St. George where he fought. St. George the Victorious is a saint who is revered in different religions

Name: George the Victorious (St. George)

Date of Birth: 275

Age: 28 years

Activity: Christian saint, great martyr

Family status: wasn't married

George the Victorious: biography

One of the most famous and revered Christian martyrs bears the name St. George the Victorious. There are many versions of the saint's life. According to canonical life, he suffered during the Great Persecution. Famous story about St. George the Victorious is called “The Miracle of the Serpent.”

Childhood and youth

The Byzantine version of existence was expounded by Symeon Metaphrastus. According to records, George was born in the 3rd century in Cappadocia. The boy's father, Gerontius, served as a senator, and his mother, Polychronia, had a large estate. The child's parents were considered rich and God-fearing people.

When George's father passed away, the mother and her child moved to Lydda. George was raised a Christian. He received a good education. The future saint grew up to be a strong young man, so he entered the military service. He is for a short time won fame and became the favorite soldier of Emperor Diocletian.

When George was twenty years old, the young man’s mother passed away. He inherited a large sum of money.

The ruler of the Empire of Rome honored pagan gods and was an opponent of the Christian faith. When George learned that, by order of the emperor, they were destroying churches and burning sacred books, he distributed property to the poor and came to the Senate. There the young man publicly declared that Diocletian was a ruler who did not deserve to be at the head of the country. The young man was famous for his beauty and courage, people asked George not to ruin his life and give up his words, but the young man remained adamant. After making a speech and disobedience, George was thrown into prison and began to be tortured.

Death

After George’s fiery speech in the Senate, the young man was seized by guards and thrown into prison. There the young man was subjected to terrible torture, forced to renounce Christianity and accept paganism. George bravely endured the torment and did not renounce God. The torture lasted 8 days. During the cruel torture, George's body was healed and strengthened.

The emperor concluded that the former army commander was using magic, and gave the order to kill the young man with poison. But that didn't work either. Then Diocletian ordered George to revive the dead man. He thought this way would disgrace the former military man and force him to renounce his faith. But after George’s prayer, the earth shook and the deceased was resurrected.

George bravely endured the torture and did not give up. After unsuccessful persuasion to accept paganism, the young man was sentenced to death. The night before the execution young man the Savior appeared in a dream. He said that for the trials he endured and his resistance to the power of the tormentor, the young man would go to Paradise. After waking up, Georgy called a servant and dictated to him what he saw in the dream and wrote it down.

That same night the emperor himself came to the young man in the dungeon. He again appealed to the mind of George with a request to repent and recognize paganism. The young man responded by wishing that the prisoner be brought to the temple. When the request was fulfilled, he stood in front of the statue of the god and crossed himself and the idol. The demon that lived in the idol left its refuge, and the pagan statues split. The angry priests beat George.

Then Diocletian’s wife rushed to the noise, knelt before the martyr and began to beg for her husband’s forgiveness. At the same moment she turned to Orthodox faith after seeing what happened. The ruler, realizing what had happened, ordered the execution of the girl along with the young man. George prayed and laid his head on the block.

On April 23, in a new way - on May 6, George was executed. Since the young man endured trials and did not renounce his faith, he was canonized. The exact date of canonization of St. George the Victorious is unknown.

According to legend, the saint was buried in a church in the city of Lod, and his severed head and sword were kept in Rome. In 1821, several heads were mentioned stored in Venice, Prague, Constantinople and other cities. Each of these chapters was sincerely taken for the head of St. George the Victorious. Some of the relics are kept in Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. The other part of the relics - the right hand - is located on the holy Mount Athos.

Today, on the day of the murder of the passion-bearer, the memory of George is honored, services are held in cathedrals, prayers are offered to the martyr of Christ. This date is also considered the memorial day of Queen Alexandra, the young wife of Diocletian. According to other sources, the ruler's wife was named Prisca.

Christian service

The real biography of the holy martyr is questionable, as are the descriptions of the lives of other ancient Christian saints. The story of Eusebius of Caesarea mentions a young man who fought back against a usurper. It is believed that this hero was George. There is a version that there were actually two Georges. But one came under persecution in Lydda, and the second in Cappadocia.

The miracles performed by the martyr occurred after the death of George. The most popular story is about the defeat of the terrible serpent by the Martyr. The monster rampaged through the possessions of the king in Berit, who preached paganism. It is written that when the lot fell to give the ruler’s daughter to the serpent, George appeared on horseback and killed the monster with a spear. The appearance of the saint so amazed the townspeople that they believed in God and converted to Christianity.

The incident with the serpent is sometimes interpreted differently: the princess means the church, the insidious serpent means paganism. In such an incarnation - on a horse with a spear slaying a serpent - the holy great martyr is depicted in icon painting.

Another scenario: George pacifies the dragon with the help of prayer, and brings the rescued princess to the city, whose residents immediately convert to Christianity. Then the young man kills the serpent with a sword. At the place where the Church of St. George the Victorious was erected, a living spring emerged from the ground. This is the place where, according to legend, the young man killed the serpent.

Another miracle is described that happened after the death of the martyr. It happened when the Arabs attacked Palestine. One of the soldiers entered a Christian church and saw a clergyman praying to St. George the Victorious. Showing disdain for the icon and the service, the Arab took out a bow and shot at the image.

But it turned out that the arrow pierced the hand of the shooter, but did not cause any harm to the image. Then the fighter turned to the priest, and he told the invader the legend about St. George. The Arab was so impressed by the story that he accepted the Christian faith.

Memory

Saint George has been revered since early Christianity. The first churches to the Holy Martyr were erected in the Roman Empire in the 4th century. The cult of St. George arose to replace the cult. On the sites of the sanctuaries of the god of paganism, cathedrals were erected to the Great Martyr of Orthodoxy.

Saint George became an example of bravery and courage. The martyr is especially revered in Georgia. The first temple erected in memory of the passion-bearer dates back to 335. Over time, the number of churches and chapels began to grow. There are 365 holy buildings in Georgia, as many as there are days in the year. There is not a single cathedral in the country that does not have an icon of St. George.

In Georgia, it is popular to give boys the name George. It is believed that the bearer of such a name is accompanied by luck and victory. Since ancient Russian times, George has been known as Yuri and Yegori. The Great founded in Kyiv and Novgorod in the 1030s St. George's Monasteries and ordered to celebrate the martyr's day on November 26.

Central Christian temple in North Ossetia is St. George's. And out of 56 working chapels, 10 are listed as St. George’s.

In 1769, the Empress approved the Order of St. George the Victorious. The award was given for merit in battle and length of service in military ranks. In 1917 new Soviet authority abolished the Order. In the 2000s, the Order was restored as a military award. Russian Federation. The Order of St. George is accompanied by a two-color St. George ribbon. And the St. George Ribbon serves as a symbol of the celebration of Victory Day.

Since his reign, St. George has been considered the patron saint of Moscow. In heraldry, the image of a horseman piercing a winged serpent with a spear appeared in the 14th-15th centuries. This figure is located in the coat of arms of the Russian Federation, but there is no direct indication that the knight is St. George. The coat of arms shows the serpent, not the dragon, because in the heraldic convention the serpent is a negative character, and the dragon is a positive one. They differ from each other in the number of legs: the dragon has two limbs, the serpent has four.

In the 13th century, a man with a spear on a horse was depicted on coins. In 1997, a drawing of a horseman was placed on the Russian kopeck, copying the face of the 15th century icon of St. George.

The image of St. George is used in modern art. Artists love to depict on canvas a horseman with a spear in his hand, killing a serpent. Despite the similarity of the drawings, each painting indicates a special vision of the creator.

Memorable dates

• April 23 - Day of Remembrance of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in Catholic Church
• May 6 – Memorial Day of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in the Orthodox Church
• November 16 - renovation (consecration) of the Church of St. George in Lydda (IV century)
• November 23 - the wheeling of the Great Martyr George;
• December 9 - consecration of the Church of the Great Martyr George in Kyiv in 1051 (celebration of the Russian Orthodox Church, popularly known as the autumn St. George's Day)

Great Martyr George was the son of rich and pious parents who raised him in the Christian faith. He was born in the city of Beirut (in ancient times - Belit), at the foot of the Lebanese mountains.

