Miraculous myrrh-streaming icon of St. George the Victorious.

The 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.

Enrolling in military service, Great Martyr George stood out among other soldiers with his mind, courage, physical strength, military posture and beauty. Having soon reached the rank of commander, St. George became the favorite of Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian was a talented ruler, but a fanatical follower 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 an inhuman verdict on the extermination of Christians at the trial, St. George was inflamed with compassion for them. Foreseeing that he, too, would suffer suffering, George distributed his property to the poor, set his slaves free, appeared to Diocletian and, declaring himself a Christian, denounced him of cruelty and injustice. Speech of St. George was full of strong and convincing objections to the imperial order to persecute Christians.

After futile persuasion to renounce Christ, the emperor ordered the saint to be subjected to various torments. St. George was imprisoned, where they laid him on his back on the ground, put his feet in stocks, and placed a heavy stone on his chest. But St. George courageously endured suffering and glorified the Lord. Then the tormentors of George began to excel in cruelty. They beat the saint with ox sinews, wheeled him, threw him into quicklime, forced him to run in boots with sharp nails inside. The holy martyr endured everything patiently. In the end, the emperor ordered that the head of the saint be cut off with a sword. Thus the holy sufferer departed to Christ in Nicomedia in the year 303.

The Great Martyr George for his courage and spiritual victory over the tormentors who could not force him to renounce Christianity, as well as for miraculous help to people in danger, is also called the Victorious. The relics of St. George the Victorious were laid in the Palestinian city of Lida, in the temple that bears his name, while 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 striking a serpent with a spear. This image is based on tradition 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, a snake lived 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.

The superstitious people of that area, in order to quench the fury of the serpent, began regularly by lot to give him a young man or a girl to be eaten. Once 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 appearance of a snake.

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

It can be assumed that the appearance of St. George on a horse to protect the inhabitants from a snake, as well as the miraculous revival of a single ox by a farmer described in his life, served as a reason for the veneration of St. George as a patron of cattle breeding and a protector from predatory animals.

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

St. George is the patron saint of the army. The image of 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.

This saint is numbered among the great martyrs and is one of the most revered in the Christian world. According to the life, he lived in the III century AD. e. and died at the beginning of the IV century - in 303. George was born in the city of Cappadocia, which was at that time on the territory of modern Turkey. The second common version is that he was born in the city of Lydda (the original name is Diospolis), which is in Palestine. Currently, this is the city of Lud, located in Israel. And the saint grew up in Cappadocia, in a family of noble and wealthy parents who professed Christianity.

What do we know about George the Victorious

By the age of 20, a physically strong, courageous and educated young man became one of the associates of the Roman emperor Diocletian, who appointed him a military tribune (commander of 1000 soldiers).

During the mass persecution of Christians that began, he distributed all his property, freed the slaves and announced to the emperor that he was a Christian. He was subjected to painful torture and beheaded in the city of Nicomedia (now Izmit) on 23.04. 303 years (old style).

Transcription of the name of the saint in the folklore of the peoples of the world

In separate sources, he is also mentioned under the names Yegoriy the Brave (Russian folklore), Dzhirdzhis (Muslim), St. George of Lydda (Cappadocia), and in Greek primary sources as Άγιος Γεώργιος.

In Russia, after the adoption of Christianity, one canonical name George (translated from Greek as "farmer") was transformed into four, different in terms of legislation, but common, according to Orthodox Church: Georgy, Egor, Yuri, Egory. Such transformations are the name of this revered different nations the saint suffered in many other countries. Among the medieval Germans, he became Jorge, among the French - Georges, among the Bulgarians - Görgi, among the Arabs - Djergis. The customs of glorifying St. George under pagan names have been preserved. The most famous examples are Khyzr, Keder (Middle East, Muslim countries) and Uastirdzhi in Ossetia.

Patron saint of farmers and pastoralists

The Great Martyr George the Victorious is revered in many countries of the world, but in Russia the cult of this saint was of particular importance. George is positioned in our country as the patron of Russia, of the whole people. It is no coincidence that his image is included in the coat of arms of the Russian state. Thousands of churches bore (and bear) his name - both having a long history and newly built ones.

