About the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. Lives of the saints in brief for children The legend of St. George the Victorious in brief

Great Martyr

St. George the Victorious

His memory is celebrated on April 23/May 6

During the time of the Roman emperor Diocletian, a cruel persecutor of Christians, there lived a young man named George. He was born in Cappadocia, in Asia Minor, into a rich and noble family and was raised in the Christian faith. When George was still a child, his father accepted martyrdom for Christ, and George and his mother moved to Palestine.

He grew up to be a handsome, stately young man, entered the Roman army and fought so bravely that he was soon made a military leader, although he was not even twenty years old. The emperor did not know that George was a Christian; he loved the young warrior and kept him with him.

Hearing that a new persecution of faith was beginning and that Diocletian had decided to exterminate Christians from the face of the earth, George distributed all his property, gold, silver and clothes to the poor, set the slaves free and went to the emperor.

- How long will you continue torturing innocent people? - he asked the amazed Diocletian, standing in the middle of the hall where the state council was taking place. - You force the people to bow to idols, but they are not gods at all; There is only one God, this is the Lord Jesus Christ, worshiped in the Holy Trinity. Find out the truth, or at least don’t confuse pious people with your madness!

At first, the emperor tried to kindly convert the young man to the worship of idols and persuaded him to make a sacrifice, and then he became angry and ordered his squires to drive George into prison with spears.

There his feet were driven into a block, and a large stone was placed on his chest; the next day, George was tied to a wheel with sharp blades that cut his body, but the Lord healed His faithful servant from his wounds. The young man endured many cruel torments, thanking God and asking him to strengthen him in his suffering.

Seeing how courageously he endured torture and how the Lord miraculously saved him from imminent death and healed him from his wounds - after all, the martyr did not bleed to death on a torture wheel, did not burn in a ditch with quicklime and did not die from poison - many believed in Christ. The wife of Diocletian himself, Queen Alexandra, also knew the true God and confessed herself as a Christian before everyone.

People began to come to George in prison, and he instructed everyone in the faith and performed miracles: he raised the dead and healed the sick.

One peasant, named Glycerius, had his only ox fall into a ravine and die. The poor fellow also came to George and complained with tears about his fate. The saint smiled quietly and said to him:

- Go, brother, rejoice, my Christ has revived your ox.

Glycerius, without any doubt, went home and found his cattle alive. He immediately went back to prison to George, and on the way he shouted loudly:

- Truly great is the Christian God! - He was captured by the royal soldiers, reported to Diocletian, and he ordered his head to be cut off - so Glycerius accepted martyrdom for Christ.

When the Great Martyr George crushed the idols in a pagan temple with his prayer, Diocletian ordered his head to be cut off. Together with him they led Queen Alexandra to death. After walking a little, she became very tired, asked permission to sit down and gave up her spirit to the Lord. And the Great Martyr George, having reached the place of execution, prayed to God and joyfully bowed his head under the sword. The Church, honoring his great suffering and patience, canonized Saint George as a Great Martyr.

After his glorious death, Saint George performed even more miracles than during his lifetime. He soon comes to the aid of all who call upon him in prayer.

The Great Martyr George is called the “liberator of captives” because he rescued Christians from captivity many times.

One day, a priest who served in the Church of the Great Martyr George on the island of Cyprus had a son named Philotheus who was captured by the Saracens. The young man lived in captivity for three whole years.

One day the owner ordered him to carry his linen with him to the bathhouse; Having washed himself, he demanded a drink, and Filofey forgot the jug with the drink at home. The Saracen had already swung his hand to hit him, but the young man ran away and, taking the drink, hurried back. Passing by a Christian church, Philotheus heard singing: it was the day of remembrance of the Holy Great Martyr George, they were serving the Divine Liturgy and at that moment they were singing the saint’s kontakion: “Thou hast been made of God, a most honest worker of piety...” The young man began to cry and prayed:

- Holy Great Martyr George! Can't you hear my father praying for me before the holy altar in your church? Won't you free me from captivity?

Returning to the owner, Filofey poured him a drink and was about to add boiling water, when suddenly everything blurred before his eyes. He shouted:

- I can not see anything! - and immediately found himself in the altar of his native church; at this time the choir sang: “One is holy, one is the Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father, amen,” and his father held the chalice and waited for boiling water to be served to him. Seeing that the young man, dressed in Saracen style, was about to pour warmth into the chalice, the priest was amazed and asked the altar boys who it was.

- It's me, your son! - exclaimed Filofey. “I was just now with my master in Jerusalem - and now I’m standing in front of you!”

The father placed the chalice on the throne and, raising his hands, glorified God and the holy Great Martyr George, and when he finished the service, he hugged and kissed his son, and they went home and there they rejoiced and had fun with their family and friends.

The Great Martyr George performed another miracle in the temple dedicated to him in Asia Minor in the city of Amastris. The temple was small and very dilapidated, so that it was in danger of collapsing: the people living there were poor, and they did not have money to repair it. Children often ran around him, and one little boy, who had never won a game and was often beaten and insulted by his comrades, once said:

- Saint George, help me win, I’ll bring you a delicious pie! - And he began to gain the upper hand in all games.

That same day, when he came home, he told his mother about his promise. She baked a cake and the boy placed it in front of the altar.