Having entered military service, the Great Martyr George stood out among other soldiers for his intelligence, courage, physical strength, military posture and beauty. Having soon reached the rank of commander of a thousand, St. George became the favorite of Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian was a talented ruler, but a fanatical supporter of the Roman gods. Having set himself the goal of reviving dying paganism in the Roman Empire, he went down in history as one of the most cruel persecutors of Christians.

Having once heard in court an inhuman sentence about the extermination of Christians, St. George was inflamed with compassion for them. Foreseeing that suffering would also await him, George distributed his property to the poor, set his slaves free, appeared to Diocletian and, declaring himself a Christian, accused him of cruelty and injustice. Speech of St. George was full of strong and convincing objections to the imperial order to persecute Christians.

After unsuccessful persuasion to renounce Christ, the emperor ordered the saint to be subjected to various tortures. St. George was imprisoned, where he was laid on his back on the ground, his feet were put in stocks, and a heavy stone was placed on his chest. But St. George bravely endured suffering and glorified the Lord. Then George’s tormentors began to become more sophisticated in their cruelty. They beat the saint with ox sinews, wheeled him around, threw him into quicklime, and forced him to run in boots with sharp nails inside. The holy martyr endured everything patiently. In the end, the emperor ordered the saint's head to be cut off with a sword. Thus the holy sufferer departed to Christ in Nicomedia in 303.

The Great Martyr George is also called the Victorious for his courage and spiritual victory over his tormentors who could not force him to renounce Christianity, as well as for his miraculous help to people in danger. The relics of Saint George the Victorious were placed in the Palestinian city of Lida, in a temple bearing his name, and his head was kept in Rome in a temple also dedicated to him.

On the icons of St. George is depicted sitting on a white horse and slaying a serpent with a spear. This image is based on legend and refers to the posthumous miracles of the Holy Great Martyr George. They say that not far from the place where St. George in the city of Beirut, there lived a snake in the lake, which often devoured the people of that area. What kind of animal was it - a boa constrictor, a crocodile or big lizard- unknown.

To quench the fury of the serpent, the superstitious people of that area began to regularly give him a young man or a girl by lot to be devoured. One day the lot fell on the daughter of the ruler of that area. She was taken to the shore of the lake and tied, where she waited in horror for the snake to appear.

When the beast began to approach her, a bright young man suddenly appeared on a white horse, struck the snake with a spear and saved the girl. This young man was the Holy Great Martyr George. With such a miraculous phenomenon, he stopped the destruction of young men and women within Beirut and converted the inhabitants of that country, who had previously been pagans, to Christ.

It can be assumed that the appearance of St. George on horseback to protect the inhabitants from the serpent, as well as the miraculous revival of the farmer’s only ox described in the life, served as the reason for the veneration of St. George as the patron of cattle breeding and protector from predatory animals.

In pre-revolutionary times, on the day of memory of St. George the Victorious, residents of Russian villages for the first time after cold winter they drove the cattle out to pasture, performing a prayer service to the holy great martyr with sprinkling of houses and animals with holy water. The Day of the Great Martyr George is also popularly called “St. George’s Day”; on this day, before the reign of Boris Godunov, peasants could move to another landowner.

St. George is the patron saint of the army. The image of St. George the Victorious on a horse symbolizes the victory over the devil - the “ancient serpent” (Rev. 12:3; 20:2). This image was included in the ancient coat of arms of the city of Moscow.

The Suffering of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious

The unworthy ruler of the Roman kingdom, the wicked Diocletian was an ardent follower and patron of idolatry. Above all the gods he revered Apollo, who was reputed to be a prophet of the future. For the demon that lived in his soulless idol prophesied about the future, but these predictions never came true.

One day Diocletian asked Apollo about a certain thing. The demon answered him:

“I cannot truly proclaim the future, because righteous people hinder me, which is why the magic tripods lie in the temples: the righteous destroy our power.”

Diocletian began to ask the priests what kind of righteous people they were for whom the god Apollo could not prophesy. The priests answered that Christians are the righteous on earth. Hearing this, Diocletian was filled with anger and rage against the Christians and resumed the ceased persecution against them. He drew his sword against the righteous, innocent and blameless people of God and sent a command to execute them to all the countries of his kingdom. And so the prisons were filled with those confessing the true God, instead of adulterers, robbers and worthless people. The usual methods of torment were abolished as unsatisfactory, and the most severe torments were invented, to which many Christians were subjected every day and everywhere. From all sides, especially from the east, many written slander against Christians was delivered to the king. These denunciations reported that there were so many people who did not fulfill the royal commands and called Christians that they should either be left to remain in their faith or take up arms against them in war. Then the king summoned his anfipats and hegemons from everywhere to a council in Nicomedia, gathered the princes, boyars and his entire senate and, revealing to them his rage against Christians, ordered everyone to give advice according to their own understanding on how to deal with those who had fallen away from paganism. After many speeches by those present at the council, the tormentor declared that there was nothing more honest and beneficial than the veneration of the ancient gods of our fathers. When everyone agreed with what the king had said, he continued:

“If you all think so, and want to carry it out diligently, and if you value my love, then try by all means to destroy throughout our entire kingdom the Christian faith, which is contrary to our gods.” So that you can do this more successfully, I myself will help you with all my might.

Everyone accepted this royal word with praise. Diocletian and the Senate met for a council on the eradication of Christianity for the second and third time. Then they announced the decision to the people so that it became an indispensable command.

At that time, in the Roman army there was a wonderful warrior of Christ, Saint George, originally from Cappadocia, the son of Christian parents, raised by them in piety from a young age. Even as a child, he lost his father, who died tortured for confessing Christ. George's mother moved with him to Palestine, since her homeland and rich possessions were there.

Having come of age, Saint George was distinguished by the beauty of his face, courage and strength of body, which is why he was appointed tribune in the famous military regiment. In this rank, he showed such courage in battle that King Diocletian, who did not yet know about his Christianity, honored him with the rank of commite and governor. George's mother had already died at that time.

When Diocletian plotted to exterminate Christians in a painful manner, Saint George was with the king. From the first day, as soon as Saint George became convinced that this unrighteous plan could in no way be canceled, and learned about the cruelty of the wicked against Christians, he decided that the time had come that would serve to save his soul. Immediately Saint George distributed all his wealth, gold, silver and precious clothes to the poor, granted freedom to the slaves who were with him, and about those slaves who were in his Palestinian possessions, he ordered that some of them be freed and others transferred to the poor. On the third day, when the final meeting of the tsar and his princes about the lawless murder of innocent Christians was to take place, the courageous warrior of Christ, Saint George, having rejected all human fear and having in himself only the fear of God, with a bright face and a courageous mind, appeared at that wicked and lawless gathering and addressed him with the following speech:

- O king, and you, princes and advisers! You were established to observe good laws and righteous judgments, but you furiously stir up your rage against Christians, establishing lawlessness and issuing incorrect decrees regarding the judgment of innocent people who have not offended anyone. You persecute them and torment them, forcing those who have learned to be pious to your insane wickedness. But no, your idols are not gods! Don't be seduced by this lie. Jesus Christ - one God, there is one Lord in the glory of God the Father, by whom all things were created and all things exist by His Holy Spirit. Either you yourself learn the truth and learn piety, or do not confuse with your madness those who know true piety.

Amazed by these words of Saint George and his unexpected boldness, everyone turned their eyes to the king, impatiently expecting him to answer the saint. The king, from surprise, could not come to his senses and, as if deafened by thunder, sat in silence, holding back his anger. Finally, the king indicated with a sign to his friend Magnentius, an anfipat, who was present at the council, that he should answer George.

Magnentius called the saint to him and said to him:

- Who prompted you to such boldness and eloquence?

“Truth,” answered the saint.

- What kind of truth is this? - said Magnentius. Georgy said:

- The truth is Christ Himself, persecuted by you.

- So you are a Christian too? - asked Magnentius.

