Great Martyr Saint George by Ronnie Lawand (Apr. ’02)
On the 23rd of April we celebrate the life of the Great Martyr Saint George. Raised in Cappadocia, St. George was brought up in the Christian faith. His parents were wealthy and provided him with a strong religious background.
As he grew older, the Great Martyr George became an important part of the Roman army because of his many virtues. By the end of the Third Century, St. George had become one of Emperor Diocletian’s favorite soldiers. He was in charge of thousands of soldiers.
Once Diocletian had used the help of his many Christian officers, he focused on trying to reintroduce a state religion. His goal was to force his belief in paganism upon the people of the Roman Empire. He believed it would unite the Empire. Diocletian concentrated his efforts on the suppression of Christianity. He issued a royal order stating that anyone who failed to deny Christ would be punished to death.
The Great Martyr George would not comply. He declared himself a Christian to the Emperor and scorned him for believing in false idols. Anticipating a punishment for his actions and his beliefs, St. George distributed his riches to the poor and freed his slaves. Soon after, the Emperor ordered that the Great Martyr George be placed in a dungeon and subjected to merciless torture. He was first hit in the belly with a spear that pierced his flesh and drew much blood, but St. George did not succumb. He was then tied to a wheel that had sharp knives embedded in it and was cut many times. Once again, the Great Martyr George survived. He endured the pain patiently and continued to glorify the Lord.
The inability to kill St. George frustrated the Emperor. At the same time, many new people were attracted to Christianity. They had seen that the Great Martyr George had survived terrible torture. Even the wife of the Emperor, Empress Alexandra came to the faith of Christ. Finally, in about 303 AD, the Emperor ordered that the Great Martyr George’s head be cut off. That is how Saint George departed unto Christ.
In most icons, Saint George is depicted sitting on a white horse, smiting a dragon with a spear. This is based on one of the miracles of the Great Martyr George. Not far from where Saint George was born there lived a dragon which frequently devoured humans. Once, as the beast approached a sacrificed maiden, a radiant Saint George appeared and stabbed the dragon with his spear, saving the maiden. This helped convert the people of the nearby city to Christianity.
The Great Martyr St. George will be remembered as a devout Christian who placed his life in the hands of God. Through his good deeds and by his example, Saint George was able to convert many people to Christianity and to spread the word of our Lord Jesus Christ.