and peoples. Various foreign cults were freely practiced throughout the empire - not only in the provinces, but also in Rome itself, where foreigners were only required to respect the Roman state cult and perform their rites privately, without imposing them on others.
However, almost simultaneously with the advent of Christian preaching, the Roman religion was replenished with a new cult, which became the source of many troubles for Christians. It was cult of the Caesars.
With the advent of imperial power in Rome, the idea of a new deity appeared: the genius of the emperor. But very soon the veneration of the genius of the emperors grew into the personal deification of the crowned princes. At first, only dead Caesars were deified. But gradually, under the influence of Eastern ideas, in Rome they became accustomed to considering the living Caesar as a god, they gave him the title “our god and ruler” and fell on their knees before him. Those who, through negligence or disrespect, did not want to honor the emperor were treated as the greatest criminals. Therefore, even the Jews, who otherwise firmly adhered to their religion, tried to get along with the emperors in this matter. When Caligula (12-41) was informed about the Jews that they did not sufficiently express reverence for the sacred person of the emperor, they sent a deputation to him to say: “We make sacrifices for you, and not simple sacrifices, but hecatombs (hundreds). We have done this three times already - on the occasion of your accession to the throne, on the occasion of your illness, for your recovery and for your victory.”
This is not the language Christians spoke to emperors. Instead of the kingdom of Caesar, they preached the kingdom of God. They had one Lord - Jesus, so it was impossible to worship both the Lord and Caesar at the same time. During the time of Nero, Christians were forbidden to use coins with the image of Caesar on them; Moreover, there could be no compromises with the emperors, who demanded that the imperial person be titled “Lord and God.” The refusal of Christians to make sacrifices to pagan gods and to deify Roman emperors was perceived as a threat to the established ties between the people and the gods.
The pagan philosopher Celsus addressed Christians with admonitions: “Is there anything bad in acquiring the favor of the ruler of people; After all, it is not without divine permission that power over the world is obtained? If you are required to swear in the name of the emperor, there is nothing wrong with that; for everything you have in life you receive from the emperor.”
But Christians thought differently. Tertullian taught his brothers in faith: “Give your money to Caesar, and yourself to God. But if you give everything to Caesar, what will be left for God? I want to call the emperor a ruler, but only in the ordinary sense, if I am not forced to put him in the place of God as a ruler” (Apology, ch. 45).
Diocletian eventually also demanded divine honors. And, of course, he immediately encountered disobedience from the Christian population of the empire. Unfortunately, this meek and peaceful resistance of the followers of Christ coincided with increasing difficulties within the country, which aroused open rumors against the emperor, and was regarded as a rebellion.
In the winter of 302, co-emperor Galerius pointed out to Diocletian the “source of discontent”—Christians—and proposed to begin persecuting the Gentiles.
The emperor turned for a prediction regarding his future to the temple of Apollo of Delphi. The Pythia told him that she could not make a divination because she was being interfered with by those who were destroying her power. The priests of the temple interpreted these words in such a way that it was all the fault of Christians, from whom all the troubles in the state originated. So the emperor’s inner circle, secular and priestly, pushed him to make the main mistake in his life - to begin persecution of believers in Christ, known in history as the Great Persecution.
On February 23, 303, Diocletian issued the first edict against Christians, which ordered "to destroy churches to the ground, burn holy books and deprive Christians of honorary positions". Soon after this, the imperial palace in Nicomedia was twice engulfed in fire. This coincidence gave rise to unsubstantiated accusations of arson against Christians. Following this, two more decrees appeared - on the persecution of priests and on the obligatory sacrifice to the pagan gods for everyone. Those who refused sacrifices were subject to imprisonment, torture and death. Thus began the persecution that claimed the lives of several thousand citizens of the Roman Empire - Romans, Greeks, people from barbarian peoples. The entire Christian population of the country, quite numerous, was divided into two parts: some, for the sake of deliverance from torment, agreed to make pagan sacrifices, while others confessed Christ to death, because they considered such sacrifices to be a renunciation of Christ, remembering His words: “No servant can serve two.” masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be zealous for one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13).