Most likely, such veneration is based on the pagan ancient Russian cult of Dazhdbog, who before Baptism was considered in Russia to be the ancestor and patron of the Russian people. St. George the Victorious superseded many ancient Russian beliefs. However, the people attributed to him those features that they had previously endowed with Dazhdbog and the gods of fertility, Yarilo and Yarovit. It is no coincidence that the dates of veneration of the saint (April 23 and November 3) practically coincide with the celebration by the pagans of the beginning and completion of agricultural work, to which the aforementioned gods contributed in every possible way. In addition, it is generally accepted that George the Victorious is also the patron and protector of cattle breeding.

Very often, the said saint was called among the people George the Water-bearer, because on the day when the Church celebrates the memory of this great martyr, special walks were made for the blessing of water. According to the opinion rooted in the people, the water consecrated on this day (Yuriev's dew) had a very beneficial effect on the future harvest and on the cattle, which on this day, called Yuryev, was driven out of the stall for the first time after long winter to the pastures.

Guardian of Russian lands

In Russia, they saw in George a special saint and guardian of the Russian lands, elevating him to the rank of a demigod hero. According to popular notions, Saint Yegoriy, with his word and deeds, “arranges the land of Light Russia” and, having completed this work, takes it under his personal supervision, affirming in it “baptized faith.”

It is no coincidence that in the Russian “spiritual verses” dedicated to Yegoriy the Brave, the theme of dragon fighting, which is especially popular in Europe and symbolizes the triune role of George (G.) as a hero, a preacher of the true faith and a chivalrous defender of innocence doomed to be slaughtered, is simply omitted. In this monument of writing, G. turns out to be the son of a certain Sophia the Wise - the queen of the city of Jerusalem, in Holy Russia - who spent 30 years (we recall Ilya of Muromets) in the dungeon of the “tsar of Demyanishcha” (Diocletian), then, miraculously getting rid of the prison, carried to Russia, Christianity and at the end of the road, in an honest arena, eradicates basurmanism in Russian land.

St. George on the state symbols of Russia

Almost until the 15th century, this image, without any additions, was the coat of arms of Russia, and its image was knocked out in Ancient Russia on Moscow coins. This holy great martyr began to be considered in Russia the patron saint of princes.

After the battle, which took place on the Kulikovo field, it began to be considered that George the Victorious was the patron of the city of Moscow.

Having taken the place of the state religion, Christianity assigns St. George the Victorious, together with a number of other great martyrs from the military class (Fyodor Stratilat, Dmitry Thessalonica, etc.), the status of the heavenly patron of the army of the Christ-loving and ideal warrior. The noble origin makes this saint a model of honor for the noble estate in all Christian states of the world: for princes - in Russia, for the military nobility - in Byzantium, for knights - in Europe.

Assigning to the saint the symbolism of Jesus Christ

The stories about the cases when St. George the Victorious appeared as a commander of the crusader troops in Palestine made him, in the eyes of believers, the commander of the entire army of Christ. The next logical step was the transfer to him of the emblem, which was originally the emblem of Christ himself - a red cross on a white background. It began to be considered that this is the personal coat of arms of the saint.

In Aragon and England, the coat of arms of George the Victorious became on long time official symbols of states. On the flag of England ("Union Jack"), he remained until now. For some time it was the coat of arms of the Genoese Republic.

It is believed that George the Victorious is the heavenly patron of the Republic of Georgia and the most revered saint in this country.

The figure of the holy great martyr on ancient coins

For quite a long time it was believed that the images of George the Victorious that appeared on Russian coins and seals in the 13th-14th centuries were stylized images of some ancient Byzantine saint George.

But lately, the version that behind the considered image of St. George is hiding Georgy Danilovich, the Russian Tsar Khan, who ruled in Russia at the beginning of the XIV century and began the great so-called "Mongol conquest" has been sounding louder and louder lately. He is Genghis Khan.

Who, when and why changed Russian history in this way? It turns out that historians have long known the answers to these questions. This substitution took place in the 18th century, during the reign of Peter I.

Whose image was minted on the coins of Russia

In the official documents of the 13th-17th centuries that have come down to us, the rider on coins and seals who fights the dragon is interpreted as a symbol of the king or grand duke. In this case, we are talking about Russia. In support of this thesis, the historian Vsevolod Karpov cites information that it is in this form that Ivan III is depicted on the wax seal, which was sealed with a letter of 1497, which is also confirmed by the corresponding inscription on it. That is, on seals and money, a horseman with a sword in the 15th-17th centuries was interpreted as Grand Duke.

