Orthodoxy St. George the Victorious. George the Victorious - biography, photo

And now the text from Abbot Vitaly about Saint George:

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.

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

The image of St. George the Victorious on a horse symbolizes the victory over the devil - the “ancient serpent” (Rev. 12:3; 20:2).
Since ancient times, Saint George the Victorious has been considered the patron saint of the Russian army.
The Cross of St. George is a symbol of soldier's valor and glory.
The name of St. George the Victorious has entered into the thousand-year history of the Russian state. The image of St. George the Victorious, with a copy of the slaying serpent, adorns the coat of arms of the city of Moscow. Since the reign of the blessed Prince Dmitry Donskoy, Saint George has been considered the patron saint of Moscow. The coat of arms of Moscow traditionally depicts St. George piercing the serpent, Satan, with a spear. St. George the Victorious is the patron saint of all valiant warriors who fight at different times for the faith and the Fatherland.

Saint George became the ideal image of a warrior, defender of the Motherland. In Rus', icons depicting St. George became known already in the 12th century:
spear, sword, chain mail - attributes of a warrior.
A scarlet cloak thrown over the shoulder is a symbol of martyrdom.

In Rus', in honor of the patron saint of warriors, George the Victorious, the order was established on December 9 (November 26, old style) in 1769 by Empress Catherine II and was awarded to soldiers solely for bravery on the battlefield. The Order of St. George was divided at its establishment into four classes, or degrees. Moreover, there was the highest command “to never remove this order” and “to be called Knights of the Order of St. George by this order.”

There was another award, the insignia of the military order - an award badge for soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the Russian army from 1807 to 1917 - the Cross of St. George, established by Emperor Alexander I. The motto of the award: “For service and courage.” For centuries, there was no higher military honor in Russia than the “Knight of St. George”.

Heroes of the First World War:
Alexey Strakhov - sergeant major of the 16th East Siberian Rifle Regiment, full Knight of St. George, who received all four Crosses of St. George during the First World War

As a sign of special distinction, for demonstrated personal courage and dedication, they were awarded the St. George Golden Weapon - a sword, a dirk, a saber.

Priests also became Knights of St. George. Behind each such award are unparalleled feats on the battlefield. The history of the Fatherland knows eighteen such names.
Father Vasily Vasilkovsky - Order of St. George IV degree. War of 1812.
Father Job Kaminsky was awarded the Order of St. George during the Russian-Turkish campaign in 1829.
Archpriest John Pyatibokov - Order of St. George, IV degree and pectoral cross on the St. George ribbon for exploits during the defense of Sevastopol in 1855.
Father John Straganovich was awarded a golden pectoral cross on the St. George Ribbon for his exploits in the Russo-Japanese War

The golden pectoral cross on the St. George Ribbon became not only a very honorable, but also a relatively rare military award; Before the Russo-Japanese War, only 111 people were awarded it. And behind each award is a specific feat.
One of the best state halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, built in the mid-19th century, was subsequently named in honor of the Order of St. George and its military cavaliers.
In this hall of military glory, the names of 11 thousand Knights of St. George are inscribed in gold letters on marble plaques. Among them is Georgy Zhukov.
The black and orange colors of the St. George Ribbon became a symbol of military valor and glory in Russia, switching to some orders and medals of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation.

In October 1943, on the initiative of I.V. Stalin, the Order of Glory was established, which was awarded to privates and sergeants of the Red Army, and in aviation, to persons with the rank of junior lieutenant, who showed glorious feats of bravery, courage and fearlessness in battles for the Soviet Motherland . The colors of the ribbon of the Order of Glory repeat the colors of the ribbon of the Russian Imperial Order of St. George.

By resolution of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation on March 20, 1992, the Order of George was restored.

“St. George’s Ribbon” is a public event dedicated to the celebration of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War, taking place since 2005. The purpose of the action is not to let new generations forget who and at what cost won the most terrible war of the last century, whose heirs we remain, what and who we should be proud of, who to remember

The Orthodox Church has established several holidays in memory of the Great Martyr and Victorious George:
Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. Memorial Day April 23 (old style) / May 6 (new style).
Consecration of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George in Lydda. Memorial Day November 3 (old style) / November 16 (new style).
Wheeling of the Holy Great Martyr George. November 10 (old style) / November 23 (new style).
Consecration of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in Kyiv. November 26 (old style) / December 9 (new style).