Saint George did not even think about worshiping pagan idols, so he prepared for torment for the faith: he distributed gold, silver and all the rest of his wealth to the poor, and granted freedom to his slaves and servants. Then he appeared in Nicomedia for a council with Diocletian, where all his military leaders and associates gathered, and openly declared himself a Christian.
The assembly was amazed and looked at the emperor, who sat in silence, as if struck by thunder. Diocletian did not expect such an act from his devoted military leader, longtime comrade-in-arms. According to the Life of the Saint, the following dialogue took place between him and the emperor:
“George,” said Diocletian, “I have always marveled at your nobility and courage; you received a high position from me for your military merits.” Out of love for you, as a father, I give you advice - do not condemn your life to torment, make a sacrifice to the gods, and you will not lose your rank and my favor.
“The kingdom that you now enjoy,” answered George, “is impermanent, vain and transitory, and his pleasures will perish along with it.” Those who are deceived by them receive no benefit. Believe in the true God, and He will give you the best kingdom - an immortal one. For his sake, no torment will frighten my soul.
The emperor became angry and ordered the guards to arrest George and throw him into prison. There he was stretched out on the prison floor, his feet were put in stocks, and a heavy stone was placed on his chest, so that it was difficult to breathe and impossible to move.
The next day, Diocletian ordered George to be brought in for interrogation:
“Have you repented or will you be disobedient again?”
“Do you really think that I will be exhausted from such a small torment?” - answered the saint. “You’ll sooner get tired of torturing me than I’ll get tired of enduring torment.”
The angry emperor gave the order to resort to torture to force George to renounce Christ. Once upon a time, during the years of the Roman Republic, torture was used only on slaves in order to extract testimony from them during the judicial investigation. But during the Empire, pagan society became so corrupted and brutalized that torture began to be often used on free citizens. The torture of Saint George was particularly savage and cruel. The naked martyr was tied to a wheel, under which the torturers placed boards with long nails. Rotating on the wheel, George’s body was torn apart by these nails, but his mind and lips prayed to God, at first loudly, then more and more quietly...
Michael van Coxie. Martyrdom of St. George.
- He died, why didn’t the Christian God deliver him from death? - said Diocletian when the martyr completely calmed down, and with these words he left the place of execution.
This, apparently, is the end of the historical layer in the Life of St. George. Next, the hagiographer talks about the miraculous resurrection of the martyr and the ability he acquired from God to emerge unharmed from the most terrible torments and executions.
Apparently, the courage shown by George during the execution had a strong influence on the local residents and even on the emperor’s inner circle. The Life reports that during these days many people accepted Christianity, including a priest of the temple of Apollo named Athanasius, as well as Diocletian’s wife Alexandra.
According to the Christian understanding of the martyrdom of George, this was a battle with the enemy of the human race, from which the holy passion-bearer, who courageously endured the most severe torture to which human flesh has ever been subjected, emerged victorious, for which he was named the Victorious.
George won his last victory - over death - on April 23, 303, on the day of Good Friday.
The Great Persecution ended the era of paganism. The tormentor of St. George, Diocletian, just two years after these events was forced to resign as emperor under pressure from his own court circle, and spent the rest of his days on a distant estate growing cabbage. The persecution of Christians after his resignation began to subside and soon ceased completely. Ten years after the death of George, Emperor Constantine issued a decree according to which all their rights were returned to Christians. A new empire, a Christian one, was created on the blood of martyrs.
St. George the Victorious is one of the most revered great martyrs of the Christian Church. He was named so for his courage in the fight against his tormentors and for maintaining, in spite of everything, his faith and devotion to Christianity. The saint also became famous for his miraculous help to people. The life of St. George the Victorious is distinguished by many interesting facts, and the story of his first posthumous appearance to people is completely reminiscent of a fairy tale. It is not for nothing that events from the life of the holy saint are so interesting not only to adults, but also to children.