And Saint George answered:

“I am a servant of Christ my God, and, trusting in Him, I of my own free will appeared among you to testify to the truth.”

From these words of the saint, the whole crowd became agitated, everyone began to speak, one one thing, the other another, and a discordant cry and cry arose, as happens in a large crowd of people.

Then Diocletian ordered silence to be restored and, turning his eyes to the saint, recognized him and said:

“I was amazed at your nobility before, O George!” Having recognized your appearance and your courage as worthy of honor, I honored you with no small rank. And today, when you say daring words to your own detriment, I, out of love for your intelligence and courage, like a father, give you advice and admonish you so that you do not lose military glory and the honor of your rank and do not betray the colors of your youth with your disobedience. flour. Make a sacrifice to the gods and you will receive even greater honor from us.

Saint George answered:

“Oh, if only you, O king, would know the true God through me and offer Him His beloved sacrifice of praise!” He would grant you a better kingdom - an immortal one, for the kingdom that you now enjoy is fickle, vain and quickly perishes, and with it its short-term pleasures perish. And those who are deceived by them receive no benefit. None of this can weaken my piety, and no torment will frighten my soul or shake my mind.

These words of Saint George drove the king into a frenzy. Without allowing the saint to finish his speech, the king ordered his squires to expel George from the assembly with spears and imprison him.

When the soldiers began to carry out the king’s order, and one spear touched the saint’s body, immediately his iron became soft, like tin, and bent. The martyr’s lips were filled with praises of God.

Having brought the martyr into prison, the soldiers stretched him out on the ground, face up, hammered his feet into stocks and placed a heavy stone on his chest. This is what the torturer ordered. The saint endured all this and continually gave thanks to God until the next day.

When the day came, the king again called the martyr to the test, and, seeing George crushed by the weight of the stone, asked him:

- Have you repented, George, or are you still in your rebellion?

Saint George, oppressed by the heavy stone that lay on his chest, could barely speak:

- O king, do you really think that I have become so exhausted that after such a small torment I will renounce my faith? It is more likely that you will become exhausted, tormenting me, than I, tormented by you.

Then Diocletian ordered to bring a great wheel, under which were placed boards, pierced with iron points, similar to swords, knives and knitting needles; some of them were straight, others were curved like fishing rods. On that wheel, the king ordered to tie a naked martyr, and, rotating the wheel, cut off his entire body with iron points mounted on boards. Saint George, cut into pieces and crushed like a reed, valiantly endured his torment. At first he prayed to God in a loud voice, then quietly, silently, he thanked God, not uttering a single groan, but remaining as if asleep or insensible.

Considering the saint dead, the king joyfully brought praise to his gods and turned to George with the following words:

- Where is your God, George; Why didn’t he save you from such torment?

Then he ordered George, as he was already dead, to be untied from the wheel, and he himself went to the temple of Apollo.

Suddenly the air darkened and terrible thunder roared, and many heard a voice from above:

- Don’t be afraid Georgy, I’m with you.

A radiance appeared, great and unusual, and the Angel of the Lord in the form of a beautiful and clear-faced youth, illuminated by light, appeared standing at the wheel and, laying his hand on the martyr, said:

- Rejoice.

And no one dared to approach the wheel and the martyr while the vision continued. When the Angel disappeared, the martyr himself came off the wheel, removed from the wheel by the Angel and healed by him from his wounds. And Saint George became unharmed in body and called on the Lord.

At the sight of this miracle, the soldiers fell into great horror and bewilderment and announced what had happened to the king, who was then present in the temple performing unclean services to idols. Saint George followed the soldiers and appeared before the king in the temple.

At first the king did not believe that Saint George was in front of him, but thought that it was someone similar to him. Those around the king looked intently at George and were convinced that it was he, and the martyr himself announced in a loud voice:

- I am Georgy.

Horror and bewilderment sealed everyone's lips for a long time. The two men who were there, Anthony and Protoleon, respected by the rank of praetor, who had already previously been declared in the Christian faith, seeing this wondrous miracle, were completely confirmed in the confession of Christ and cried out:

- There is one great and true God, the Christian God!

The king immediately ordered them to be seized, taken out of the city without interrogation and beheaded with a sword.

Queen Alexandra, who was also present in the temple, seeing the miraculous healing of the martyr and hearing about the appearance of the Angel, knew the truth. But when she wanted to boldly confess Christ, the eparch restrained her and, before the king knew this, ordered her to be taken to the palace.

The villainous Diocletian, incapable of doing good, ordered George to be thrown into a ditch lined with stones with quicklime and the martyr to be covered with it for three days.

Led to the ditch, the saint prayed to the Lord so loudly:

- Savior of the sorrowing, refuge of the persecuted, hope of the hopeless, Lord my God! Hear the prayer of Your servant, look upon me and have mercy on me. Deliver me from the deceits of the opposite and grant me to observe the confession of Your Holy Name until the end of my life. Do not forsake me, Master, for my sins, lest my enemies say: “Where is his God?” Show your power and glorify your name in me, Your indecent servant. Send me an Angel, a guardian of me unworthy, - You, who turned the furnace of Babylon into dew and kept Your youths unharmed (Dan. 3), for You are blessed forever. Amen.

So having prayed and protected your whole body sign of the cross, George entered the ditch, rejoicing and glorifying God. Having tied up the martyr and, according to the command, covered him in a ditch with quicklime, the king’s servants left.

On the third day, the king ordered the bones of the martyr to be thrown out of the ditch with lime, for he thought that George had burned there. When the servants came and raked away the lime, they found the saint, contrary to their expectations, unharmed, alive, healthy and released from his bonds. He stood with a bright face, stretched out his hands to the sky and thanked God for all His blessings.

The servants and people who were present were horrified and surprised and, as if with one mouth, they glorified the God of Georgiev, calling Him the Great.

Having learned about what had happened, Diocletian immediately ordered the saint to be brought to him and said with surprise:

“Where do you get such power, Georgiy, and what magic do you use?” tell us. I think that you deliberately pretended to be a believer in Christ in order to show magical cunning, surprise everyone with your sorcery, and show yourself great through it.

“O king,” answered the saint, “I believed that you would not be able to open your mouth to blaspheme the omnipotent God, for whom all things are possible and who delivers those who trust in him from troubles.” But you, being deceived by the devil, have fallen into such depths of error and destruction that you call the miracles of my God, visible to your eyes, sorcery and enchantments. I cry for your blindness, call you damned and consider you unworthy of my answer.

Then Diocletian ordered to bring iron boots, heat the long nails driven into the soles of them, put the martyr in these boots and so drive him with beatings to prison. When they drove away the martyr, shod in this way, the torturer, insulting him, said:

- What a fast walker you are, Georgy, how fast you walk!

The martyr, inhumanly dragged, subjected to cruel blows, said within himself:

- Go, George, to reach, because you are going, “not like the wrong one”(1 Cor. 9:26).

Then, calling on God, he said:

- Look down from heaven, Lord, look at my work and hear the groaning of Your chained servant, for my enemies have multiplied, but You Yourself heal me, Master, for my bones are broken, and give me patience to the end, so that my enemy does not say: I strong against him. “They hate me with fierce hatred”(Psalm 24:19).

With such a prayer Saint George went to prison. Prisoner there, he was exhausted in body, his legs were torn to pieces, but he did not faint in spirit. All day and all night he did not stop offering thanks and prayers to God. And that night, with God’s help, he was healed from ulcers, his legs and whole body again became unharmed.

In the morning, Saint George was presented to the king at the shameful place where the king was staying with his entire synclite. Seeing that the martyr was walking correctly and was not limping with his legs, as if he had never suffered any ulcers, the king said to him in surprise:

- What about George - do you like your boots?

“Very,” answered the saint.

And the king said:

“Stop being impudent, be meek and submissive, and, rejecting the magic trick, make a sacrifice to the merciful gods, so as not to be deprived of this sweet life through many torments.”

Saint George answered:

- How crazy you are, who call the power of God sorcery and are proud without shame of demonic charm!