This explains why George the Victorious on Russian money and seals is often depicted without a beard. Ivan IV (the Terrible) ascended the throne at a fairly young age and did not have a beard at that time, so the money and seals bore the imprint of the beardless George the Victorious. And only after the maturity of Ivan IV (after his 20th birthday) did the beard return to coins.

When the personality of the prince in Russia began to be identified with the image of George the Victorious

Even the exact date is known, starting from which, in Russia, the Grand Duke began to be depicted in the image of George the Victorious. These are the years of the reign of the Novgorod prince Yuri Danilovich (1318-1322). Coins of that period, which originally had a one-sided image of a holy rider with a drawn sword, soon receive reverse side drawing, referred to purely in Slavic - "rider in the crown." And this is none other than the prince himself. Thus, such coins and seals inform everyone that George the Victorious and Yuri (George) Danilovich are one and the same person.

In the 18th century, the heraldic commission established by Peter I decides to consider that this victorious horseman on Russian emblems is George the Victorious. And in the reign of Anna Ioannovna, he officially begins to be called a saint.

Russian roots of the "Byzantine saint"

Most historians cannot or do not want to understand that this saint was not a Byzantine saint, but was one of the first state leaders, khans, who appeared in Russia.

In the calendar there is a mention of him as the holy Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich, the actual “duplicate” of Georgy Danilovich, whom the historians of the Romanov dynasty thrust into the XIII century, along with the great “Mongolian” conquest.

Until the 17th century, Russia knew very well and remembered well who Saint George really was. And then they simply threw it away, like the memory of the first Russian tsars, replacing it with a "Byzantine saint." This is where heaps of inconsistencies in our history begin, which are easily eliminated, one has only to return to the present history.

Temples erected in honor of George the Victorious

Cult religious buildings, the consecration of which took place in honor of this holy great martyr, were erected in many countries of the world. Of course, the vast majority of them were built in countries where official religion is Christianity. Depending on the denomination, the spelling of the saint's name may vary.

The main buildings are churches, cathedrals and chapels built in various countries of Europe, Africa and Asia. The most famous of them are:

1.Church of Saint George. Church of St. George the Victorious, belonging to the Jerusalem Orthodox Church. Built in Lore. According to legend, it was erected over the tomb of the saint.

The new church building was erected in 1870 on the site of the old basilica with the permission of the Ottoman (Turkish) authorities, who controlled the area at that time. The church building is located on the same site as the El-Khidr mosque, so the area of ​​the new building occupies only part of the territory of the former Byzantine basilica.

The church contains the sarcophagus of St. George.

2. Monastery of Xenophon. The right hand (part of the hand) of this holy great martyr in a silver reliquary is kept in the monastery of Xenophon (Μονή Ξενοφώντος), located on Mount Athos (Greece). The date of foundation of the monastery is considered to be the 10th century. His Cathedral temple dedicated to George the Victorious (the old building - katholikon - dates back to the 16th century, the new one - to the 19th).

3. St. Yuriev Monastery. The first monasteries in honor of this saint were founded in Russia in the 11th century (1030) by Grand Duke Yaroslav in Novgorod and Kiev. Since the saint was better known in Kievan Rus under the names of Yuri and Yegoriy, the monastery was founded under one of these names - St. Yuriev.

This is one of the most ancient monasteries on the territory of our state, which are still active today. It has the status of a male monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is located near Veliky Novgorod on the Volkhov River.

The main temple of the monastery was St. George's Cathedral, the construction of which began in 1119. The work was completed 11 years later, and on July 12, 1130, the cathedral was consecrated in the name of this saint.

4. Church of San Giorgio in Velabro. The religious building of San Giorgio in Velabro (Italian transcription of the name San Giorgio al Velabro) is a temple located on the territory of modern Rome, on the former Velabr swamp. According to legend, it was here that Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were found. This oldest temple George the Victorious from those located in Italy. The severed head and sword that belonged to this saint are buried under the main altar, which is made of marble in the cosmatesco style. The work is dated to the 12th century.

The holy relics are in the chapel under the altar. There is an opportunity to worship these relics. Until recently, another shrine was kept here - the personal banner of the saint, but it was donated to the Roman municipality on April 16, 1966, and now it is stored in the Capitoline Museums.