The miraculous appearance of St. George the Victorious
A long time ago, a huge snake appeared in the lake. There was no way for anyone to escape from it: the monster devoured everyone who wandered into the surrounding area. Local sages, after consulting, decided to appease the serpent by sacrificing their own children to him. Gradually it was the turn of the royal daughter herself, who was distinguished by her dazzling beauty.
On the appointed day, the girl was brought to the lake and left at the appointed place. People were left to watch the execution of the poor thing from afar. And this is what they saw, preparing to mourn the princess: out of nowhere, a stately horseman appeared in the clothes of a warrior and with a spear in his hands. He was not afraid of the snake, but crossed himself, rushed at the monster and killed it with a spear with one blow.
After this, the brave young man said to the princess: “Do not be afraid. Tie the snake with a belt and lead it to the city.” On their way, the people fled in horror when they saw the monster. But the warrior reassured them with the words: “Believe in our Lord, Jesus Christ. After all, it was he who sent me to deliver you from the serpent.” This is exactly how the miraculous appearance of St. George the Victorious happened to people, after the end of his life’s journey.
Life of the Holy Great Martyr
His earthly life turned out to be short. Therefore, the life of St. George the Victorious tells a little. The summary can be retold in a few paragraphs, but this saint went down in the history of Christianity as one of the most famous and revered great martyrs who accepted a calm and courageous death.
Birth and childhood
The life of the Great Martyr George the Victorious begins with his birth in Cappadocia. The saint's parents were pious and meek. was a martyr and accepted death for his faith. After which the mother, taking her son, moved to her homeland, Palestine. The boy was raised as a true Christian, received a good education, and thanks to his courage and remarkable strength, he soon entered military service.
Early years and service with the emperor
Already at the age of twenty, George had a whole cohort of invictiors (which means “invincible”) subordinate to him. With the title of commander of a thousand, the young man received the patronage of the emperor himself. However, he revered the Roman gods and was an ardent opponent of the Christian faith. Therefore, when, by decree of the emperor, they began to burn holy books and destroy churches, George distributed all his property to poor people and appeared in the Senate. There he publicly declared that Emperor Diocletian was a cruel and unjust ruler whom the people did not deserve. They tried to dissuade the handsome and brave young man, they begged him not to ruin his own glory and youth, but he was adamant. It is precisely this kind of unshakable faith that the life of St. George the Victorious, even in a brief summary, usually places at the head of all the virtues of the great martyr.
Trials and death
The young man was subjected to severe torture and then beheaded. Since he endured all the torture with courage and did not renounce Jesus Christ, St. George the Victorious was later included in This is the short life of St. George the Victorious.
The day of his execution took place on April 23, which corresponds to May 6 according to the new calendar. It is on this day that the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. George the Victorious. His relics are kept in the Israeli city of Lod, and a temple named after him was built there. And the severed head of the saint and his sword are in Rome to this day.
Miracles of St. George the Victorious
The main miracle that describes the life of St. George the Victorious is his victory over the serpent. It is this plot that is often depicted on Christian icons: the saint is depicted here on a white horse, and his spear strikes the monster’s mouth.
There is another, no less famous miracle that occurred after the death of the Great Martyr George and his canonization. This story happened after the Arab people attacked Palestine. One of the invaders entered an Orthodox church and found the priest there praying in front of the image of St. George the Victorious. Wanting to show disdain for the icon, the Arab took out his bow and shot an arrow at it. But it so happened that the fired arrow pierced the warrior’s hand without causing any damage to the icon.
Exhausted from pain, the Arab called the priest. He told him the story of St. George, and also advised him to hang his icon over his bed. The life of St. George the Victorious made such a strong impression on him that the Arab accepted Christianity, and then even began to preach it among his compatriots, for which he subsequently accepted the martyrdom of the righteous man.