Looking at the saint with angry eyes, Diocletian interrupted his speech with a fierce cry and ordered those present to beat him in the mouth; Let, said the tormentor, he learn not to annoy kings. Then he ordered George to be beaten with ox sinews until his flesh and blood stuck to the ground.

Fiercely tormented, Saint George did not change the brightness of his face. Greatly surprised by this, the king said to those around him:

- Truly this is not due to the courage and strength of George, but due to magical cunning.

Then Magnentius said to the king:

“There is a certain man here who is skilled in magic. If you order him to be brought, George will soon be defeated and come into obedience to you.

Immediately the sorcerer was called before the king, and Diocletian said to him:

“What this nasty man George did here, the eyes of all those present saw; but how he did this, only you know, who are skilled in that cunning. Either defeat and destroy his sorcery and make him submissive to us, or immediately take his life with magical herbs, so that he accepts the death befitting of himself from the cunning that he has learned. That's why I kept him alive until now.

The sorcerer, named Athanasius, promised to fulfill everything commanded the next day.

Having commanded that the martyr be guarded in prison, the king left the judgment seat, and the saint entered the prison, calling on God:

- Show, O Lord, Thy mercy upon me, direct my steps to Thy confession and preserve my path in Thy faith, so that Thy most holy name may be glorified everywhere.

In the morning the king appeared again at the trial and sat on a high place in full view of everyone. Athanasius the Magus also came, proud of his wisdom, carrying magical drinks in various vessels to show the king and everyone present. And Athanasius said:

“Let the condemned man be brought here now, and he will see the power of our gods and my spells.”

Then, taking one vessel, Athanasius said to the king:

“If you want that madman to obey you in everything, let him drink this drink.”

Taking another vessel, the sorcerer continued:

“If it pleases your court to see the bitter death of him, let him drink this.”

Immediately, by order of the king, Saint George was brought to trial. And Diocletian said to him:

- Now your sorceries, George, will be destroyed and cease.

And he ordered to forcefully give the saint a magical drink. Having drunk without hesitation, George remained unharmed, rejoicing and mocking the demonic charm. Seething with rage, the king ordered that he be forcibly given another drink filled with mortal poison. The saint did not expect violence, but voluntarily took the vessel and drank the deadly poison, but remained unharmed, being saved from death by the grace of God.

The king and his entire council were surprised; Athanasius the Magus was also perplexed. After some time, the king said to the martyr:

- How long, George, will you surprise us with your deeds, until you tell us the truth, by what magical machinations you have reached the point of contempt for the torments inflicted on you and remain unharmed from the deadly drink? tell everything truly to us, who want to listen to you with meekness.

Blessed George answered:

- Do not think, O king, that I do not pay attention to the torment, thanks to human intentions. No, I am saved by the calling of Christ and His power. Trusting in Him, according to His mysterious teaching, we consider torment as nothing.

And Diocletian said:

- What is the mysterious teaching of your Christ?

Georgy answered:

“He knows that your malice will achieve nothing, and He taught His servants not to be afraid of those who kill the body, since they cannot kill the soul.” For He said: “But not even a hair of your head will be lost”(Luke 21:18) “they will take snakes; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them.”(Mark 16:18). “He who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also”(John 14:12). Hear, O king, this true promise of His to us, which I briefly tell you about.

- What are these works of His that you are talking about? - asked Diocletian.

The saint answered:

- To enlighten the blind, to cleanse the lepers, to give walking to the lame, hearing to the deaf, to cast out unclean spirits, to raise the dead - these and similar works of Christ.

Turning to Athanasius the Magus, the king asked him:

- What will you say about that?

“I’m surprised,” answered Athanasius, “how he outrages your meekness, telling lies in the hope of escaping your sovereign hand.” We, who daily enjoy the many benefits of our immortal gods, have never seen them resurrect the dead. This same one, trusting in dead man and believing in the crucified God, he says without shame that He has done great things. Since George confessed before all of us that his God is the performer of such miracles and that those who believe in Him accepted from Him a false promise that they too would do the same things that He did, then let George raise the dead man before you, O king, and in front of all of us. Then we too will submit to his God as Almighty. From here, from afar, I can see the grave in which a dead man, whom I knew during his lifetime, was recently laid. If George resurrects him, he will truly defeat us.

The king was amazed at this advice from Athanasius. The tomb indicated by him was half a stage away from the judgment seat. For the trial took place on the site of the former theater, at the gates of the city. That tomb was outside the city, since, according to the custom of the Hellenes, their dead were buried outside the city. And the king commanded the martyr to raise the dead to demonstrate the power of his God. Magnentius anfipat begged the king to free George from his shackles. When the shackles were removed from George, Magnetius said to him:

“Show me, George, the wonderful works of your God, and you will lead us all to faith in Him.”

And the saint said to him:

“My God, who created everything out of nothing, has the power to raise that dead man through me; But you, having darkened your mind, cannot understand the truth. But my Lord, for the sake of the people present, will do what you, tempting me, ask, so that you do not attribute this to sorcery. The words of the sorcerer you cited are true that neither sorcery nor the power of your gods could ever resurrect the dead. But in the presence of everyone standing around, I will call upon my God loudly and loudly.

Having said this, George knelt and prayed to God for a long time with tears; then standing up, George cried out to the Lord in a loud voice:

- Eternal God, merciful God, God of all powers, Almighty, do not disgrace those who trust in You, Lord Jesus Christ; Hear me, Your humble servant at this hour, You who heard Your holy Apostles in every place, with all miracles and signs. Give this evil generation the sign it asks for and raise the dead man lying in the tomb to the shame of those who deny You, for the glory of Your Father and the Most Holy Spirit. O Master, show those present that You are One God for the whole earth, so that they may know You, the Almighty Lord, to Whom all things obey and whose glory is forever. Amen.

When he said, “Amen,” suddenly thunder roared and the earth shook, so that everyone was horrified. Then the roof of the tomb fell to the ground, the coffin opened, and the dead man stood up alive and came out of the coffin. Everyone who saw this died with horror. Word immediately spread among the people about what had happened, and many wept and glorified Christ as a great God. The king and everyone who was with him, filled with fear and unbelief, at first said that George, being a great sorcerer, raised from the grave not a dead man, but a certain spirit and a ghost, in order to deceive those who saw this. Then, making sure that before them was not a ghost, but really a man risen from the dead and calling on the name of Christ, the king and nobles came into great bewilderment and amazement and silently surrounded George, completely not knowing what to do. Athanasius fell at the feet of the saint, confessing that Christ is the Almighty God, and praying to the martyr to forgive him for his sins committed in ignorance. Later for a long time, Diocletian finally commanded the people to be silent and said:

- Do you see the deception, O men; Do you see the malice and deceit of these wise men? The most wicked Athanasius, helping a sorcerer similar to himself, gave George not poison to drink, but some enchanted drink that would help him deceive us. They gave a living person the apparent appearance of a dead person and by magic they restored him before our eyes as if he had risen from the dead.

Having said this, the king ordered, without interrogation and preliminary torment, to cut off the heads of Athanasius and those who rose from the dead; He ordered the holy martyr of Christ George to be kept in prison and in chains until he himself freed himself from the affairs of popular government and figured out how to deal with the martyr[. The saint glorified] God:

- Glory to You, Lord, who does not shame those who trust in You. I thank You for helping me everywhere and every day showing me greater and greater benefits and decorating the unworthy me with Your grace. Vouchsafe me, O God, my God, to soon behold Your glory, having shamed the devil to the end.

When the Great Martyr George was in prison, people who believed in Christ because of his miracles came to him, gave gold to the guards, fell at the feet of the saint and were instructed by him in the holy faith. By invoking the name of Christ and the sign of the cross, the saint also healed the sick, who came to him in large numbers in prison. Among those who came was a certain man named Glycerius, a simple farmer, whose ox fell from the mountain into the forest and was killed. Hearing about the miracles of the saint, Glycerius went to him, grieving over his dead will. The saint smiled and said to him:

- Go, brother, and don’t be sad. Christ my God will bring your ox back to life.

The farmer went with firm faith in the words of the martyr and actually saw his ox alive. He immediately returned to George and, walking in the middle of the city, cried out loudly:

- Truly great is the Christian God!