At that time, merchants were passing by; They decided to go into the church to venerate the Great Martyr George and saw the pie - it was still warm and gave off a very tasty smell.

- Why does the saint need it? Let's eat it and leave the incense in the temple! - the merchants decided.

But when they finished the pie and got ready to leave, they could not find the doors - there were only walls all around. The merchants placed a silver coin in front of the altar, then a gold one, and fervently prayed to the saint - and only then did they find the doors and go outside. This miracle became known throughout the country, and many pious people began to send money for the new church. So they collected a lot of gold and silver and built a large stone temple.

Abba George spoke about another miracle of the holy great martyr. One day he met an old monk on the road who walked ahead of him. Climbing up the mountain, they saw a flock of sheep. A shepherd boy was lying on the ground nearby; he was bitten by a poisonous snake and was writhing in pain. Having collected water from the source, the monks poured it over the holy cross and gave it to him to drink.

“In the name of the Most Holy Trinity, the Holy Great Martyr George heals you,” said the elder.

The boy spat out the poison and stood up healthy. Then the elder asked:

- Tell me, what did you say to the poor widow yesterday when you sold her sheep for three silver coins? Did you swear and swear that a wolf ate her?

“Yes, father, that’s how it was,” admitted the shepherd boy. “How do you know?”

“I was sitting in my cell,” said the elder, “when suddenly a rider on a white horse galloped up and ordered me to quickly come here, give you holy water and tell you not to swear, swear or lie in the future.” And be sure to give that poor woman the sheep, otherwise something even worse will happen to you.

The boy fell at his feet and asked for forgiveness.

- The widow told me that God Himself and Saint George would ask me for this lamb, because she promised to donate it on the day of the saint’s feast to treat the poor. I have sinned, Father, pray for me so that God and His saint will forgive me! “And I will give that woman three sheep for the holiday, and every year on this day I will give the poor a tenth of what I earn,” the shepherd boy promised.

Having received permission from his sin, he thanked God and the Great Martyr George.

Saint George performed the most amazing miracle in the city of Beirut on the Mediterranean Sea. Not far from the city there was a lake in which lived a huge man-eating snake. The residents were very afraid of him. They were pagans, they worshiped idols, and the demons who lived in the idols taught them to sacrifice their children to the monster every day. Those townspeople who were drawn by lot brought their son or daughter to the lake, and the snake crawled ashore and devoured them.

It was the turn of the only royal daughter; but when she was already standing near the lake and awaiting death, Saint George the Victorious appeared in the form of a beautiful young man, on horseback, with a spear at the ready, and, making the sign of the cross, pierced the snake’s throat. He ordered the girl to tie the monster around the neck with her belt and lead it along like a dog. So they came to the city. Seeing them, those they met began to run away in horror, but the saint exclaimed:

- Do not be afraid, trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in Him. It was He who sent me to you to deliver you from the serpent. - And he killed the monster with a sword in the city square, and all the inhabitants believed in Christ and received holy baptism.

On that place they built a large, beautiful church in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos and in honor of the holy Great Martyr and Victorious George, and miracles were also performed in it for the glory of God and His great saint.

With Saint Great Martyr George the Victorious, originally from Cappadocia (a region in Asia Minor), he grew up in a deeply religious Christian family. His father suffered martyrdom for Christ when George was still a child. The mother, who owned estates in Palestine, moved with her son to her homeland and raised him in strict piety. Having entered the service of the Roman army, Saint George, handsome, courageous and brave in battle, was noticed by the emperor Diocletian (284-305) and accepted into his guard with the rank of comit - one of the senior military leaders. The pagan emperor, who did a lot to revive Roman power and clearly understood the danger the triumph of the Crucified Savior posed to pagan civilization, especially intensified the persecution of Christians in the last years of his reign. At the council of the Senate in Nicomedia, Diocletian gave all rulers complete freedom to deal with Christians and promised his full assistance.

Saint George, having learned about the emperor’s decision, distributed his inheritance to the poor, set his slaves free and appeared in the Senate. The courageous warrior of Christ openly opposed the imperial plan, confessed himself to be a Christian and called on everyone to recognize the true faith in Christ: “I am a servant of Christ my God, and, trusting in Him, I appeared among you of my own free will to testify to the Truth.” “What is Truth?” - one of the dignitaries repeated Pilate’s question. “The truth is Christ Himself, persecuted by you,” answered the saint. Stunned by the daring speech of the valiant warrior, the emperor, who loved and exalted George, tried to persuade him not to destroy his youth, glory and honor, but to make a sacrifice to the gods, according to the custom of the Romans. This was followed by a decisive response from the confessor: “Nothing in this fickle life will weaken my desire to serve God.” Then, by order of the angry emperor, the squires began to push Saint George out of the meeting hall with spears in order to take him to prison. But the deadly steel itself became soft and bent as soon as the spears touched the saint’s body, and did not cause him pain. In prison, the martyr's feet were put in stocks and his chest was pressed with a heavy stone. The next day, during interrogation, exhausted but strong in spirit, Saint George again answered the emperor: “It is more likely that you will become exhausted, tormenting me, than I, tormented by you.”