Real miracles happened to George during torture. The cruel torture lasted 8 days, but by the will of the Lord the young man’s body was healed and strengthened, remaining unharmed. Then the emperor decided that he was using magic and wanted to destroy him with poisonous potions. When this did not bring harm to George, they decided to publicly shame him and force him to renounce his faith. The young man was offered to try to resurrect a dead person. Imagine the shock of the gathered people when, after the saint’s prayer, the dead man actually rose from the tomb, and the earth shook according to the will of God.
The healing spring that flowed on the spot where the Church of St. George the Victorious was built can be called nothing less than a miracle. It is located exactly where, according to legend, the saint dealt with the serpent.
What can you tell children about St. George?
St. George the Victorious became famous for many things during his life. The life will be interesting for children too. For example, you can tell them that this saint is revered not only in our country, but also abroad. And his life became the best example of how true faith in God helps us overcome any trials.
Young listeners will also be interested in the miracles that the Lord showed to the people through this great martyr. Thanks to them, many lost people regained their faith and came to Christ. George the Victorious lived in the 3rd century, but his exploits and miracles strengthen people’s faith today, giving them strength to cope with troubles and gratefully accept everything that life has in store for us.
Children often ask questions about why on icons the spear in the hand of St. George is thin and thin? It’s not like a snake, you can’t even kill a fly. In fact, this is not a spear, but a real, sincere prayer, which was the main weapon of the great martyr. After all, only with prayer, as well as great faith in the Lord, does a person gain enormous strength, courage and happiness.
Facts related to St. George the Victorious
- The saint is known by several names. In addition to the title of Saint George, he is called George of Lydda and Cappadocia, and in Greek the name of the great martyr is written like this: Άγιος Γεώργιος.
- On May 6, St. George's Day, the memory of Queen Alexandra, wife of Emperor Diocletian, is also honored. She took George’s torment so deeply to her heart and believed in his own faith so much that she recognized herself as a Christian. After which the emperor immediately sentenced her to death.
- St. George the Victorious, whose life became a true example of courage and bravery, is especially revered in Georgia. The first church named after St. George was built there in 335. Several centuries later, more and more temples and chapels began to be built. In total, there were as many of them erected in different parts of this country as there are days in the year - 365. Today it is impossible to find a single Georgian church that does not have the image of St. George the Victorious.
- It’s also very popular in Georgia. It is given to everyone - from ordinary people to rulers from the greatest dynasties. It was believed that a person named after St. George would never fail in anything and would emerge victorious from any situation.
Sometimes it is difficult to believe that the life of St. George the Victorious really describes the events that actually happened. After all, there is so much inhuman torment, valor and indestructible faith in him that it is simply impossible for us, mere mortals, to imagine. However, the story of this saint is the best example of how, with the help of true faith, you can overcome any adversity.
HOLY GREAT MARTYR GEORGE THE VICTORIOUS
The great confessor and wonderful warrior of Christ, Saint George, was born in the city of Beirut (in ancient times - Belit), in Cappadocia, no later than 276 into a family of rich and pious parents who raised him in the Christian faith.
His father, Gerontius, was a military leader in Cappadocia, martyred for confessing Christ when George was still a child. His mother, Polychronia, was the daughter of noble and wealthy parents with extensive estates near the city of Lydda in Palestine, where she moved with her son after the death of her husband.
Georgy received an excellent education and, distinguished by physical strength, beauty and courage, entered military service at a young age.
For his excellent knowledge of military affairs, Georgy, at the age of twenty, was appointed head of the famous cohort of invictiors (invincibles).
During the war between the Romans and the Persians (296-297), George showed amazing courage, for which the emperor appointed him a comit (companion) - a close associate of the emperor, accompanying him during his travels and receiving maintenance.