For this, the soldiers seized him and reported him to the king. Diocletian was filled with anger, did not want to see him, and ordered his head to be immediately cut off outside the city. Glycerius went to die for Christ with joy, as if at a feast, ahead of the soldiers, calling on Christ God with a loud voice and praying that He would accept the outpouring of his blood as baptism. This is how Glycerius died.

Then some men belonging to the synclite announced to the king that George, being in prison, was disturbing the people, turning many away from the gods to the Crucified One, and working miracles through sorcery so that everyone came to him. At the same time, they advised that George should be tortured again, and if he did not repent and turn to the gods, then he should be immediately condemned to death. Summoning the anfipat Magnentius, the king ordered that a trial should be prepared at the temple of Apollo in the morning in order to test the martyr in front of the people. That night, when Saint George was praying in prison, dozing off, he saw in a dream the Lord appearing, who lifted him with his hand, hugging him, kissed him and placed a crown on his head, saying:

- Do not be afraid, but dare and you will be worthy to reign with Me. Do not faint, you will soon come to Me and receive what is prepared for you.

Waking up from sleep, the saint joyfully thanked the Lord and, calling the prison guard, said to him:

“I ask you, brother, for one good deed; order my servant to come here. I need to tell him something.

The guard called a servant, who constantly stood at the prison and carefully recorded the actions and speeches of the saint. Having entered, the servant bowed to the ground to his master, who was sitting in chains, and crouched at his feet and burst into tears. The saint raised him from the ground, told him to strengthen his spirit and announced to him his vision, saying:

- Child! soon the Lord will call me to Himself, but after my departure from this life, take my humble body and, according to the will that I wrote before my feat, take it, with the help of God, to our Palestinian home and fulfill everything according to my will, having the fear of God and firm faith in Christ.

The servant with tears promised to fulfill the command. The saint lovingly embraced him, gave him his last kiss and sent him away in peace.

In the morning, as soon as the sun rose, the king sat down at the judgment seat and, restraining his anger, began to meekly talk with George, who was brought before him:

“Don’t you think, O George, that I am filled with philanthropy and mercy towards you, enduring your crimes with mercy?” My gods are my witnesses that I spare your youth for the sake of your blooming beauty, intelligence and courage. And I would like to have you as a co-ruler, second in honor in my kingdom, if only you wished to turn to the gods. Tell us what do you think about this?

Saint George said:

“O king, you should have shown me such mercy first, and not tormented me with such fierce torment.”

Hearing with pleasure this speech of the martyr, the king said:

“If you want to lovingly obey me as a father, for all the torments that you have endured, I will reward you with many honors.”

Georgy answered:

“If you wish, king, we will go inside the temple to see the gods you worship.”

The king joyfully rose up and went with the entire synclite and people to the temple of Apollo, honorably leading Saint George with him. The people greeted the king with a cry, glorifying the power and victory of their gods.

Entering the temple where the sacrifice was prepared, everyone looked at the martyr in silence, no doubt expecting that he would bring a sacrifice to the gods. The saint approached the idol of Apollo, extended his hand to it and asked him crazy, as if alive:

- Do you want to accept a sacrifice from me, like a god?

At these words the saint made the sign of the cross. The demon who lived in the idol exclaimed:

“I am not a god, not a god, or anyone like me.” There is only one God, Whom you confess. We are apostates from among the Angels who served Him; We, possessed by envy, seduce people.

The saint then said to the demon:

“How dare you live here when I, a servant of the true God, came here?”

At these words of the saint, noise and crying arose from the idols. Then they fell to the ground and were crushed. Immediately the priests and many of the people, like frantics, furiously rushed at the saint, began to beat and bind him and cried out to the king:

- Kill this sorcerer, O king, kill him before he destroys us!

The rumor of this confusion and outcry spread throughout the city and reached the ears of Queen Alexandra. Until now, harboring faith in Christ, the queen did not have the strength to hide her confession any longer and immediately went to where the Holy Great Martyr George was.

Seeing the popular confusion and seeing from afar the martyr who was being kept tied up, the queen tried in vain to get through the crowd to him and began to cry out loudly:

- God of George, help me, since You Alone are Omnipotent.

When the people's cry died down, Diocletian ordered the martyr to be brought to him and, becoming like a demon possessed in his rage, he said to the saint:

“This is the kind of gratitude you give, vile one, for my mercy, this is how you are used to making sacrifices to the gods!”

Saint George answered him:

While the saint was saying this, the queen finally walked through the crowd into the middle, boldly confessing before everyone that Christ is the true God. She fell at the feet of the martyr and, mocking the madness of the tormentor, reproached the gods and cursed those who worshiped them. Seeing his wife, who at the feet of the martyr with such courage glorified Christ and humiliated idols, the king came into great amazement and said to her:

- What happened to you, Alexandra, that you join this sorcerer and sorcerer and so shamelessly renounce the gods?

She turned away and did not answer the king. Diocletian was filled with even greater rage and no longer began to torture either George or the queen, but immediately pronounced the following death sentence on both:

“The most evil George, who declared himself a follower of the Galilean and blasphemed me and the gods a lot, together with Queen Alexandra, who was corrupted by his sorcery and, like him, insanely reproached the gods, I command to be beheaded with the sword.

The soldiers grabbed the martyr, bound in chains, and took him outside the city. They also attracted the most noble queen, who followed George without resistance, praying within herself and often looking at the sky. On the way, the queen became exhausted and asked permission to sit down. Having sat down, she leaned her head against the wall and gave up her spirit to the Lord. Seeing this, the martyr of Christ George glorified God and went, praying to the Lord that his path would end with dignity. When George approached the place designated for his execution, he said a prayer in a loud voice:

“Blessed are You, O Lord my God, for You did not give me up as a prey to those who sought me, You did not rejoice at my enemies, and You delivered my soul like a bird from a snare.” Hear me now, Master, appear to me as Your servant at this last hour and deliver my soul from the machinations of the prince of the air and from his unclean spirits. Do not put into sin those who have sinned against me out of ignorance, but give them forgiveness and love, so that they, having come to know You, may receive participation in Your Kingdom, with Your chosen ones. Accept my soul with those who have pleased You from all eternity, despising my sins committed in knowledge and ignorance. Remember, O Lord, those who call on Your glorious name, for You are blessed and glorified forever. Amen.

Having prayed, Saint George joyfully bowed his head under the sword and thus died on the twenty-third day of the month of April, having worthily made his confession and preserved the immaculate faith. Therefore, he is crowned with the chosen crown of righteousness.

Such is the triumph of the great exploits of the brave warrior, such is his taking up arms against his enemies and the glorious victory, so laboring, he was awarded an incorruptible and eternal crown. Through his prayers, may we also be worthy of the inheritance of the righteous and to stand at the right hand on the day of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom belongs all glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen.

Miracles of the Holy Great Martyr George

In the Syrian countries there was a city called Ramel, in which a stone church was built in the name of the Holy Great Martyr George. And it didn't happen in that place suitable stones, from which it would be possible to make great stone pillars for the establishment of a church building. Such pillars were usually bought in distant countries and brought by sea. Many of Ramel's God-loving citizens went to various countries to buy stone pillars for the church being built. For this purpose, a certain pious widow, who had zeal and faith in the holy Great Martyr George, also went, wanting to buy from her small funds one pillar for the temple of George. Having bought a beautiful pillar in a certain country, she brought it to the seashore, where the mayor Ramel, who had acquired several pillars, loaded them onto a ship. And that woman began to beg the dignitary to take her pillar on his ship and deliver it to the martyr’s church. The rich man did not listen to her request, did not take her pillar, but sailed away, loading the ship only with his pillars. Then the woman fell to the ground out of pity and with tears called for the help of the great martyr so that he could somehow arrange for the delivery of her pillar to Ramel to his church. She fell asleep in sadness and tears, and the Holy Great Martyr George appeared to her in a dream vision, on horseback in the form of a commander, lifted her from the ground and said:

- Oh woman, tell me what’s the matter?