Then Diocletian ordered George to be subjected to the most sophisticated torture. The Great Martyr was tied to a wheel, under which were placed boards with iron points. As the wheel rotated, sharp blades cut the saint's naked body. At first the sufferer loudly called on the Lord, but soon fell silent, without emitting a single groan. Diocletian decided that the tortured man had already died, and, having ordered the removal of the tortured body from the wheel, he went to the temple to offer a thanksgiving sacrifice. At that moment it became dark all around, thunder struck, and a voice was heard: “Don’t be afraid, George, I am with you.” Then a wondrous light shone and the Angel of the Lord appeared at the wheel in the form of a luminous youth. And he barely laid his hand on the martyr, saying to him: “Rejoice!” -how Saint George rose healed.

When the soldiers took him to the temple where the emperor was, the latter did not believe his eyes and thought that before him was another person or a ghost. In bewilderment and horror, the pagans peered at Saint George and became convinced that a miracle had indeed happened. Many then believed in the Life-Giving God of Christians. Two noble dignitaries, Saints Anatoly and Protoleon, secret Christians, immediately openly confessed Christ. They were immediately, without trial, by order of the emperor, beheaded with a sword. Queen Alexandra, the wife of Diocletian, who was in the temple, also learned the truth. She also tried to glorify Christ, but one of the emperor’s servants restrained her and took her to the palace. The emperor became even more embittered. Without losing hope of breaking Saint George, he handed him over to new terrible tortures. Having been thrown into a deep ditch, the holy martyr was covered with quicklime.

Three days later they dug him up, but found him joyful and unharmed. They put the saint in iron boots with red-hot nails and drove him to prison with beatings. In the morning, when he was brought in for questioning, cheerful and with healthy legs, he told the emperor that he liked the boots. They beat him with ox sinews so that his body and blood mixed with the ground, but the courageous sufferer, strengthened by the power of God, remained adamant. Deciding that magic was helping the saint, the emperor called upon the sorcerer Athanasius so that he could deprive the saint of his miraculous powers, or poison him. The sorcerer presented Saint George with two bowls of potions, one of which was supposed to make him submissive, and the other to kill him. But the potions did not work either - the saint continued to denounce pagan superstitions and glorify the True God. To the emperor’s question what kind of power helps the martyr, Saint George answered: “Do not think that torment does not harm me thanks to human effort - I am saved only by the invocation of Christ and His power. He who believes in Him counts torture as nothing and is able to do the works that Christ did.” Diocletian asked what the works of Christ were. “To enlighten the blind, to cleanse lepers, to give walking to the lame, to give hearing to the deaf, to cast out demons, to raise the dead.” Knowing that neither sorcery nor the gods known to him had ever been able to resurrect the dead, the emperor, in order to disgrace the hope of the saint, ordered him to resurrect the dead before his eyes. To this the saint said: “You are tempting me, but for the sake of the salvation of the people who will see the work of Christ, my God will create this sign.”

And when Saint George was brought to the tomb, he cried out: “Lord! Show those present that You are the One God throughout the whole earth, so that they may know You, the Almighty Lord.” And the earth shook, the tomb opened, the dead man came to life and came out of it. Seeing with their own eyes the manifestation of the almighty power of Christ, the people wept and glorified the True God. The sorcerer Athanasius, falling at the feet of Saint George, confessed Christ as the Almighty God and asked forgiveness for sins committed in ignorance. However, the emperor, stubborn in wickedness, did not come to his senses: in a rage, he ordered the beheading of Athanasius, who believed, as well as the resurrected man, and again imprisoned Saint George. People burdened with illnesses began to enter the prison in various ways and there received healing and help from the saint. A certain farmer Glycerius, whose ox had fallen, also turned to him in grief. The saint consoled him with a smile and assured him that God would bring the ox back to life. Seeing the revived ox at home, the farmer began to glorify the Christian God throughout the city. By order of the emperor, Saint Glycerius was captured and beheaded. The exploits and miracles of the Great Martyr George multiplied the number of Christians, so Diocletian decided to make a last attempt to force the saint to sacrifice to idols. They began to prepare the court at the temple of Apollo.

On the last night, the holy martyr prayed fervently, and when he dozed off, he saw the Lord Himself, who lifted him with His hand, hugged him and kissed him. The Savior placed a crown on the head of the great martyr and said: “Do not be afraid, but dare and you will be worthy to reign with Me.” The next morning at the trial, the emperor offered Saint George a new test - he invited him to become his co-ruler. The holy martyr responded with apparent readiness that the emperor should not have tormented him from the very beginning, but should have shown him such mercy, and at the same time expressed a desire to immediately go to the temple of Apollo. Diocletian decided that the martyr accepted his offer, and followed him to the temple, accompanied by his retinue and people. Everyone expected Saint George to make a sacrifice to the gods. He, approaching the idol, made the sign of the cross and addressed it as if it were alive: “Do you want to accept a sacrifice from me as God?” The demon that lived in the idol shouted: “I am not God and none of my kind is God. There is only one God, the one you preach. We, from the Angels serving Him, have become apostates and, obsessed with envy, we deceive people.” “How dare you be here when I, the servant of the True God, came here?” asked the saint. There was noise and crying, the idols fell and were crushed. There was general confusion.