5. Chapel-reliquary Sainte-Chapelle. Part of the relics of George the Victorious is kept in the Sainte-Chapelle (French transcription of the name Sainte Chapelle), a Gothic chapel-reliquary located in Paris. The relic was preserved by the King of France, Louis the Saint.

Temples built in Russia in the XX-XXI century

Of those built relatively recently and also consecrated in the name of St. George, we should mention the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, which was founded on 05/09/1994 in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the victory of our people in the Great Patriotic war on the Poklonnaya Hill and consecrated on 05/06/1995, as well as the Church of St. George the Victorious in Koptev (Northern Autonomous Okrug, Moscow). It was erected in 1997 in best traditions Northern Slavic architecture of the 17th century. The construction of the temple was timed to coincide with the celebration of the 850th anniversary of Moscow.

Saint George the Victorious. An icon that has survived the ages

Bas-reliefs and icons dating back to the 5th-6th centuries are considered the very first of the images of this saint that have come down to us. On them, George, as befits a warrior, is depicted in armor and always with a weapon. At the same time, he is not always depicted riding a horse. The oldest are the images of the saint and the icon of George the Victorious, discovered in the monastery church of the Copts, located in the city of Al Bawiti (Egypt).

It is here that a bas-relief appears for the first time, which depicts St. George on horseback. He strikes with a cross with a long shaft, like a spear, a kind of monster. Most likely, it was meant that this is a pagan totem cast down by the saint. The second interpretation is that the monster personified universal evil and cruelty.

Later, the icon of George the Victorious, on which he is depicted in a similar way, began to appear in an ever-increasing number of variants, and the struck monster was transformed into a serpent. Scientists are inclined to think that the composition originally indicated was not an illustration of a specific event, but was an allegorical depiction of the victory of the spirit. But it was the image of the snake fighter that became especially popular among the people. And not because of allegorical pathos, but due to the fact that it is very close to mythological and fairy tale motifs.

The hypothesis of the origin of the story of the victory of the saint over the serpent

However, the official church showed extreme caution and a negative attitude towards icons containing allegorical images. In 692, the Council of Trulli officially confirmed this. Most likely, after him, the legend of George's victory over the monster appeared.

V religious interpretation this icon is called the “Miracle of the Serpent”. George the Victorious (photo of the icon is given in the article) did not renounce the true faith, despite all the temptations to which his tormentors subjected him. That is why this icon more than once miraculously helped Christians in danger. At the moment, there are several versions of the icon of St. George the Victorious. You can see photos of some of them on this page.

Canonical icon depicting this saint

The image, considered classical, is a saint who sits on a horse (most often white) and slays a snake with a spear. It is the snake, which is especially emphasized by the ministers of the church and heraldry scholars. Since the dragon in heraldry is always a positive character, but the serpent is only negative.

The legend of the victory of the saint over the serpent was interpreted not only in the literal sense (which was inclined in the West, using this interpretation for the revival and cultivation of the declining institution of chivalry), but also allegorically, when the liberated princess was associated with the church, and the cast down serpent was associated with paganism . Another interpretation that takes place is the victory of the saint over his own ego. Take a look - here he is, St. George the Victorious. The icon speaks for itself.

Why did the people recognize St. George as the guardian of the Russian land

It would be a mistake to associate the highest popularity of this saint solely with the pagan heritage “transferred” to him and fabulously mythological recognition. The theme of martyrdom did not leave parishioners indifferent. It is the story of this side of the “feat of the spirit” that is dedicated to the very numerous icons of George, known to the general public much less canonical. On them, as a rule, the saint himself, depicted in full growth, is located in the center, and along the perimeter of the icon there is, similarly to a storyboard, a series of so-called “everyday stamps”.

And today George the Victorious is highly revered. The icon, the meaning of which can be interpreted in different ways, has a demonic aspect, which forms the basis of the cult of this saint. It has always been associated in Russia with an uncompromising struggle against foreign invaders. That is why George in the XIV-XV centuries becomes an extremely popular saint in Russia, symbolizing precisely the fighter-liberator and defender of the people.

icon painting schools

In the iconography dedicated to St. George, there are eastern and western directions.

Among the followers of the first school, George the Victorious is depicted more spiritually. The photos let you see it. As a rule, this is a young man of a very average build, very often beardless, without a helmet and heavy armor, with a thin spear in his hands, sitting on an unrealistic horse (spiritual allegory). Without visible physical tension, he pierces with his spear as unrealistic as his horse (also a spiritual allegory), a snake with paws and wings.