She told the saint the reason for her sadness. He got off his horse and asked her:

-Where do you want to place the pillar?

She answered:

— On the right side of the church.

Immediately the saint inscribed the following on the pillar with his finger:

“Let this widow’s pillar be placed second in a row of pillars on the right side of the church.”

Having written this, George said to the woman:

- Help me yourself.

And so, when they took hold of the pillar, the stone became light, and they threw the pillar into the sea. This is what the woman saw in her dream.

Waking up, she did not find the pillar in her place and, placing her hope in God and His servant, Saint George, she set off for her homeland. But before she arrived there and before the ship sailed, the day after her vision, her pillar was found lying on the shore of the Ramel pier. When the mayor, named Vasily, brought his pillars on the ship and went ashore, he saw the pillar of the widow and the inscription on it, depicted with the finger of the saint. That husband was amazed and, realizing the miracle of the holy great martyr, recognized his sin and repented of having despised the widow’s request. With many prayers he asked George for forgiveness and received it from the saint who appeared to him in a vision. The pillar of the widow was placed in the place where the inscription on it indicated, in memory of the pious woman, in amazement at the miracle performed by the holy great martyr, and in honor of Christ our God, the Source of miracles.

Many years later, when Syria was conquered by the Saracens, in the city of Ramel, in the church of the Holy Great Martyr George, the following miracle took place:

A certain noble Saracen, accompanied by other of his fellow tribesmen, entered the temple during church rules and, seeing the icon of Saint George, as well as the priest standing before the icon, bowing to it and sending prayers to the saint, he said to his friends in Saracen:

- Do you see what this madman is doing? - The board is praying. Bring me a bow and arrow, and I will shoot through this board.

A bow was immediately brought, and the Saracen, standing behind everyone, pulled the bow and shot an arrow at the icon of the great martyr. However, the arrow did not fly towards the icon, but rose upward and, falling down, pierced the hand of that Saracen, severely wounding him. The Saracen immediately went to his home, feeling severe pain in his arm. The pain increased more and more, the Saracen's hand swelled, puffed up like fur, so that the Saracen groaned from intense suffering.

This Saracen had several Christian slaves in his house. Calling them, he said to them:

“I was in the church of your god George and wanted to shoot his icon.” However, I shot an arrow from a bow so unsuccessfully that, falling down, the arrow severely wounded me in the arm, and now I am dying from unbearable pain.

The slaves said to him:

“What do you think: did you do well by daring to inflict such an insult on the icon of the holy martyr?”

Saratsyn answered them:

“Did this icon have the power to make me sick now?”

The slaves answered him:

- We are not knowledgeable in books and therefore do not know what to answer you. But call our priest and he will tell you what you are asking.

Saratsin listened to the advice of his slaves and, calling the priest, said to him:

“I want to know what power that board or icon that you worshiped has.”

The priest answered him:

“I did not bow to the board, but to my God, the Creator of the universe.” I prayed to the Holy Great Martyr George, who was inscribed on the board, that he would be my intercessor before God.

Saratsyn asked him:

- Who is George if not your god?

The priest answered:

- Saint George is not our god, but only the servant of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. He was a man like us in every way. He suffered many torments from the pagans, who forced him to renounce Christ; but, courageously opposing them and becoming a confessor for the name of Christ, he received from God the gift of performing signs and wonders. We, Christians, honoring him, respect his icon, and, looking at it, as if at the saint himself, we bow to it and kiss it. You do the same; So, when parents or brothers dear to your heart die, you, looking at their clothes, cry in front of them, kiss them, imagining in these clothes as if the very people who died. In exactly the same way, we venerate the icons of saints - not as gods (let that not happen!), but as images of the servants of God who work miracles even with their very icons; you yourself, who dared to shoot an arrow at the icon of the holy martyr, happened to recognize its power for teaching and edification to others.

Having heard this, the Saracen said:

- What should I do now? You see that my hand is very swollen; I am suffering unbearably and approaching death.

The priest told him:

“If you want to stay alive and recover, then order the icon of the Holy Great Martyr George to be brought to you, place it over your bed, arrange a lamp with oil in front of the icon and light a lamp in it for the whole night; In the morning, anoint your sore hand with oil from the lamp, firmly believing that you will be healed, and you will be healthy.

Saratsyn immediately began to ask the priest to bring the icon of St. George to him and, accepting it with joy, did as the priest had taught him. In the morning he anointed his hand with oil from the lamp, and immediately the pain in his hand stopped, and his hand became healthy.

Being surprised and amazed by such a miracle, the Saracen asked the priest if anything was written in his books about Saint George?

The priest brought him a story about the life and sufferings of the saint and began to read it to the Saracen. Saratsyn, listening with attention to the reading, all the time held the icon of the martyr in his hands and, turning to the saint depicted on the icon as to a living person, exclaimed with tears:

- Oh Saint George! You were young but wise, I am old but mad! You pleased God even in your youth, but I have lived to an old age and still do not know the true God! Pray for me to your God, so that He will grant me the privilege of being His servant!

Then, falling at the feet of the priest, the Saracen began to ask him to grant him holy baptism.

At first the priest did not agree to this, for he was afraid of the Saracens. But seeing his faith and being unable to resist his requests, he baptized him at night, secretly from the Saracens.

When morning came, the newly baptized Saracen left his house and, standing in the middle of the city in front of everyone, began with great zeal to loudly preach Christ, the true God, while the Saracen began to curse the faith. He was immediately surrounded by many Saracens: filled with anger and rage, they rushed at him like wild animals, and with their swords they cut him into small pieces.

Thus, that Saracen, in such a short time, accomplished the good feat of confession for Christ and accepted the crown of martyrdom, through the prayers of the holy Great Martyr George.

A new miracle also happened here. When this church was consecrated in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Holy Great Martyr George, then, as a sign of the divine grace poured out here, a source of living water flowed from the altar of this church, healing every disease of all who flow with faith to the glory of the King of Glory Himself (Who has the source of eternal life ), God in Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, praised in His saints forever. Amen.

Troparion, tone 4:

As the liberator of the captives, and the protector of the poor, the physician of the infirm, the champion of kings, the victorious Great Martyr George, pray to Christ God to save our souls.

Troparion, same voice:

You fought a good fight more passionately than Christ by faith, and you denounced the tormentors of wickedness, and you offered a sacrifice acceptable to God: in the same way, you received the crown of victory, and through your holy prayers you granted forgiveness to all sins.

Kontakion, tone 4:

Cultivated by God, you have shown yourself to be a most honest worker of piety, having collected for yourself the virtues of the handle: having sowed in tears, reap with joy. Having suffered through blood, you accepted Christ, and through your holy prayers you grant forgiveness to all for their sins.

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 completely resembles 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 it started in the lake huge snake. 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 such an indestructible faith that the life of St. George the Victorious, even in summary, usually puts the great martyr at the head of all virtues.

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 ranked among such short life 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 Orthodox church and found the priest there praying before 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 snake.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Greek legends

According to his life, Saint George was born in the 3rd century in Cappadocia into a Christian family (option - he was born in Lydda, Palestine, and grew up in Cappadocia; or vice versa - his father was tortured for confessing Christ in Cappadocia, and his mother and son fled to Palestine). Having entered military service, he, distinguished by intelligence, courage and physical strength, became one of the commanders and the favorite of Emperor Diocletian. His mother died when he was 20 years old, and he received a rich inheritance. George went to court, hoping to achieve a high position, but when the persecution of Christians began, he, while in Nicomedia, distributed property to the poor and declared himself a Christian before the emperor, he was arrested and began to torture.

George endured all this torment and did not renounce Christ. After unsuccessful persuasion to renounce and offer a pagan sacrifice, he was sentenced to death. That night the Savior appeared to him in a dream with a golden crown on his head and said that Paradise awaited him. George immediately called a servant, who wrote down everything that was said (one of the apocrypha was written on behalf of this particular servant) and ordered after his death to take his body to Palestine.