The priests and many from the crowd furiously attacked the holy martyr, tied him up, began to beat him and demand his immediate execution. The holy Queen Alexandra hurried to the noise and screams. Making her way through the crowd, she shouted: “God Georgiev, help me, since You alone are Omnipotent.” At the feet of the great martyr, the holy queen glorified Christ, humiliating idols and those who worshiped them. Diocletian, in a frenzy, immediately pronounced the death sentence on the Great Martyr George and the holy Queen Alexandra, who followed Saint George to execution without resistance. On the way, she became exhausted and leaned unconscious against the wall. Everyone decided that the queen had died. Saint George thanked God and prayed that his journey would end with dignity. At the place of execution, the saint in fervent prayer asked the Lord to forgive the torturers, who did not know what they were doing, and to lead them to the knowledge of the Truth. Calmly and courageously, the holy Great Martyr George bowed his head under the sword. It was April 23, 303. The executioners and judges looked at their Conqueror in confusion. In bloody agony and senseless tossing, the era of paganism ended ingloriously. Only ten years have passed - and Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine, one of Diocletian’s successors on the Roman throne, will order the Cross and the covenant, sealed with the blood of the Great Martyr and Victorious George and thousands of unknown martyrs, to be inscribed on the banners: “By this you will conquer.” Of the many miracles performed by the Holy Great Martyr George, the most famous is depicted in iconography. In the saint's homeland, in the city of Beirut, there were many idolaters. Near the city, near the Lebanese Mountains, there was a large lake in which a huge snake lived. Coming out of the lake, he devoured people, and the inhabitants could not do anything, since his very breath contaminated the air. According to the teachings of the demons who lived in the idols, the king made the following decision: every day the inhabitants had to give their children as food to the snake by lot, and when his turn came, he promised to give his only daughter. Time passed, and the king, dressed her in the best clothes, sent her to the lake. The girl cried bitterly, waiting for her death hour. Suddenly, the Great Martyr George rode up to her on horseback with a spear in his hand. The girl begged him not to stay with her so as not to die. But the saint, seeing the serpent, made the sign of the cross and with the words “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” rushed at him. The Great Martyr George pierced the serpent's throat with a spear and trampled it with his horse. Then he ordered the girl to tie the snake with her belt and lead it to the city like a dog.

The inhabitants fled in fear, but the saint stopped them with the words: “Do not be afraid, but trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in Him, for it was He who sent me to you to save you.” Then the saint killed the serpent with a sword, and the inhabitants burned it outside the city. Twenty-five thousand people, not counting women and children, were baptized then, and a church was built in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Great Martyr George. Saint George could become a talented commander and surprise the world with his military exploits. He died when he was not even 30 years old. Hastening to unite with the Heavenly army, he entered the history of the Church as the Victorious.

He became famous with this name from the very beginning of Christianity and in Holy Rus'. Saint George the Victorious was the angel and patron of several great builders of Russian statehood and Russian military power. The son of Saint Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Yaroslav the Wise, in Holy Baptism George (+1054), greatly contributed to the veneration of the saint in the Russian Church. He built the city of Yuryev, founded the Yuryevsky Monastery in Novgorod, and erected the Church of St. George the Victorious in Kyiv. The day of the consecration of the Kyiv St. George Church, performed on November 26, 1051 by Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kyiv, entered the liturgical treasury of the Church as a special church holiday, St. George’s Day, beloved by the Russian people “autumn St. George”. The name of St. George was borne by the founder of Moscow Yuri Dolgoruky (+1157), the creator of many St. George's churches, the builder of the city of Yuryev-Polsky. In 1238, the heroic struggle of the Russian people against the Mongol hordes was led by the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri (George) Vsevolodovich (+1238; commemorated February 4), who died in the Battle of the City. The memory of him as Yegor the Brave, defender of his native land, is reflected in Russian spiritual poems and epics. The first Grand Duke of Moscow, during the period when Moscow became the center of gathering of the Russian land, was Yuri Danilovich (+1325) - the son of St. Daniel of Moscow, grandson of St. Alexander Nevsky. Since that time, Saint George the Victorious - the horseman slaying the serpent - has become the coat of arms of Moscow and the emblem of the Russian state. And this further strengthened the ties of the Christian peoples of Russia with the same faith Iberia (Georgia, the country of George).

Saint George is one of the great martyrs of the Orthodox Church. He was called the Victorious for his courage, strength and will in the fight against the enemy army. The saint also became famous for his help and love for people. The life of St. George the Victorious has become famous for many facts, and the story of his posthumous appearance to humanity is generally similar to a fairy tale.

Life of Saint George the Victorious

The saint's parents were believers and God-fearing Christians. My father suffered for his faith and suffered martyrdom. His mother, remaining a widow, moved with the young George to Palestine and began raising her child as a Christian.

Great Martyr George the Victorious

George grew up to be a brave young man, and having enlisted in the Roman army, he was noticed by the pagan emperor Diocletian. He accepted the warrior into his guard.

The ruler clearly understood the danger that the Christian faith posed to the civilization of the pagans, so he intensified the persecution of Christianity. Diocletian gave the military leaders freedom in relation to reprisals against the Orthodox. George, having learned about the ruler’s unjust decision, distributed to the poor all the property inherited after the death of his parents, granted freedom to the slaves who worked on the estate, and appeared before the emperor.