The second school depicts the saint in a more mundane and realistic way. It is first and foremost a warrior. A man with developed muscles, in full combat gear, in a helmet and armor, with a thick spear on a powerful and quite realistic horse, with prescribed physical effort, pierces with his heavy spear an almost realistic snake with paws and wings.

The prayer to George the Victorious helps people to gain faith in victory during the years of difficult trials and enemy invasions, in which they ask the saint to protect the lives of military people on the battlefield, for patronage and protection in military affairs, for the protection of the Russian state.

The image of George on the coins of the Russian Empire

On the coins, the image of a horseman piercing a serpent appears almost immediately after the saint's martyrdom. The first money known today with similar images dates back to the reign of Constantine the Great (306-337).

The same plot can be seen on coins dating back to the reign of Constantius II (337-361).

On Russian coins, the image of a similar rider appears at the end of the 13th century. Since the warrior depicted on them was armed with a spear, according to the classification that existed then, he was considered a spearman. Therefore, very soon, in colloquial speech, such coins began to be called kopecks.

When you have a small Russian coin in your hands, George the Victorious will definitely be depicted on its reverse. So it was in Russian Empire, so it is in modern Russia.

For example, consider the two-kopeck coin introduced into circulation in 1757 by Elizabeth I. Its obverse depicts the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious without a mantle, but in full armor, striking a serpent with his spear. The coin was issued in two variants. On the first one, the inscription "two kopecks" went in a circle above the image of the saint. In the second, it was transferred to the ribbon down the coins.

In the same period, the mints issued coins of 1 kopek, money and a penny, which also had the image of a saint.

The image of the saint on the coins of modern Russia

The tradition has been revived in today's Russia. The spearman, whom the coin demonstrates, - George the Victorious - has firmly settled on Russian metal money in denominations of less than 1 ruble.

Since 2006, gold and silver investment coins have been issued in Russia in a limited series (150,000 pieces), with the image of St. George the Victorious minted on one side. And if it is possible to discuss the images on other coins, who exactly is depicted there, then these coins are directly called: Coin "George the Victorious". Gold, the price of which is always quite high, is a noble metal. Therefore, the value of this coin is much higher than its face value of 50 rubles. and is more than 10 thousand rubles.

The coin is made of 999 gold. Weight - 7.89 g, while gold - not less than 7.78 g. Denomination of a silver coin - 3 rubles. Weight - 31.1 grams. The cost of a silver coin ranges from 1180-2000 rubles.

Monuments to George the Victorious

This section is for those who wanted to see the monument to George the Victorious. Photos of some of the existing monuments erected to this saint around the world are given below.

There are more and more places in Russia where monuments to the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious are being erected. To tell about all, I would have to write a separate article. We offer you several monuments located in different corners Russia and beyond.

1. In Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill (Moscow).

2. In Zagreb (Croatia).

3. The city of Bolshereche, Omsk region.

Many believers know about this saint, and not too religious people have heard of him. But not every person knows what the icon of St. George the Victorious is praying for. But it is this saint who is considered the executor of requests for healing.

The meaning of the icon of St. George the Victorious

First, let's figure out what this face represents. George the Victorious is most often depicted with a spear and trampling a snake underfoot. It is believed that this saint, during the time of the persecution of Christians, publicly declared himself such and distributed all the property to the oppressed people. After that, he was tortured and accepted the execution. But before that, he managed to destroy the idols in the temple.

Thus, it becomes clear that the icon of George the Victorious means that he is the protector of people from evil, including from diabolical machinations. After all, it is not for nothing that, as already mentioned above, he is depicted with weapons in his hands and on a snow-white horse.

By the way, this also means that the icon of St. George the Victorious is the symbol that warriors often use. For example, his face can often be found in temples built on the territory of military units or cities.

Icon of St. George the Victorious, its meaning and how it helps

O symbolic meaning we have already spoken about this. Based on the history of the life of this saint, it is believed that he is the patron saint of military personnel, as well as those who, for some reason, are in the war zone. People often pray to this icon and ask for peace and protection from enemies for themselves and their loved ones. In order to ask for the assistance of this saint, you can put a candle next to his face and voice your desire.