It is impossible to tell briefly about the life story of this brave man. This young man gave his life for Christ at a very early age, but before reaching the age of 20 he managed to accomplish many feats, and most importantly, helped many pagans find the True God.

Life period: 284-305 ad.

He was from a noble family who chose Christianity. When he was little, his father was deprived of his life for choosing faith.

The young man grew up, received a good education and became a close associate of Emperor Diocletian, known for the persecution of Christians. Obviously, he did not tell anyone about his faith, because the emperor gave him the title of governor and greatly respected him for his courage.

However, having learned that his master ordered the killing of all Christians using terrible torture, the young man could no longer hide: he came to the emperor and openly declared his faith. Suspecting how such a confession might end, he freed all the slaves in advance and distributed the property to the poor.

George tried to convey to the emperor and his entourage that he was the true god, and by killing his followers, the ruler was committing wicked, unjust deeds. But these words only caused anger in Diocletian. He ordered the rebellious warrior to be seized and thrown into prison. Thus began his passion, full of the Lord's miracles.

Miracles of the Saint

• In prison, George's feet were hammered into blocks, and a heavy stone was lowered onto his chest. The emperor hoped that this test would break the will of the righteous man, but the suffering did not turn the young man away from his faith.
• After this, Diocletian ordered the warrior, who had recently been revered by him, to be cut on the wheel. His body was placed on the latest instrument of torture - a wheel studded with sharp spears. He died, but a heavenly voice was heard, “I am with you, George!”, and the saint rose up, healed.
• The empress and two dignitaries who saw this miracle believed in the Lord. But the emperor was inexorable: he ordered the dignitaries to be killed, and sent his wife under lock and key.
• Diocletian ordered to put George alive in a deep hole and cover him with quicklime. It was a very terrible execution, because the sour lime was supposed to bake his flesh. But when they dug up the hole three days later, there were not bones inside, but a living person.

• Even after this, the emperor did not believe that the miracles were sent by God. He decided that George was using unknown magic. He began to ask the saint about what kind of magic he uses. When he received the answer that this was not a spell, but the power of the Lord, he became angry. Diocletian ordered boots to be put on George’s feet, the soles of which were studded with hot nails from the inside. In such shoes, the Martyr had to walk all the way to the dungeon, and the guards mocked him.
• The next day a trial was announced, to which the wizard Athanasius was invited. He brought two bowls to George. From the content of one, he was supposed to become an obedient slave of the emperor, and from the other, he was supposed to fall dead. However, the Lord was pleased that the young man drank both cups, and not only did not change his own opinion, but also survived. After this, even the sorcerer publicly declared that he wanted to join the Christians... And he immediately paid for it with his life, since the emperor did not like this decision.
• After the trial, George was in prison for a long time. Interested in his miracles, many people bribed the jailers to see the young man. After conversations with him, many called themselves Christians. True, if the emperor found out about this, these neophytes were immediately seized by the guards (including the Martyrs Ferinus, Donatus,).
• The emperor brought George to the pagan temple for the last time, wanting him to publicly worship the Roman gods. But he refused. Moreover, Diocletian’s wife again began to exclaim in front of everyone that the Lord whom George worshiped was the only and true one. After this, the angry ruler ordered the execution of both the young man and his wife.
• The saint transferred her spirit to Heaven on the way to the place of execution. The Great Martyr George's head was cut off on April 23 (May 6).

But why is he called the Victorious?

Being a warrior, he became famous for many military feats. But on most icons he is depicted slaying a huge serpent, and this is not without reason.

In the saint’s homeland, in the city of Beirut (at that time it was called Belit), this merciless snake settled in the depths of the lake. He came out of the waters and devoured people. To appease the monster, the inhabitants of Belit began to sacrifice beautiful girls to him. The victim was chosen by lot.