Without fear, he courageously denounced Diocletian and his cruel plan, and then confessed his faith in Christ before him. The powerful pagan tried to force the warrior to renounce the Savior and sacrifice to idols, to which he received a decisive refusal from the Orthodox warrior. By order of Diocletian, the squires pushed the Victorious out of the room with spears and tried to take him to prison.

But the steel weapon miraculously became soft and easily bent upon contact with the saint’s body.

Having placed the Orthodox warrior in prison, his legs were put in stocks, and his chest was pressed with a large stone. The next morning, the unshakable warrior again confessed his faith in Christ. The angry Diocletian tortured him. Naked George was tied to a chariot, over which boards with iron points were arranged. As the wheels turned, the iron cut his body. But instead of groans and the expected renunciation of the Creator, the saint only called on the Lord’s Help.

When the sufferer fell silent, the pagan thought that he had given up the ghost and ordered the cut and torn body to be removed. But suddenly the sky turned black, great thunder struck and the majestic Voice of God was heard: “Do not be afraid, warrior. I'm with you". Immediately a bright glow appeared and a blond young man, the Angel of the Lord, appeared next to the Victorious. He laid his hand on George’s body and he instantly rose up healed.

St. George the Victorious (Lydda)

The imperial soldiers took him to the temple where Diocletian was. He couldn’t believe his eyes - standing before him was a completely healthy and full of strength man. Many pagans who watched the miracle believed in Christ. Even two noble dignitaries immediately publicly confessed the faith of Christ, for which their heads were cut off.

Queen Alexandra also tried to glorify the Almighty, but the imperial servants quickly took her to the palace.

The pagan king, in an attempt to break the unshakable George, betrayed him to even more terrible torment. The martyr was thrown into a deep ditch, and his body was covered with quicklime. They dug up George only on the third day. Surprisingly, his body was not damaged, and the man himself was in a joyful and calm mood. Diocletian did not calm down and ordered the martyr to be put on iron boots with hot nails inside them and put under arrest. In the morning, the warrior showed off his healthy legs and joked that he really liked the boots. Then the enraged ruler ordered to beat the holy body with ox sinews and mix his blood and body with the ground.

Deciding that George was using magic spells, the ruler summoned a sorcerer to the court in order to deprive the former warrior of magic and poison him. He presented the martyr with a potion, but it had no effect, and the saint again glorified God.

Monasteries in honor of St. George the Victorious:

Miracles of God

The emperor wanted to know what helps the former warrior survive after terrible torment? George replied that with God everything is possible. Then the pagan wished that the martyr would raise the dead in his presence. When the Victorious was brought to the tomb, he began to beg the Heavenly Father to show everyone present that He is the God of the whole world. And then the earth shook, the coffin opened and the dead man came to life. Immediately those present at the miracle believed in God and glorified Him.

The miraculous image of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious

Once again George found himself in prison. Suffering people tried to get to the prisoner in various ways and received healing from ailments and help with petitions. Among them was the farmer Glycerius. The other day his ox died and the man came with a prayer to resurrect the animal. The saint promised to bring the cattle back to life. Returning home, the man found a revived ox in the stall and began glorifying the name of the Lord throughout the city.

The end of the earthly journey

On the last night of his earthly life, George prayed fervently. He had a vision that the Lord Himself approached Him and kissed Him and placed a martyr’s crown on His head. In the morning, Diocletian invited the great martyr to become a co-ruler and rule the country together. To which George invited him to immediately go to the temple of Apollo.

The victorious man crossed himself and turned to one of the idols with a question: would he like to accept the sacrifice as God? But the demon sitting in the idol shouted that God is the one whom George preaches, and he is an apostate who deceives people. The priests attacked the saint and beat him furiously.

St. George's Day May 6

Queen Alexandra, the wife of Diocletian, made her way through a large gathering of pagans, fell at the feet of the saint and prayed to the Creator for help, glorifying Him. The Victorious and Alexandra were sentenced to death by the bloodthirsty Diocletian. They followed together to the place of massacre, but along the way the queen fell exhausted. The warrior of Christ forgave all his tormentors and put his holy head under a sharp sword.

Thus ended the era of paganism.

Miracles

The life of Saint George the Victorious is filled with many miracles.

About miracles in Orthodoxy:

Legend has it that not far from a lake in Syria there lived a huge serpent that looked like a dragon. He devoured people and animals, and then released poisonous breath into the air. Many brave men tried to kill the monster, but not a single attempt was successful and all the people died.

The Holy Great Martyr is especially revered in Georgia.

The city governor issued an order according to which a girl or boy had to be given a snake to be eaten every day. Moreover, he himself had a daughter. He promised that if the lot falls on her, then the girl will share the fate of other death row prisoners. And so it happened. The girl was brought to the shore of the lake and tied to a tree. In a frenzy, she awaited the appearance of the serpent and her hour of death. When the monster came out of the water and began to approach the beauty, a blond young man suddenly appeared on a white horse. He thrust a sharp spear into the snake’s body and saved the unfortunate woman.

This was Saint George the Victorious, who put an end to the deaths of young people in the country.

The inhabitants of the country, having learned about the miracle that had occurred, believed in Christ, a healing spring flowed at the site of the battle between the warrior and the serpent, and later a temple was erected in honor of the Victorious. This plot was the basis for the St. George image.