At the end of George’s torment, Emperor Diocletian, going down to prison, once again suggested that the tortured former commander of his bodyguards renounce Christ. George said: " Take me to the temple of Apollo" And when this was done (on the 8th day), George stood up full height in front of the white stone statue, and everyone heard him speak: “ Is it really for you that I am going to the slaughter? And can you accept this sacrifice from me as a god?“At the same time, George made the sign of the cross over himself and the statue of Apollo - and this forced the demon that lived in it to declare itself fallen angel. After this, all the idols in the temple were crushed.

Enraged by this, the priests rushed to beat George. And the wife of Emperor Alexander, who ran to the temple, threw herself at the feet of the great martyr and, sobbing, asked to be forgiven for the sins of her tyrant husband. She was converted by the miracle that had just happened. Diolectian shouted in anger: “ Cut it off! Cut off the heads! Cut off both!“And George, having prayed for the last time, with a calm smile, laid his head on the block.

Together with George, Queen Alexandra of Rome, named in her life as the wife of Emperor Diocletian (the real wife of the emperor, known by historical sources, name was Prisca).

The legends about Saint George were expounded by Simeon Metaphrastus, Andrew of Jerusalem, and Gregory of Cyprus. In the tradition of the Byzantine Empire, there is a legendary connection between St. George the Victorious and the holy warriors Theodores - Theodore Stratelates and Theodore Tyrone. Researchers explain this by the fact that Galatia and Paphlagonia, which were centers of veneration due to the proximity of Saint Theodore, were not far from Asia Minor and Cappadocia, where Saint George was venerated.

There is another connection between Theodore Stratelates and St. George the Victorious. In Russian spiritual poetic works, Theodore (without specification) is the father of Yegor (George the Victorious). There is also a German medieval poem in which the warrior Theodore is named as George’s brother (it is unclear from the context whether it is Tyrone or Stratelates).

Latin texts

The Latin texts of his life, being originally translations of the Greek ones, over time began to differ greatly from them. They say that, at the instigation of the devil, the Persian Emperor Dacian, ruler of 72 kings, subjected Christians to severe persecution. At this time there lived a certain George from Cappadocia, a native of Melitene, he lived there with a certain pious widow. He was subjected to numerous tortures (the rack, iron tongs, fire, a wheel with iron points, boots nailed to his feet, an iron chest studded with nails on the inside, which was thrown off a cliff, beaten with sledgehammers, a pole was placed on his chest, a heavy stone was thrown on his head, molten lead was poured onto a red-hot iron bed, thrown into a well, 40 long nails were driven in, and burned in a copper bull). After each torture, George was healed again. The torment continued for 7 years. His steadfastness and miracles converted 40,900 people to Christianity, including Queen Alexandra. When, on the orders of Dacian, George and Alexandra were executed, a fiery whirlwind descended from the sky and incinerated the emperor himself.

Reinbot von Thurn (13th century) retells the legend, simplifying it: his 72 kings turned into 7, and countless tortures were reduced to 8 (they are tied up and put a heavy load on their chest; they are beaten with sticks; they are starved; they are cut on the wheel; they are quartered and thrown into a pond; they bring him down the mountain in a copper bull; they drive him under his nails with a poisoned sword), and finally, they cut off his head.

Yakov Voraginsky writes that they first tied him to a cross and tore him with iron hooks until his intestines came out, and then doused him with salt water. The next day they forced me to drink poison. Then they tied it to the wheel, but it broke; then they threw it into a cauldron of molten lead. Then, through his prayer, lightning came down from heaven and incinerated all the idols, and the earth opened up and swallowed up the priests. Dacian's wife (here the proconsul under Diocletian) converted to Christianity when she saw this; she and George were beheaded, and after that Dacian was also incinerated.

Apocryphal texts

The earliest sources of apocryphal tales about St. George include:

• « Martyrdom of George", mentioned in the Decree of Pope Gelasius (early edition, late 5th - early 6th centuries). Gelasius rejects the acts of martyrdom of St. George as a heretical falsification and classifies George among the saints who are better known to God than to people;
• Viennese palimpsest (5th century);
• « Acts of George"(Nessan fragments) (VI century, found in 1937 in the Negev desert).

Apocryphal hagiography places the martyrdom of George during the reign of the legendary Persian king Dadian. These lives report his seven-year torment, triple death and resurrection, hammering nails into his head, etc. For the fourth time, George dies, beheaded by a sword, and heavenly punishment befalls his tormentors.

The martyrdom of St. George is known in Latin, Syriac, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopic and Arabic translations, which contain various details about the sufferings the saint endured. One of best texts his life is in the Slavic Menea.

In the East

In Islam, George ( Girgis, Girgis, El Khudi) is one of the main non-Koranic figures and his legend is very similar to Greek and Latin.

He lived at the same time as the Prophet Muhammad. Allah sent him to the ruler of Mosul with a call to accept the true faith, but the ruler ordered him to be executed. He was executed, but Allah resurrected him and sent him back to the ruler. He was executed a second time, then a third (they burned him and threw his ashes into the Tigris). He rose from the ashes, and the ruler and his entourage were exterminated.

The Life of Saint George was translated into Arabic at the beginning of the 8th century, and under the influence of the Christian Arabs, the veneration of St. George penetrated among the Muslim Arabs. The Arabic apocryphal text of the life of St. George is contained in "Stories of Prophets and Kings"(beginning of the 10th century), in it George is called a disciple of one of the apostles of the prophet Isa, whom the pagan king of Mosul subjected to torture and execution, but George was resurrected by Allah each time.

The 14th-century Greek historian John Cantacuzenus notes that in his time there were several temples erected by Muslims in honor of St. George. The 19th century traveler Burckhard says the same thing. Dean Stanley recorded in the 19th century that he saw a Muslim "chapel" on the seashore near the city of Sarafend (ancient Sarepta), which was dedicated to El-Khuder. There was no tomb inside, but only a niche, which was a deviation from Muslim canons - and was explained, according to local peasants, by the fact that El-Khuder did not die, but flies all over the earth, and wherever he appears, people build similar “chapels” "

They note the great similarity of the legend with the story of the resurrecting Chaldean deity Tammuz, known from the “Book of Nabatean Agriculture”, whose holiday falls on approximately the same period, and this similarity was pointed out by its ancient translator Ibn Vakhshiya. Researchers suggest that the special reverence for St. George in the East and his extraordinary popularity were explained by the fact that he was a Christian version of Tammuz - a dying and resurrecting god, similar to Adonis and Osiris. According to some researchers, George, as a mythical character, is a Semitic deity who converted to Christianity, into whose story some changes were made during the adaptation process in order to clear it of unnecessary details and deprive it of an erotic connotation. Thus, the goddess of love of such myths turned into a pious widow, in whose house the holy youth lived, and the queen of the underworld turned into Queen Alexandra, who would follow him to the grave.

Miracles of St. George

One of the most famous posthumous miracles of St. George is the killing of a serpent (dragon) with a spear, which devastated the land of a pagan king in Beirut. As the legend says, when the lot fell to give the king’s daughter to be torn to pieces by the monster, George appeared on horseback and pierced the snake with a spear, saving the princess from death. The appearance of the saint contributed to the conversion of local residents to Christianity.

This legend was often interpreted allegorically: the princess - the church, the snake - paganism. This is also seen as a victory over the devil - “the ancient serpent” (Rev. 12:3; 20:2).

There is a variant description of this miracle relating to the life of George. In it, the saint subdues the snake with prayer and the girl destined for sacrifice leads him to the city, where the inhabitants, seeing this miracle, accept Christianity, and George kills the snake with a sword.

Relics

It is believed that the relics of St. George are currently in the Greek church in the Israeli city of Lod (Lydda), and the head is kept in the Roman basilica of San Giorgio in Velabro.

The reality of existence

The reality of the existence of St. George, like many early Christian saints, is in question. Eusebius of Caesarea says:

It is suggested that this martyr, whose name Eusebius does not name, could be Saint George, in which case this is all that is known about him from a reliable source.