Emperor Diocletian reigned from 284 to 305 and was an ardent adherent of the ancient Roman religion, spending huge sums of money on the construction of pagan temples. He accused Christian priests of witchcraft, with which, in his opinion, they thwarted all his endeavors. On February 23, 303, the emperor issued the first edict against Christians: “to destroy churches to the ground, burn sacred books and deprive Christians of honorary positions.”
Soon after this, the imperial palace in Nicomedia was twice engulfed in fire. This coincidence gave rise to unsubstantiated accusations of arson against Christians. The greatest persecution in the history of Christianity began. Diocletian drew his sword on God's righteous people. Instead of criminals, the prisons were filled with confessors of the true God. The first victims were Christians who served in the imperial army.
It was at this time that the wonderful warrior of Christ George appeared, like a bright star. Despite his youth, George possessed the wisdom of an old man.
Once in the courtroom and hearing the lawless and terrible judgment about the extermination of Christians, George was inflamed with holy zeal for the faith. He distributed everything he had to the poor: gold, silver, precious clothes (George’s mother had died by this time), freed the slaves on his estates and decided to stand to the death for Christ: rejecting human fear, he girded his loins with the truth and, putting on the armor of righteousness, Having put on the helmet of salvation, taking the shield of faith and the spiritual sword, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:14-17), he embarked on the path of struggle with the emperor Diocletian, realizing that the time had come that would serve to save his soul.
At the last meeting of the emperor with like-minded people, George boldly spoke: “How long will it take you, king, and you, princes and advisers, to commit evil deeds? You are mistaken in worshiping idols. The true God is Jesus Christ, who is persecuted by you. I am a servant of Christ, my God, and I came here to testify to the truth.” The enraged king ordered his squires to imprison George, hammer his feet into stocks, and place a heavy stone on his chest. Having endured torture with God's help, George answered the king when he began to convince him to repent: “Do you really think, king, that suffering will distract me from the faith? You will sooner tire of tormenting me than I will tire of enduring torment.”
After these words, Diocletian ordered to bring a newly invented instrument of torture - a wheel with iron points driven into it. When, after the wheeling, everyone recognized the righteous man as dead, suddenly a thunderclap was heard and the words were heard: “Don’t be afraid, George! I'm with you!" George, healed by the Angel, himself came off the wheel, glorifying God. Seeing the miraculous salvation of George, the royal dignitaries Anthony, Protoleon and Queen Alexandra wanted to convert to Christianity. For confessing Christ, the king ordered the dignitaries to be seized, taken out of the city and their heads cut off. Queen Alexander was ordered to be locked in the palace, and Saint George was to be covered with quicklime for three days. Three days later, the emperor ordered the bones of the martyr to be dug up, but the servants found Saint George unharmed and brought him to the king.
“Tell George,” asked Diocletian, “where do you get such power and what kind of magic do you use?” “Tsar,” answered George, you are blaspheming God. Seduced by the devil, you are mired in the errors of paganism and call the miracles of my God, performed before your eyes, enchantments.” Diocletian ordered boots with nails inside to be put on George’s feet and driven to the very dungeon with beatings and abuse.
The nobleman Magnentius suggested that Diocletian turn to the famous sorcerer Athanasius. When the sorcerer appeared at the palace, the emperor told him: “Either defeat and destroy George’s sorcery and make him submissive to us, or take his life.”
In the morning in court, Athanasius showed two vessels and ordered the convict to be brought. “If a madman drinks from the first vessel,” said the sorcerer, “he will be obedient to the royal will; from the second drink he will die.” Having drunk from both vessels, George remained unharmed, and Athanasius himself believed and confessed Christ as the omnipotent God before everyone. For this he was executed by the emperor.
Saint George was again imprisoned. The people, who believed in miracles and turned to Christianity, bribe the guards to see the saint and receive instruction and help. The poor farmer Glycerius came to the saint, mourning the bull that had fallen under his plow. The saint smiled and said: “Go, brother, and do not be sad. My God Christ gave life to your bull.”