After the Arabs captured Palestine, another miracle happened. An Arab who entered an Orthodox church saw a clergyman praying at one of the icons. In an attempt to show disdain for the holy faces, the Arab shot an arrow at one of the images. But the arrow did not harm the icon, but returned and pierced the shooter’s hand. In a fit of unbearable pain, the Arab turned to the cleric, to which he advised him to hang the icon of St. George the Victorious over the head of his bed and anoint the wound with oil from the lamp that was lit in front of his face. Upon recovery, the cleric presented the Arab with a book that described the life of the saint. The holy life of the Orthodox warrior and his torment made the greatest impression on the Arab. Soon he accepted Holy Baptism, became a preacher of Christianity, for which he suffered a martyr's death.

1. The saint, in addition to his usual name, is known by the names George of Lydda and Cappadocia.

2. On the day of remembrance of the saint, May 6, the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of Queen Anna, who heartily accepted the torment of the saint, believed in Christ and died for the confession of Orthodoxy.

3. The Holy Great Martyr is especially revered in Georgia. The first of the temples erected in his honor was built in the 1st century.

4. Most Georgian babies are given the name George. It is believed that a person named George will never experience failure and will be a winner in life.

The great Orthodox warrior endured all the suffering for the faith of Christ, which he did not betray and did not exchange for the power and wealth offered to him by the pagan Diocletian. The Holy Great Martyr of Christ helps everyone who turns to his intercession. According to the sincere and heartfelt faith of the petitioner, his request will always be fulfilled.

Watch a video about the life of St. George the Victorious

The Christian legend of St. George has many variants that differ significantly from each other. In one of the variants, which received literary treatment in the Greek east (historians consider it the earliest and most authentic), the Roman emperor Diocletian (in 303) begins the persecution of Christians. Soon, a young military tribune, George, originally from Cappadocia (a region in Asia Minor, then part of the Roman Empire, now the territory of Turkey), appears to him; in a meeting of the highest ranks of the empire in the city of Nicomedia, he declares himself a Christian. The emperor tries to persuade him to renounce his faith, but to no avail. Then George is placed in prison and subjected to numerous cruel tortures - thrown into a ditch with quicklime, scourged with ox sinews, put on red-hot iron boots studded with spikes, poisoned, wheeled, etc., but he remains alive. In the intervals between tortures, George performs miracles (heals the sick, resurrects the dead, etc.), under the influence of which the empress, some of the emperor’s associates, and even one of his executioners believed in Christ. On the eighth day of torture, George agrees to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods, but when he is solemnly brought to the temple, “with the word of God he casts them into dust, after which, by order of the emperor, his head is cut off.” George was about 30 years old on the day of his execution.

In this life, as in all its other early versions, there is no “Miracle of the Serpent,” since at first there were two independent legends - his “Life” and “George’s Miracle of the Dragon.” They were united only in later retellings. The legend “George’s Miracle about the Dragon” has many variants. Here's one of them. Near the city of Lasya in Palestine, a dragon settled in a lake, which devastated the surrounding area and devoured the inhabitants of the city. To avoid death, they were forced to sacrifice their children to him. When it was the turn of the royal daughter, a beautiful young man appeared on a white horse - George. Having learned from the princess that she was a Christian, George, with the word of God, made the serpent fall at his feet. The princess tied her belt around the dragon's neck and led him into the city. The residents of the city, amazed by the miracle, believed in Christ and were baptized, and George moved on.

Attempts to find a specific historical figure who could be the prototype of St. George were unsuccessful, but several interesting hypotheses were put forward about the connection of these legends with pre-Christian mythology.

For thousands of years, in the religions and mythologies of European and Middle Eastern civilizations, the dragon and snake were the embodiment of darkness and evil, and the gods, heroes and saints fighting them personified the bright beginning, good. In ancient Greek myths, Zeus defeats the hundred-headed fire-breathing monster Typhon. The sun god Apollo fights the monstrous serpent Python, and the legendary Hercules kills the Lernaean Hydra. The similarity of the Christian myth “The Miracle of the Serpent” with the ancient myth of Perseus and Andromeda, in which Perseus kills the sea monster and frees the king’s daughter Andromeda, who was given to the monster to be devoured, in order to save the kingdom from devastation, is especially noticeable. There are many more legends of this type, for example, the myth of Bellerophon on the winged horse Pegasus, who entered into battle with the offspring of Typhon - the Chimera. There are many beautiful images on ancient Greek vases, gems, and coins that illustrate these myths. With the advent of Christianity, the image of the serpent-dragon was strongly associated with paganism and the devil. There is a well-known episode of the Fall, when the devil took the form of a tempting serpent.

The Roman writer and historian (260-339), author of the Life of Constantine, Eusebius, reports that Emperor Costantine the Great, who did a lot to ensure that Christianity became the state religion, ordered himself to be depicted in a painting that decorated the imperial palace as a conqueror over a dragon. The dragon here also symbolized paganism.