Over time, the lot fell on the only daughter of the local king (or ruler), a maiden of unprecedented beauty. They didn’t spare her either: they brought her to the lake and tied her up, while the people themselves retreated to a safe distance.

And suddenly, as if from nowhere, a rider appeared on a snow-white horse. With a loud prayer, he rushed at the monster, holding a spear at the ready. He struck him in the throat, but did not kill him. Saint George (after all, it was he) told the princess to make a “leash” from her belt, which he threw around the neck of the slain monster, and the girl led him, exhausted, into the city.

The people were very frightened by such a sight, but George calmed them down, saying that Jesus had sent him to them. Only after that he killed the monster, and the people burned him. There is no doubt that after such a miracle, all of them (and this is about 25 thousand!) converted to Christianity.

• There is another legend associated with this saint. It is known that the poor villager had a single ox that helped him on the farm. But this animal died over time, and the owner cried a lot over it, because without draft power he could not cultivate the land. A passing saint revived the ox by the will of the Lord. Therefore, he is considered not only the protector of warriors, but also the patron of cattle breeders and villagers.

Dates of veneration

• April 23 is the day of execution of Martyr George.
• the 3rd of November.
• November 10 - wheeling (celebrated in Georgia).
• November 26.

The relics of the saint rest in the temple that bears his name (Palestine, the city of Lid), and his head is kept in the Roman Temple of St. George the Victorious.

How many countries honor him?

• The church began to exalt Gregory from the 5th century. It was most popular in the East. The Byzantine emperors even considered him their patron.
• In some European countries (namely, in Orthodox Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria) they believe that during a drought you need to pray to him, and then it will rain.
• In addition to other nationalities, this saint is also highly respected by the gypsies. The fact is that George is the patron saint not only of warriors and cattle breeders (shepherds, farmers), but also of travelers.

In Rus', this Martyr became known from the very adoption of Christianity. Let's say, the Kiev prince the Wise (son of the baptist Vladimir) received the name George at baptism, so he founded a church in the capital city dedicated to this saint.

If you believe the chroniclers, then the name George and those coming from it (, and later) were very popular among people. It was used not only to name children born in noble families, but also to the sons of simple farmers and shepherds. Moreover, the day of veneration of the saint coincided with the day of the first cattle pasture for the plow.

As is the case with many other saints, when they get to different countries, they sometimes change their faces on icons. Yes, on most icons George is depicted with dark curly hair. However, in Russian countries you can see the following image of the Victorious:

How to pray to St. George the Victorious?

Since during his life he was a warrior, people often remember him when going to battle or asking the Higher Powers for victory. However, in peaceful life he can also be an assistant. He can bring courage to the restless soul of a soldier, and to the souls of his waiting relatives - the hope that his own son (husband, brother, fiancé) will return home unharmed, because the saint will protect him from death and injury.

But if we, adults, easily understood the life of St. George, an ordinary article, even with photos of icons, will not be enough for our children or grandchildren. Therefore, we offer you a short cartoon from the Russian studio “Gems”. Kids will learn a lot of interesting things from it. For example, it turns out that our ancestors called this saint Yegor, and it is not without reason that he is considered the patron saint of the city of Moscow.

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Saint George is well known throughout the world - a warrior sitting on horseback and slaying a huge dragon (serpent). The icon of St. George the Victorious depicts him in exactly this form. The courageous warrior is revered not only in Russia - Catholics, Lutherans and Eastern churches pray to him, and is especially famous in England and Georgia. How did the saint deserve such respect, coming from the depths of centuries?

History of St. George the Victorious

The saint lived a long time ago, in the 3rd century, when Israel existed as a province of Rome. Born in the Palestinian city of Lydda (today Lod), he died in Asia Minor (Bithynia), then also under the heel of the Romans. The exact date of birth of George is unknown, but he died as a fully grown man (after all, history knows many martyrs of childhood and even infants).

Diocletian, under whom these events took place, was an idolater and especially revered Apollo. From his idol he learned the future, although inaccurately. The demon once said that righteous people - Christians - interfere with prophecies. The king gathered a council and ordered everyone to propose how to punish those who left paganism.