In addition to the already listed, it is believed that George the Victorious is able to protect against diseases. Many people come to temples in order to ask his icon for help in the fight against the disease. It is believed that you can even ask him to get rid of infertility.

Men, women, and children come to the icon of this saint with requests, because George the Victorious helps everyone who believes that what he asks for will surely be fulfilled.

If a person wants to ask for support from George the Victorious, then he reads a prayer with which it is customary to turn to this saint. Even the simple ones sincere words will still be heard.

Saint George was a native of Cappadocia (a region in Asia Minor), grew up in a deeply believing Christian family. His father was martyred for Christ when George was still in childhood. 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 battles, was noticed by the emperor Diocletian (284-305) and accepted into his guard with the rank of comite - one of the senior military leaders. The pagan emperor, who did much to revive Roman power and clearly understood the danger the triumph of the Crucified Savior posed for pagan civilization, last years government especially intensified the persecution of Christians. At the council of the Senate in Nicomedia, Diocletian gave all the rulers complete freedom in reprisals against Christians and promised his all-round assistance. Saint George, having learned about the decision of the emperor, distributed his inheritance to the poor, set the slaves free, and appeared before the Senate. The courageous warrior of Christ openly opposed the imperial plan, confessed himself 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 bold speech of the valiant warrior, the emperor, who loved and exalted George, tried to persuade him not to ruin his youth, glory and honor, but to bring, according to the custom of the Romans, a sacrifice to the gods. This was followed by the decisive answer of 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 St. George out of the assembly 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 body of the saint, and did not hurt him. In prison, the martyr's feet were stuffed into stocks and his chest was crushed with a heavy stone. The next day, during interrogation, exhausted, but firm in spirit, Saint George again answered the emperor: “You will sooner become exhausted, tormenting me, than I, tormented by you.”

Then Diocletian ordered that George be subjected to the most sophisticated tortures. The Great Martyr was tied to a wheel, under which boards with iron points were arranged. As the wheel turned, the sharp blades cut the naked body of the saint. At first, the sufferer loudly called on the Lord, but soon fell silent, not emitting a single groan. Diocletian decided that the tortured man had already died, and, having ordered to remove the tormented body from the wheel, he went to the temple to offer a thanksgiving sacrifice. At that moment, it darkened around, thunder boomed, and a voice was heard: “Do not 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 as soon as he laid his hand on the martyr, he said to him: “Rejoice!” How Saint George rose up healed. When the soldiers took him to the temple where the emperor was, the latter could not believe his eyes and thought that before him was another person or a ghost. In bewilderment and horror, the pagans peered at St. George and were convinced that a miracle had really happened. Many then believed in Life-giving God Christian. 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. Empress Alexandra, the wife of Diocletian, who was in the temple, also learned the truth. She, too, tried to glorify Christ, but one of the emperor's servants held her back and took her to the palace. The emperor became even more embittered. Without losing hope of breaking Saint George, he betrayed him to new terrible tortures. Having thrown into a deep ditch, the holy martyr was covered with quicklime.

Three days later they dug him up, but they found him joyful and unharmed. They shod the saint in iron boots with red-hot nails, and with beatings they drove him to the dungeon. In the morning, when he was brought for interrogation, cheerful, with healthy legs, he told the emperor that he liked the boots. He was beaten with ox sinews so that the body and blood mixed with the ground, but the courageous sufferer, supported by the power of God, remained adamant. Deciding that magic helps the saint, the emperor called on the sorcerer Athanasius so that he could deprive the saint of miraculous powers or poison him. The sorcerer presented Saint George with two bowls of potions, one of which was supposed to make him obedient, and the other to kill him. But the potions did not work either - the saint still denounced pagan superstitions and glorified 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 invoking Christ and His power. Whoever believes in Him counts torment as nothing and is able to do the works that Christ did” (John 14:12). Diocletian asked what were the works of Christ. “To enlighten the blind, to cleanse the lepers, to give the lame walking, to the deaf to hear, 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 called out: “Lord! Show those who come that You are the One God throughout the 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 St. George, confessed Christ as the Almighty God and asked for forgiveness for the sins committed in ignorance. However, the emperor, hardened in wickedness, did not come to his senses: in a rage he ordered the beheading of the believer Athanasius, as well as the resurrected man, and again imprisoned St. George. People burdened with ailments different ways they began to enter the prison and there they received healing and help from the saint. A certain farmer Glycerius, whose ox fell, also turned to him in sorrow. 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 throughout the city began to glorify the Christian God. By order of the emperor, Saint Glycerius was seized 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 offer sacrifices to idols. They began to prepare a court at the temple of Apollo.