Glycerius, convinced that the bull was alive, finally believed in Christ, although he was a Samaritan. By order of the emperor, Glycerius's head was cut off. So blessed Glycerius ended his earthly life baptized with his own blood. And many accepted martyrdom for confessing Christ. Among them are the holy martyrs Valery, Donatus, and Ferinus.
The royal advisers asked to condemn George because many people were turning away from their pagan gods. The night before a new test, George prayed earnestly, and when he dozed off, he saw the Lord in a sleepy vision. Christ embraced him, placed a crown on the head of the martyr and said: “Do not be afraid, but dare. You will soon come to Me in the Heavenly Kingdom.”
The saint woke up and asked the guards to let the servant Pasikrates in to him. Having told him that the Lord would soon call him to himself, he asked that after his death his body be transferred to Palestine and not deviate from his faith in Christ, he hugged and kissed Pasikrates goodbye.
Diocletian ordered George to be brought to the temple of Apollo and began to convince him to sacrifice to idols. Saint George turned to the statue of Apollo: “Do you want to accept a sacrifice from me, like a god?” The evil demon who lived in the idol announced the whole truth about himself: “I am not a god. The true God is Christ whom you confess.” “How dare you stay here when the servant of the true God has come?!” - said George. After Saint George made the sign of the cross, the temple was filled with groans, the demons left the idols and the statues collapsed.
Zealous pagans and priests rushed to beat the saint and demanded that the emperor kill George. Queen Alexandra, hearing the noise and screams, hurried to the temple and threw herself at the feet of George with the words: “God Georgiev, help me! You alone are omnipotent.” Diocletian. Seeing Queen Alexandra at the feet of the condemned man, he asked in amazement: “What’s wrong with you, Alexandra? Why do you join the sorcerer and the sorcerer and shamelessly renounce our gods? Saint Alexandra turned away and did not answer the emperor. The enraged Diocletian immediately sentenced both to death.
The soldiers led the martyrs outside the city to the place of execution. The most noble queen joyfully followed Saint George. She prayed earnestly, calling on the name of the Lord, turning her eyes to heaven. On the way, the queen became exhausted, sat down on the road near the wall and surrendered her spirit to God.
When Saint George was brought to the place of execution, he asked to be freed from his shackles and began to pray out loud. Then Saint George bowed his head and was beheaded with a sword. The death of the Holy Great Martyr George occurred on April 23, 303, Friday, at seven o’clock in the evening.
Blessed Pasikrates fulfilled the saint’s will exactly. He transferred and buried a precious treasure - the body of the great martyr - in Palestine in the city of Lydda. The relics of St. George were divided, and most of them were transferred to other cities. Nowadays, parts of the relics of St. George are in Lydda, Remla, Rome (in the temple dedicated to the great martyr; his head, spear and banner are kept), Jerusalem, Cairo, in the monasteries of Holy Mount Athos, in the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius and in Moscow - in the Church of the Resurrection Christ in Sokolniki and in the Church of the Great Martyr George on Poklonnaya Hill.
Passion-bearer George confessed Christ when the darkness of insane idolatry spread throughout the Universe and courageously endured the most severe torture to which human flesh has ever been subjected, and emerged from this battle victorious over the enemy of the human race, for which he was named the Victorious by the Holy Church.
For our benefit, edification and salvation, the merciful and humane God was pleased to magnify the name of St. George the Victorious with unusual miracles and signs performed by the saint after his blessed death. Of the many miracles performed by the Holy Great Martyrs George, the most famous is his victory over the spawn of the devil - a huge serpent.
In the saint’s homeland, near the city of Beirut, there was a lake in which lived a huge and terrible serpent, resembling a dragon in appearance. Coming out of the lake, he devoured people and sheep, devastated the surrounding area, filled the air with a poisonous stench, from which people were poisoned and died. To appease the monster, the residents, on the advice of the pagan priests, began to cast lots and give their children as sacrifices to the serpent. Finally, it was the turn of the king’s only daughter. The girl, distinguished by her unprecedented beauty, was led to the lake and left in her usual place.