The saint was raised in the Christian faith; his father was killed for confessing. George was handsome, well-built and strong, and his courage in military service allowed him to obtain a good position in the Roman army. One of the icons of St. George the Victorious depicts him as a blooming young warrior in vestments.

The saint’s mother had already died at the time of her son’s martyrdom. Having learned about the persecution, George himself came to a meeting where methods of exterminating Christians were discussed. Human fear was alien to him, he feared only God and addressed the congregation with an accusatory speech.

The king and his subjects were simply speechless at the sight of such audacity. But St. George cared only about loyalty to Christ. The king recognized his commander and advised George to sacrifice to the pagan gods, promising him even more honors. The Confessor of Christ replied that he wanted only one thing - for everyone to know the true God.

Diocletian ordered to drive the martyr out with spears and put him in prison. Then cruel and prolonged torment began, which also became the subject for the icon of the Great Martyr George the Victorious. Such images are called hagiographic images; around the large image of the saint there are smaller medallions (or stamps, from 9 to 16 pieces), the subject of which are fragments of the life.

• St. George was tied up with a stone placed on his chest, but he only thanked God. The next day the king ordered the saint to be tied to a wheel. The torture continued for a long time, Georgy became unconscious. Then the emperor began to mock God and ordered the martyr to be untied, thinking that he had already died. An angel in the form of a young man appeared near the warrior, after which George himself left the torture device, he turned out to be completely healthy.
• They covered the martyr with lime for three days. The saint was found unharmed, and he thanked God. Then he was led to the dungeon in iron boots. By morning his legs, mutilated by torture, were healthy again.
• The emperor ordered the martyr to be beaten with whips until the flesh began to stick to the ground, but he was again healed by the power of God. Then a sorcerer was brought in to expose the captive’s “tricks,” which were considered witchcraft. To continue the bullying, Georgy was forced to drink a magic potion. The martyr remained unharmed even after taking a whole cup of poison.
• To mock the Christian faith, the torturers offered St. George to raise the dead man, promising that in this case they too would worship the Lord. After a long prayer, thunder was heard and the dead man arose. But the emperor’s heart remained stony - he said that George was just a sorcerer. The ruler ordered to kill both the resurrected man and the sorcerer who repented.
• The saint was returned to prison, where he continued to work miracles, healing the afflicted. A tribunal was built at the temple of Apollo, where the torture was to continue. Diocletian's wife, seeing the power of Christ, confessed her faith, falling at the feet of the saint. The king ordered both to be executed. The queen gave up her ghost on the way.

The martyr George himself bowed his head, meekly giving his life for Christ. The meaning of the hagiographic icons of St. George the Victorious can be difficult to understand if you do not know about the exploits of the saint, so it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the legends with which church tradition is rich.

The theological meaning is general - looking at scenes of martyrdom or posthumous miracles, the observer can see the entire life of the righteous, saints, and apostolic men in a general perspective. Despite the trials that the Lord has prepared for His chosen ones throughout life, they invariably emerge victorious from the battle with the devil, steadfastly holding to the confession of the faith of Christ.

Such icons had another function - like paintings, they served as pictorial books, of which there were very few in those days. Therefore, ordinary people, through images, could get acquainted with Gospel parables and stories from the lives of saints. And the edifying role of stories about martyrdom is clear without additional comments.

History of the icon of St. George the Victorious

The mercy of God over the believers does not become scarce, and the miracles that the glorious great martyr performed did not dry out; they continued even after his earthly journey was completed. The story of the most famous icon of St. George the Victorious begins here. According to legend, in one of the Palestinian lakes there lived a snake that ate the inhabitants of a nearby city. At the behest of the pagan king, people one by one gave their children to the monster. The turn of the royal daughter came.

The richly dressed princess went to the serpent and met a warrior on the way, who asked what she was crying about. Having learned about the girl’s impending terrible fate, the saint decided to save her. Having prayed to God, he hit the snake with a spear, the horse trampled the creature with its hooves. The pacified monster was led on a leash into the city. The people were in bewilderment, but upon learning of the power of St. George defeated the monster, they believed in Christ. The serpent was killed and burned, many people were baptized, including the king.