The cult of St. George, which probably arose locally in the territory of Cappadocia in the 5th-6th centuries, by the 9th-11th centuries had spread to almost all states of Europe and the Middle East. He was especially revered in England, where King Richard the Lionheart made him his patron, and Edward III established the Order of the Garter under the patronage of St. George, on which the saint is depicted as a snake fighter. The battle cry of the British, similar to our “hurray,” becomes the name of the saint.

In Rus', as already mentioned, the cult of St. George began to spread immediately after the adoption of Christianity, and not through Western Europe, but directly from Byzantium. His images in the form of a horseman-snake fighter are found already at the beginning of the 12th century. It is interesting to see its placement on a coil, on an amulet, on one side of which there is a tangle of snakes, and on the other - George, on the 12th century fresco “The Miracle of George on the Serpent” in the church named after him in Staraya Ladoga, on the icons of the 14th-15th centuries of the Novgorod school. In the upper right corner of the icon is the hand of God blessing the saint. The cult of St. George in Russia precedes Christianity, replacing the worship of the pagan Slavs to the Sun and the cult of the fertility god Yarilo. This perhaps explains the image of the sun on the saint's shield.

Under Ivan III in 1464, a sculptural image of St. George was placed above the entrance gate of the main Kremlin tower - Frolovskaya (later Spasskaya). This event is reported in the Ermolin Chronicle, compiled by order of the merchant and contractor Vasily Ermolin, through whose “representation” this image was installed. It would be very tempting to consider this sculpture as the coat of arms of Moscow, but here, most likely, this icon had protective functions, since two years later the same Ermolin placed an image of St. Dmitry above the gate of the tower on the inside. It is known that after the tower was rebuilt, the image of St. George was placed in the temple named after him, built near the tower, as a temple icon. In place of George, the image of the Savior Almighty was placed, from which the tower received its second name.

The plot of “The Miracle of the Serpent” in the form of a saint (warrior or hero-prince) continued to live in folk art for centuries, developing and acquiring new incarnations. In the oldest Russian epics of the 11th century, it corresponds to the feat of one of the most important Russian heroes, Dobrynya Nikitich, who served under Prince Vladimir. In the battle with the Serpent Gorynych on the Puchaya River, Dobrynya frees the prince's niece Zapeva Putyatichna (or his daughter Marfida). Some researchers draw an analogy between this episode of the epic and the activities of a historical figure - Dobrynya, the governor of Prince Vladimir the Saint (and brother of Prince Malusha's mother), in spreading Christianity in Rus'. In particular, the forced baptism of Novgorodians in the Pochayna River (in the epic - Puchai). A popular print illustrating the folk tale about Eruslan Lazarevich has been preserved. Below the picture is a brief summary of the tale: “Eruslan Lazarevich was traveling along the road, and Eruslan was attacked by King Zmeinski or the sea monster, who was devouring the people in the city of Debra... he defeated the dragon, and he went on his way.” In folk epic poems about Yegor the Brave, George is endowed with the features of an epic hero.

Many authors tried to explain the extraordinary popularity of St. George both among the people and among the princely warriors by transferring the features of Russian pagan gods to this saint. On the one hand, the very name of George, meaning “cultivator of the land,” made him the patron of agriculture and cattle breeding, the successor of Veles, Semargl, Dazhbog. The saint’s memorial days also contributed to this. Spring - April 23 - coincided with the beginning of field work, with which many ancient pagan rituals were associated in Rus', and autumn - November 24 - the famous “St. George's Day”, when peasants had the right to move from one feudal landowner to another. On the other hand, as a warrior and victorious, he was the patron of the prince and his squad, since the cult of Perun, the main god of the pagan pantheon of Prince Vladimir, was transferred to George. In addition, the very image of George as a beautiful young man - a warrior, liberator and defender, attracted the sympathy of the entire people.

It is worth noting that, regardless of the differences in translations of the “Life of George the Martyr,” in different parts of the world, starting from the 8th century, a legend is described about a certain young man with this name, who suffered many tortures.

What is noteworthy is that by the 10th century, the Arabs had erected several temples in honor of this saint in the East. Unlike the original version, which describes the martyrdom of George over 7-8 days, the Muslim version of the legend about the life of the Victorious One describes 3 deaths of the faithful servant of Allah and his resurrection after drowning, burning and hammering nails into the head of the martyr.

An interesting fact is that, unlike the wonderful legend of the victory over the Serpent, the character of George is always described as God’s messenger to the cruel ruler. Perhaps this is just a made-up story that is passed down from generation to generation to strengthen faith.

On the other hand, similar to the evidence about the existence of Jesus Christ, it can be assumed that there was a certain prophet who brought the word of God to the masses and was not afraid of torture and persecution from unbelievers. It is difficult to prove the fact of the resurrection or death of a given person, but such resistance to torture is hyperbolism, emphasizing George’s devotion to his chosen Teaching.

St. George the Victorious is one of the most revered great martyrs of the Christian Church. He was named so for his courage in the fight against his tormentors and for maintaining, in spite of everything, his faith and devotion to Christianity. The saint also became famous for his miraculous help to people. The life of St. George the Victorious is distinguished by many interesting facts, and the story of his first posthumous appearance to people is completely reminiscent of a fairy tale. It is not for nothing that events from the life of the holy saint are so interesting not only to adults, but also to children.