On the last night, the holy martyr prayed earnestly, and when he dozed off, he saw the Lord Himself, Who raised him with His hand, embraced him and kissed him. The Savior placed a crown on the head of the Great Martyr and said: “Do not be afraid, but be of good cheer and you will be able to reign with Me.” The next morning, in the judgment seat, the emperor offered St. George a new test - he offered him to become his co-ruler. The holy martyr replied with imaginary readiness that the emperor should not have tortured him from the very beginning, but should have shown such mercy, and at the same time he 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 the people. Everyone was waiting for Saint George to make a sacrifice to the gods. He, approaching the idol, made the sign of the cross and addressed him as if he were alive: “Do you want to accept a sacrifice from me as God?” The demon who dwelt in the idol cried out, “I am not God, and none of my kind is God. There is only one God, the one you preach. We, from the Angels who serve Him, have become apostates, and, possessed by envy, we deceive people. “How dare you be here when I, the servant of the True God, have come here?” the saint asked. There was a noise and crying, the idols fell and were crushed. There was general confusion. The priests and many from the crowd attacked the holy martyr in a frenzy, tied him up, began to beat him and demand immediate execution. The holy Empress Alexandra hurried to the noise and screams. Making her way through the crowd, she shouted: "God Georgiev, help me, since You are the One Almighty." At the feet of the great martyr, the holy empress glorified Christ, humiliating idols and those who worshiped them. Diocletian, in a frenzy, immediately passed the death sentence on the great martyr George and the holy empress Alexandra, who without resistance followed Saint George to execution. On the way, she became exhausted and leaned against the wall, unconscious. Everyone thought the queen was dead. Saint George thanked God and prayed that his path would end with dignity. At the place of execution, the saint in fervent prayer asked the Lord to forgive the tormentors, who did not know what they were doing, and 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. In confusion, the executioners and judges looked at their Winner. In bloody agony and senseless throwing, the era of paganism ended ingloriously. Only ten years have passed and the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine, one of the successors of Diocletian 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 conquer.” Of the many miracles performed by the Holy Great Martyr George, the most famous is depicted in iconography. In the homeland of the saint, 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 serpent lived. Coming out of the lake, he devoured people, and the inhabitants could not do anything, since the air was infected from his mere breath. According to the teaching of the demons who lived in the idols, the king made the following decision: every day the inhabitants had to give their children to eat the snake by lot, and when the turn came to him, he promised to give his only daughter. Time passed, and the king, dressing her in best clothes sent to the lake. The girl wept 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 snake, signed himself with 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 snake's larynx with a spear and trampled it down with his horse. Then he told the girl to tie the snake with her belt and, like a dog, lead it into the city.

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 Holy Mother of God and Great Martyr George. Saint George could become a talented commander and surprise the world with military exploits. He died when he was not even 30 years old. Hurrying to unite with the host of Heaven, he entered the history of the Church as the Victorious. With this name he became famous from the beginning of Christianity and in Holy Russia. Saint George the Victorious was the angel and patron of several great builders of Russian statehood and Russian military power. The son of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir, 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, erected the church of St. George the Victorious in Kiev. The day of the consecration of the Kiev St. George's Church, performed on November 26, 1051 by Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kiev, entered the liturgical treasury of the Church as a special church holiday, St. George's Day, beloved by the Russian people "autumn George". The name of St. George was 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 Mongol hordes headed by the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri (George) Vsevolodovich († 1238; Comm. 4 February), who laid down his head in the Battle of the City. The memory of him, as Egory the Brave, the defender of his native land, was reflected in Russian spiritual poems and epics. The first Grand Duke of Moscow, at a time when Moscow was becoming the center of the gathering of the Russian land, was Yuri Danilovich (†1325), the son of St. Daniel of Moscow, the grandson of St. Alexander Nevsky. Since that time, St. George the Victorious - a horseman slaying a serpent - has become the coat of arms of Moscow and the emblem of the Russian state. And that deepened the bond even more. Christian nations Russia with the same faith Iveria (Georgia - the country of George).