Although various icons have been dedicated to the saint over centuries of veneration, the most famous image in Russia is where the saint is riding a horse. However, three such images are known: without a serpent (a raised spear, a shield behind the shoulders, holding the reins with the left hand); serpent fighter (“The Miracle of the Serpent”), a miracle with a saved youth (the young man sits on a horse behind the saint’s back).

The meaning of the icon of St. George the Victorious defeating the serpent is not only to remind of this great miracle. There is also a symbolic meaning. The princess can be perceived as the Church, the snake as hostile paganism. The saint, having defeated the monster, delivered the faith from paganism. This plot can also be perceived as a victory over the tempting serpent, that is, the devil who seduced the first people in paradise.

What do the icons of the martyr George look like and what is its meaning?

Although in Russia the most revered image is the one where the saint crushes the snake, it is far from the only one. Orthodox iconography knows many descriptions of the icons of St. George the Victorious. An image has already been mentioned where the saint is depicted as a warrior. There is also an image of a martyr - he holds a cross in his hand, wearing a cloak over a tunic (the traditional clothing of those suffering for the faith). There may be a wreath on the head.

External features - a curly-haired young man without a beard, ear-length hair, round curls, arranged in rows. In the Byzantine tradition, however, facial features could be different. The image of the saint was present not only on icons - frontal images were made on coins, next to the imperial one, near the cross; on mosaics; bindings.

Since the 6th century. St. George is depicted together with Fyodor Stratelates, Dmitry of Thessaloniki, and Fyodor Tiron. Of course, they never met during their lifetime; they are all united by their martyrdom, and they all carried out military service. The icon of St. George the Victorious along with the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica is very common. Perhaps their similar appearance prompted the icon painters to depict these saints together.

Images of George in Russia

Grand Duke Yaroslav, having been baptized with the name George, established the tradition of strict veneration of the brave warrior in our country. Like the Byzantine emperors, Yaroslav began to mint the image of his heavenly patron on coins and decorated seals with it. The earliest icon of St. George is kept in the Kremlin and dates back to the 11th century. The half-length image of the saint holds a sword in his left hand and a spear in his right hand.

The large icon (approximately 2.5 by 1.5 meters) was painted for the Novgorod St. George Cathedral at the beginning of the 12th century. The saint, in addition to a spear and sword, is armed with a shield and has a crown of gold on his head. There is also no plot about the defeated snake.

Moscow churches have their own tradition: here you can often find George, not armed, but dressed in the martyr’s tunic, paired with Demetrius of Thessalonica. The Moscow princes considered both warriors intercessors for their lands. An example is the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral (Kremlin).

How to pray to the icon of St. George correctly

It would be a mistake to assume that icons of St. George the Victorious were revered only by kings and princes. His image was so close to the people's consciousness that it was often united with the popularly revered St. Nikolai. The reason could also be the proximity of church holidays (April 23 is the day of the martyrdom of St. George, May 9 is one of the feasts of St. Nicholas).

Double-sided icons of “Nicholas and Yegory” were common in the Novgorod and Moscow regions. The saints were depicted both full-length and waist-length. St. Nicholas traditionally holds the Gospel in his hand, and St. George - spear and shield (sometimes supported by a sword). In folklore, St. George is compared with the archangel Michael, who must defeat the serpent of the apocalypse (in the final book of the Bible).

Despite the military paraphernalia, the saint is considered the patron saint of farmers. Perhaps because this work requires enormous strength, and in the event of a crop failure, many were threatened with death from hunger. The people believe that the heavenly warrior will come to protect all the weak, innocent, and oppressed. It is necessary to pray near the icon of St. George the Victorious in the same way as with other icons - with faith in the heart, naming your specific everyday needs, first not forgetting about spiritual ones.

What does it mean that the icon of St. George the Victorious appears in a dream?

Different dream books give opposite information about why the icon of St. George the Victorious is dreamed of. Some people think that this is good, but for some, such a dream means difficult trials. But what does Orthodoxy actually say about dreams?