While the people were looking at the princess from afar and expecting her death, Saint George suddenly appeared on a white horse with a spear in his hand and said to the queen: “Do not be afraid, girl, in the name of my God, Jesus Christ, I will save you and your people from the serpent.” .
Seeing the snake, he made the sign of the cross and with the words “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!” rushed at the monster, shaking his spear. The rider pressed the snake's larynx to the ground with a spear, and the horse began to trample the monster like a quiet dog. The residents fled. But Saint George stopped them: “Do not be afraid and trust in Almighty God. Believe in Christ. He sent me to deliver you from the serpent.” After these words, Saint George took out his sword and killed the snake, and the residents burned the monster. Seeing the great miracle, the king and the townspeople believed in Christ and received holy baptism.
At this place, where the saint killed the serpent, a church was built in memory of St. George the Victorious. During the consecration of the temple, through the prayers of St. George, a new miracle happened - a spring began to flow near the church. 
Based on this ancient legend, the Great Martyr George is depicted sitting on a white horse, under whose feet lies a terrible serpent, looking at the holy horseman, who courageously strikes the monster in the mouth with a spear. The name of the Holy Great Martyr George is one of the most revered. The Holy Great Martyr George is the patron saint of the army. Many victories of the Russian army are associated with the name of St. George the Victorious; he is especially loved and revered by the people.
The image of St. George the Victorious belongs to the coat of arms of the Russian Empire, and the Russian insignia placed on the chest of soldiers for service and exploits, since November 26, 1769.
Great Martyr George (his name translated from Greek means “farmer”) is also revered as the special patron of shepherds and herds, since during his lifetime he repeatedly assisted them, appearing on horseback. For our benefit, God was pleased not to hide the exploits of St. George under a bushel. We already know a lot about the earthly life of the great martyr, the amazing severity of the trials he endured for confessing Christ, and about the incredible miracles that God performed through His saint thanks to the reliable testimony of Pasikrates, who was present at all the deeds and wrote them down.
Here is a brief summary of the miracles of the Holy Great Martyr George (more fully in the book by A.V. Bugaevsky, Abbot Vladimir Zorin, “The Life, Sufferings and Miracles of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious and the Holy Martyr Queen Alexandra.”)
About the column donated by the widow for the templeSt. George in the city of Ramel
A pious widow, who zealously revered Saint George, bought a column for the temple with her own money, but the royal dignitary refused to take it on board the ship. The tearful widow turned to Saint George. He appeared to her and asked where she would like to see her column in the temple. “Second from the right, sir,” answered the widow.
The royal dignitary was amazed that the column arrived at the temple construction site before the ship arrived. Saint George appeared to him in a dream and promised to forgive him if he fulfilled the widow’s request. For several centuries, many have seen the column and the saint's inscription on it.
About the admonishment of the Saracen by Saint George
In the church of St. George in Ramel, a noble Saracen, accompanied by friends, entered and saw a priest praying before the icon of St. George. Taking the bow, the Saracen shot an arrow at the icon. The arrow returned and pierced the Saracen's hand. My hand was very painful, causing unbearable pain. The Saracen called the priest and asked what to do. “Spend the whole night with the icon, anoint the wound with oil from the lamp,” was the answer. In the morning the Saracen was healthy. Thus, thanks to the miracles of the Great Martyr George, the Saracen received Holy Baptism.
About the horse donated by a warrior to Saint George
The horseman arrived in Lydda, where the warriors were gathering before setting off on a campaign. The warrior entered the temple and turned to the image of St. George. “If, by the grace of God, we return unharmed from the campaign, I promise to give you my horse, which I love very much.”