The miraculous appearance of St. George the Victorious

A long time ago, a huge snake appeared in the lake. There was no way for anyone to escape from it: the monster devoured everyone who wandered into the surrounding area. Local sages, after consulting, decided to appease the serpent by sacrificing their own children to him. Gradually it was the turn of the royal daughter herself, who was distinguished by her dazzling beauty.

On the appointed day, the girl was brought to the lake and left at the appointed place. People were left to watch the execution of the poor thing from afar. And this is what they saw, preparing to mourn the princess: out of nowhere, a stately horseman appeared in the clothes of a warrior and with a spear in his hands. He was not afraid of the snake, but crossed himself, rushed at the monster and killed it with a spear with one blow.

After this, the brave young man said to the princess: “Do not be afraid. Tie the snake with a belt and lead it to the city.” On their way, the people fled in horror when they saw the monster. But the warrior reassured them with the words: “Believe in our Lord, Jesus Christ. After all, it was he who sent me to deliver you from the serpent.” This is exactly how the miraculous appearance of St. George the Victorious happened to people, after the end of his life’s journey.

Life of the Holy Great Martyr

His earthly life turned out to be short. Therefore, the life of St. George the Victorious tells a little. The summary can be retold in a few paragraphs, but this saint went down in the history of Christianity as one of the most famous and revered great martyrs who accepted a calm and courageous death.

Birth and childhood

The life of the Great Martyr George the Victorious begins with his birth in Cappadocia. The saint's parents were pious and meek. was a martyr and accepted death for his faith. After which the mother, taking her son, moved to her homeland, Palestine. The boy was raised as a true Christian, received a good education, and thanks to his courage and remarkable strength, he soon entered military service.

Early years and service with the emperor

Already at the age of twenty, George had a whole cohort of invictiors (which means “invincible”) subordinate to him. With the title of commander of a thousand, the young man received the patronage of the emperor himself. However, he revered the Roman gods and was an ardent opponent of the Christian faith. Therefore, when, by decree of the emperor, they began to burn holy books and destroy churches, George distributed all his property to poor people and appeared in the Senate. There he publicly declared that Emperor Diocletian was a cruel and unjust ruler whom the people did not deserve. They tried to dissuade the handsome and brave young man, they begged him not to ruin his own glory and youth, but he was adamant. It is precisely this kind of unshakable faith that the life of St. George the Victorious, even in a brief summary, usually places at the head of all the virtues of the great martyr.

Trials and death

The young man was subjected to severe torture and then beheaded. Since he endured all the torture with courage and did not renounce Jesus Christ, St. George the Victorious was later included in This is the short life of St. George the Victorious.

The day of his execution took place on April 23, which corresponds to May 6 according to the new calendar. It is on this day that the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. George the Victorious. His relics are kept in the Israeli city of Lod, and a temple named after him was built there. And the severed head of the saint and his sword are in Rome to this day.

Miracles of St. George the Victorious

The main miracle that describes the life of St. George the Victorious is his victory over the serpent. It is this plot that is often depicted on Christian icons: the saint is depicted here on a white horse, and his spear strikes the monster’s mouth.

There is another, no less famous miracle that occurred after the death of the Great Martyr George and his canonization. This story happened after the Arab people attacked Palestine. One of the invaders entered an Orthodox church and found the priest there praying in front of the image of St. George the Victorious. Wanting to show disdain for the icon, the Arab took out his bow and shot an arrow at it. But it so happened that the fired arrow pierced the warrior’s hand without causing any damage to the icon.

Exhausted from pain, the Arab called the priest. He told him the story of St. George, and also advised him to hang his icon over his bed. The life of St. George the Victorious made such a strong impression on him that the Arab accepted Christianity, and then even began to preach it among his compatriots, for which he subsequently accepted the martyrdom of the righteous man.

Real miracles happened to George during torture. The cruel torture lasted 8 days, but by the will of the Lord the young man’s body was healed and strengthened, remaining unharmed. Then the emperor decided that he was using magic and wanted to destroy him with poisonous potions. When this did not bring harm to George, they decided to publicly shame him and force him to renounce his faith. The young man was offered to try to resurrect a dead person. Imagine the shock of the gathered people when, after the saint’s prayer, the dead man actually rose from the tomb, and the earth shook according to the will of God.

The healing spring that flowed on the spot where the Church of St. George the Victorious was built can be called nothing less than a miracle. It is located exactly where, according to legend, the saint dealt with the serpent.

What can you tell children about St. George?

St. George the Victorious became famous for many things during his life. The life will be interesting for children too. For example, you can tell them that this saint is revered not only in our country, but also abroad. And his life became the best example of how true faith in God helps us overcome any trials.

Young listeners will also be interested in the miracles that the Lord showed to the people through this great martyr. Thanks to them, many lost people regained their faith and came to Christ. George the Victorious lived in the 3rd century, but his exploits and miracles strengthen people’s faith today, giving them strength to cope with troubles and gratefully accept everything that life has in store for us.

Children often ask questions about why on icons the spear in the hand of St. George is thin and thin? It’s not like a snake, you can’t even kill a fly. In fact, this is not a spear, but a real, sincere prayer, which was the main weapon of the great martyr. After all, only with prayer, as well as great faith in the Lord, does a person gain enormous strength, courage and happiness.

Facts related to St. George the Victorious

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.