The Holy Fathers divide dreams into ordinary ones, from the unclean and from God. A typical dream is about what a person did during the day. For example, a driver may dream that he is driving his car. Revelations can be sent from God, such examples are often given in the Holy Scriptures. What is the likelihood of such dreams for an ordinary person who is far from the righteousness of Abraham or Joseph? The answer is obvious.

A demon can also unleash dreams in order to confuse and frighten a person. What to do in this case? The basis for all Christian life should be the Word of God, prayer, and temple. There you need to look for answers to all questions, consult with your confessor, if he is not there, then pray that the Lord will send a spiritual leader.

Getting carried away with dream books and fortune-telling is a great sin, which must be remembered. A believer must be sober, pray, seek eternal life, and not think about predictions.

How does the icon of St. help? George

Since during the life of St. George was a military man; he is considered the patron saint of everyone related to the army - military personnel, participants in combat operations. Prayer before the icon of St. George the Victorious will help:

• protect yourself from enemies:
• win a battle (military, sports, spiritual warfare with the devil);
• assistance in establishing peace between family members;
• get rid of a bodily ailment (no matter what it is);
• There are cases where infertile women were able to conceive a child.

Of course, many mothers pray to St. George the Victorious for their sons to return safely from military service. To do this, it is not necessary to buy an icon; the saint will hear prayers anyway. But if possible, you can purchase an icon for your home, especially if the need to contact the great martyr arises regularly.

Prayer to the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious

O all-praised holy great martyr and wonderworker George! Look upon us with your quick help and beg God, the lover of mankind, not to judge us sinners according to our iniquities, but to deal with us according to His great mercy. Do not despise our prayer, but ask us from Christ our God for a quiet and godly life, mental and physical health, fertility of the earth and abundance in everything, and may we not turn the good things given to us by you from the all-generous God into evil, but into the glory of the holy name Him and in glorification of your strong intercession, may He grant our Orthodox people victory as adversaries and may He strengthen us with irreplaceable peace and blessing. May His angel protect us saints more generously with a militia, so that we, upon our departure from this life, may be delivered from the wiles of the evil one and his difficult airy ordeals, and may present ourselves uncondemned to the throne of the Lord of glory.
Hear us, passion-bearing George of Christ, and pray for us unceasingly to the Trinitarian Lord of all God, so that by His grace and love for mankind, with your help and intercession, we may find mercy with the Angels and Archangels and all the saints at the right hand of the just Judge, and we may glorify him with the Father and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

On May 6 (April 23, old style), the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, born in the Lebanese Mountains.

Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious: history

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 - Berit), 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, Saint 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 at trial an inhuman sentence about the extermination of Christians, Saint George was inflamed with compassion for them. Anticipating that suffering also awaited 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. George's speech 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. Saint 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 Saint 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. So the holy sufferer went 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 Lydda, in a temple bearing his name, and his head was kept in Rome in a temple also dedicated to him.

On the icons, the Great Martyr 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 Saint George was born in the city of Beirut, there lived a snake in a lake that often devoured the people of that area. What kind of animal it was - a boa constrictor, a crocodile or a large lizard - is unknown.

To quench the fury of the serpent, the superstitious inhabitants 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 remembrance of St. George the Victorious, residents of Russian villages for the first time after a cold winter drove their cattle out to pasture, performing a prayer service to the holy great martyr and sprinkling houses and animals with holy water. The Day of the Great Martyr George is also popularly called “Yuriev’s Day,” on this day, before the reign of Boris Godunov, peasants could move to another landowner.

The Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious 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.

Troparion to the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious

Troparion: 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 for the salvation of our souls.

Life of the Great Martyr George the Victorious

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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 it was - a boa constrictor, a crocodile or a large lizard - is 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 remembrance of St. George the Victorious, residents of Russian villages for the first time after a cold winter drove their cattle out to pasture, performing a prayer service to the holy great martyr and sprinkling houses and animals with holy water. The Day of the Great Martyr George is also popularly called “Yuriev 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.