St. George the Trophy-Bearer (4th century)

Feast Day: April 23

Introduction

St. George was a Roman soldier, who confessed Christ and was martyred under the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. Such is the main story of his life; his death is usually ascribed to the early 4th century, and churches began to be dedicated to him later in that century. His early cult was centered around Diospolis or Lydda (modern Lod, Israel); most accounts say he spent at least some of his childhood there. Legends abound regarding him, most famously his slaying of a dragon. The version of his life given here comes from the Synaxarion (a Greek liturgical book containing the lives of the saints for each day) edited by Nicodemus the Hagiorite (Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain) (1749-1809), a monk on Mount Athos and an Eastern Orthodox saint, most well-known for editing, with Makarios of Corinth, the Philokalia, a collection of writings linked to Hesychasm, and one of the most important spiritual books for the Orthodox.

St. George the Trophy-Bearer

George, cutting down his enemies with sabers, Was willingly cut down by the enemy with a sword. On the twenty-third, George’s brazen neck rose high.

1. This glorious and wondrous and great martyr of Christ, George, lived in the time of Emperor Diocletian, in the year 296, descended from the region of Cappadocia, from a radiant and shining family, and, first radiant in the order of Tribunes, and, later, when he was to be martyred, being honored as a comes (that is, an eparch, a leader, and a general). And when the impious Diocletian set in motion a persecution against Christians, and gave forth an imperial decree, that whatever Christians denied Christ, would be honored with royal honors, and whoever did not consent to denial, would receive the penalty of death, then the great George was found present, proclaimed himself a Christian, and condemned the error and weakness of idols, mocking those believing in them. And since the holy one was not persuaded by the tyrant’s flattery and many promises, nor by his threats and boasts, he first struck him in the belly with a javelin, which struck into the holy one’s flesh so deeply, that it would draw forth much blood from there, but the point of the javelin was turned back, and the holy one was guarded from it, unharmed; and then he bound him to a wheel, which had three rows of iron blades stuck in it, then he let the wheel roll in a violent way; though the martyr’s body was sliced with many cuts, he still remained, again, healthy, through the protection of a divine angel.
2. From there, the holy one was placed before Diocletian and his co-ruler Magnetios, when they were about to sacrifice to the idols, and then he showed himself safe and unharmed by such fearful torture; for this, he brought many Greeks to faith in Christ, who were immediately beheaded, according to the emperor’s decree. Then Empress Alexandra, as well, entered into the faith of Christ, and before her husband, Diocletian, confessed Christ as the true God. Then many others also believed in Christ, seeing the holy one thrown into the unquenchable pit, and remaining unharmed by it. After these things, they nailed iron sandals to the holy one’s feet, and forced him to walk; then they flayed him mercilessly with dry ox tendons. But Magnetios sought a sign from the holy one, that he would raise a dead man, who had died a long time before and was buried in a tomb, found here, before him. And the holy one prayed at the slab of the tomb, “Depart, O death!” and the dead man arose, who, bowing down before the holy one, glorified the divinity and power of God. Then the emperor asked him, who he was, and when he had died; and the dead man answered, that he was one of those men who lived before Christ came, that is, three hundred years and more before, and that, because of the error which he held toward the idols, he was thrown into the fire for some time.
3. And then, seeing the wonder, many Greeks believed in Christ, and glorified God with one voice. And with them was also the farmer Glukerios, whose dead ox the holy one raised, who, strengthened in the faith of Christ through such a wonder, was struck by the faithless ones with oars, and received the sung-of crown of martyrdom. And, with the aforesaid, many others also believed in Christ, when they saw, that the holy one, entering into the temple o the idols, commanded one of the idols to say if Christ was God, and if was proper for us worship Him. Then the demon, dwelling within the idol, lamenting and constrained, answered, that Christ was the only God. Whence, through this word, all the idols were troubled, and fell to the ground, and were shattered. And the adorers of the demons, not able to bear any more, grabbed the holy one and brought him to the emperor, seeing that he would quickly give sentence against him. And the emperor ordered the holy one to be beheaded, together with Empress Alexandra; and the holy one was beheaded, but the holy Alexandra, being brought into prison, handed her soul into the hand of God.

Source: Nicodemus the Hagiorte, Συναξαριστης των Δωδεκα Μηνων του Ενιαυτου [Synaxarion of the Twelve Months of the Year], Tome II (Athens: Ch. Nicholaios Philadeleos, 1868), 104A-106B.

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