Having returned alive, the warrior wanted to pay off the icon of St. George with money and gold. But until he gave up the horse, he stood rooted to the spot. The vow given to God is holy, and any violation of it is a great sin.
The miraculous transfer of the image of St. George to Athos
Three brothers, Moses, Aaron and Vasily, left Bulgaria and chose Holy Mount Athos for monastic exploits. They built a church and turned to the Lord with the question of which saint to dedicate the temple to. In the morning, upon entering the temple, on the prepared board they saw the image of St. George. At the same time, in Phanuel, in the monastery of the Great Martyr George, the image of St. George separated from the board, rose up and disappeared. He was identified by Abbot Eustratius and the monks who arrived and remained on Mount Athos.
Bishop Vodinsky visited Mount Athos, heard about the miraculous transfer of the image of St. George, but did not believe it. “Is this your miraculous icon?” - the bishop asked mockingly and casually touched his face with his index finger; his finger stuck to the icon. The bishop had to undergo a painful operation. Evidence of this miracle has survived to this day - on the face of the saint one can see part of the bishop’s finger, fused to the icon.
Pie boy
One boy constantly lost to his peers who were playing near the temple of St. George, turning to the temple he said: “St. George, help me win, for this I will bring you a pie.” And he began to win many times.
The mother baked a cake and the boy took it to the temple. Four merchants entered the temple and ate the cake, but could not find a way out of the temple. Having invested a lot of money, they found a way out. The money was the first to be used to repair the temple. After learning about this event, many people donated money for restoration.
About a young man who stole a lamb from a poor widow
The young man sold the widow's lamb for three pieces of silver, and... when she asked where the lamb was, he replied that the wolf had eaten it, and at the same time said: “I swear by St. George, the wolf ate your lamb.”
The young man drove the flock into the mountains, and there he was bitten by a snake. He died from a snake bite. The monk Sophronius, who came to the aid of the shepherd, was sent by Saint George. Saving the young man, he gave him water to drink directly from the cross and said: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, by the power of Christ the Holy Great Martyr George heals you, arise and feed.” The boy was saved. The monk Sophronius asked him if he had stolen the lamb and if he had sworn by Saint George. The young man was surprised and asked how he knew about this. Monk Sophrony replied that Saint George told him about this. The young man admitted his sin and promised to atone for his guilt.
Rescue of seafarers off the coast of Crimea
A Greek ship with valuable cargo was caught in a terrible storm in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea. The unfortunate sailors turned to St. George the Victorious with a request to save them, and the saint was not slow to come to their aid. He suddenly appeared on a rock and stopped the ship, the storm subsided. On the rock, sailors discovered an icon of St. George. Subsequently, the Greeks founded a cave monastery on this site in 801.
Saint George frees Manuel from robbers
The pious young man Manuel, a deep believer in Christ, was worried about the temple of St. George in Didia. Every year he went to the baptismal festival of the Archangel Michael in Khony and took there the money donated by believers to the temple where he served.
One day he collected a lot of gold and went to Khoni. On the way, he stopped to stay with robbers who wanted to rob him, but Saint George saved him. Manuel spent the rest of his life in repentance, glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ and his saint, the great passion-bearer George.
Ancient Byzantine manuscripts tell us cases of the release of pious people from captivity by the Holy Great Martyr George who asked him for help. Rus' saw many miracles of St. George after his Baptism. Hundreds of monasteries and churches were dedicated to the great martyr since the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. For a millennium, Saint George was and remained the greatest patron of Russia, our Orthodox fatherland, and our capital, Moscow.
Troparion, tone 4:
As liberator of captives and protector of the poor, physician of the infirm, champion of the Orthodox, victorious, Great Martyr George, pray to Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4:
Cultivated by God, you showed yourself to be a most honest worker of piety, having collected the virtues of the handle for yourself: having sowed in tears, reaped with joy, suffered through suffering with blood, you accepted Christ, with your prayers, holy, you granted forgiveness to all sins.