An inscription from the year 346 in Greek is mentioned from a church in the city of Ezra (Syria), which was originally a pagan temple. It speaks of George as a martyr, which is important, since in the same period there was another George - Bishop of Alexandria (d. 362), with whom the martyr is sometimes confused. Calvin was the first to doubt that George the Victorious should be a revered saint, followed by Dr. Reynolds, according to whom he and the Bishop of Alexandria were one and the same person. Bishop George was an Arian (that is, for modern church- a heretic), he was born in a fulling mill in Epiphania (Cilicia), was a supplier of provisions for the army (Constantinople), and when he was convicted of fraud, he fled to Cappadocia. His Arian friends forgave him after paying a fine and sent him to Alexandria, where he was elected bishop (in opposition to Saint Athanasius) immediately after the death of the Arian prelate Gregory. Together with Dracontius and Diodorus, he immediately began brutal persecution of Christians and pagans, and the latter killed him, raising an uprising. Dr. Heylyn (1633) objected to this identification, but Dr. John Pettincal (1753) again raised the question of the identity of the Victorious. Dr. Samuel Pegg (1777) answered him in a report given to the Society of Antiquities. Gibbon also believed that St. George the Victorious and the Arian bishop were one and the same person. Sabin Baring-Gould (1866) strongly objected to such an identification of an unconditionally real bishop with a holy martyr: “... the improbability of such a transformation makes anyone doubt the truth of this statement. The enmity between Catholics and Arians was too great for an adherent of the latter, and even a persecutor of Catholics, to be mistaken for a saint. The works of Saint Athanasius, in which he painted a far from flattering portrait of his opponent, were quite widespread in the Middle Ages, and such a mistake would have been simply impossible.”

There is also a hypothesis about the existence of two saints with the name George, one of whom suffered in Cappadocia, and the other in Lydda.

Reverence

This saint has become extremely popular since early Christianity. He suffered torment in Nicomedia, and soon he began to be revered in Phenicia, Palestine, and then throughout the east. In Rome in the 7th century there were already two churches in honor of him, and in Gaul he has been revered since the 5th century.

Memory

In the Orthodox Church:

• May 6 (April 23, old style);
• November 16 (November 3, old style) - renovation (consecration) of the Church of the Great Martyr George in Lydda (IV century);
• November 23 (November 10, old style) - Wheeling of the Great Martyr George (Georgian celebration)
• December 9 (November 26, old style) - consecration of the Church of the Great Martyr George in Kyiv in 1051 (celebration of the Russian Orthodox Church, popularly known as autumn St. George's day)

In the Catholic Church:

• April 23

In the West, Saint George is the patron saint of chivalry and participants in the crusades; he is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

Cult of Saint George

According to one version, the cult of St. George, as often happened with Christian saints, was put forward in opposition to the pagan cult of Dionysus (Greek georgos, farmer), temples were built on the site of the former sanctuaries of Dionysus and holidays were celebrated in his honor on the days of Dionysus.

George is considered the patron saint of warriors, farmers and shepherds, and in some places - of travelers. In Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia, believers turn to him with prayers for rain. In Georgia, people turn to George with requests for protection from evil, for good luck in hunting, for the harvest and offspring of livestock, for healing from illnesses, and for childbearing. IN Western Europe It is believed that prayers to St. George (George) help get rid of poisonous snakes and contagious diseases. Saint George is known to the Islamic peoples of Africa and the Middle East under the names Jirjis and al-Khadr.

In Rus' since ancient times, St. George was revered under the name Yuri or Yegory. In the 1030s, Grand Duke Yaroslav founded the monasteries of St. George in Kyiv and Novgorod (see Yuryev Monastery) and ordered throughout Rus' to “create a holiday” of St. George on November 26 (December 9).

In Orthodoxy he is considered the patron saint of agriculture and cattle breeding. April 23 and November 26 (old style) are known as spring and autumn St. George's Day. Images of St. George have been found since ancient times on grand ducal coins and seals.

Saint George, together with the Mother of God, is considered the heavenly patron of Georgia and is the most revered saint among Georgians. According to local legends, George was a relative Equal to the Apostles Nina, educator of Georgia.

The first church in honor of St. George was built in Georgia in 335 by King Mirian at the burial site of St. Nina; from the 9th century, the construction of churches in honor of George became widespread.

The life of the saint was first translated into Georgian at the end of the 10th century. In the 11th century, George the Svyatogorets, when translating the “Great Synaxarion,” completed a brief translation of the life of George.

The Cross of St. George is present on the flag of the Georgian church. It first appeared on Georgian banners under Queen Tamara.

In Ossetian traditional beliefs, the most important place is occupied by Uastirdzhi (Uasgergi), who appears as a strong gray-bearded old man in armor on a three- or four-legged white horse. He patronizes men. Women are forbidden to say his name, instead of which they call him L?gty dzuar(patron of men). Celebrations in his honor, as in Georgia, begin on November 23 and last a week. Tuesday of this holiday week is especially revered. The cult itself is syncretic in nature: with the beginning of the spread of Christianity in Alania (5th century) and before its final adoption (10th century), a certain deity from the pantheon of ethnic Ossetian religion, the cult of which dates back to the times of the Indo-Iranian community, was subjected to transformation by the Church. As a result, the deity took the name George, also the name of the holiday in his honor ( Dzheorguyba) was borrowed as a result of the significant influence of Georgian Orthodoxy from Georgian language. Otherwise, the cult of the patron remained ethnic in nature.

Theonym Uastirdzhi easily etymologized from the Old Ironic form Uasjirji, Where you- a word that in early Alan Christianity meant a saint, and the second part is an ironic version of the name Georgiy. The etymology of the theonym appears even more transparent when analyzing the Digor form Wasgergi.

Images

In art

There are two directions in the iconography of the miracle of St. George about the serpent: Western and Eastern.

• in the eastern school, the image of St. George is more spiritual: a not very muscular young man (without a beard) without heavy armor and a helmet, with a thin, clearly not physical, spear, on an unrealistic (spiritual) horse, without much physical effort, pierces with a spear an unrealistic (spiritual) serpent with wings and paws.
• in the Western school, the image of St. George is more materialistic: a muscular man in heavy armor and a helmet, with a thick spear, on a realistic horse with physical exertion pierces with a spear an almost realistic snake with wings and paws.

In heraldry

Since the time of Dmitry Donskoy, he has been considered the patron saint of Moscow, since the city was founded by his namesake Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. The image of a horseman slaying a serpent with a spear, which appeared in Moscow heraldry from the turn of the 14th-15th centuries, was perceived in the popular consciousness as the image of St. George; in 1730 this was formalized.

Currently, this figure in the coat of arms of the Russian Federation is described as “a silver rider in a blue cloak riding to the left on a silver horse, striking with a silver spear a black dragon, overturned on its back and trampled by the horse, also facing to the left”, that is, without a direct reference to St. George, and is depicted without a halo. It should be noted that in fact the coat of arms depicts not a dragon, but a serpent. In heraldry, the serpent is a negative character, and the dragon is a positive character; they can be distinguished by the number of paws - two for the dragon and four for the serpent. The use of references to a dragon instead of a serpent in official documents of the Russian Federation should be regarded as an unfortunate misunderstanding and unprofessionalism of the heraldic service. At the same time, the coat of arms of Moscow speaks of Saint George slaying the serpent:

The coat of arms of Georgia depicts a red heraldic shield with St. George the Victorious slaying a serpent.

Also, in heraldry and vexillology, the St. George Cross is used - a straight red cross on a white field. It is represented on the flags of Great Britain and England, Georgia, and on the flag and coat of arms of Milan. The Cross of St. George should not be confused with another Christian symbol - the Scandinavian cross.

In toponymy

The Russian prince Yaroslav the Wise founded and named the following cities in honor of his patron saint George: Yuryev (Gyurgev, now Tartu) and Yuryev Russky (now Belaya Tserkov).

Links and literature

• "Miracles of St. George." Text VII-IX centuries, Russian. language
• The Suffering of the Holy and Glorious Great Martyr George, written by Master Theodore Dafnopat
• Consecration of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George in Kyiv
• Vlas Mikhailovich Doroshevich. “In the promised land. At the tomb of St. George the Victorious"
• George, Great Martyr // Orthodox Encyclopedia