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 the tormentors and the preservation, against all odds, of his faith and devotion to Christianity. The saint became famous for his miraculous help to people. The life of George the Victorious is distinguished by many interesting facts, and the story of his first posthumous appearance to people does resemble a fairy tale. No wonder the events in the life of the saint are so interesting not only for adults, but also for children.
The miraculous appearance of George the Victorious
A long time ago, a huge snake wound up in the lake. There was no passage from him: the monster devoured everyone who wandered in the vicinity. The local wise men, after conferring, decided to propitiate the serpent by sacrificing their own children to him. Gradually, the turn came to 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 remained 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, butcrossed himself, rushed at the monster and struck him down with a spear with one blow.
After that, the brave young man said to the princess: “Do not be afraid. Tie the snake with a belt and lead to the city. On their way, the people fled in horror when they saw the monster. But the soldier reassured them with the words: “Believe in our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is 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.
Life of the Holy Great Martyr
His life on earth was short. Therefore, the life of George the Victorious tells a little. The summary can be retold in a few paragraphs, but this saint entered 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 Great Martyr George the Victorious begins with his birth in Cappadocia. The saint's parents were pious and meek. George's father was a martyr and accepted death for his faith. After that, the mother, taking her son, moved to her homeland, to Palestine. The boy was raised a true Christian, received a good education, and thanks to his courage and remarkable strength, he soon entered military service.
Young years and service with the emperor
Already at the age of twenty, George had a whole cohort of invictiors (which means "invincible") under his command. With the rank of commander, the young man received the patronage of the emperor himself. However, thatrevered the Roman gods and was an ardent opponent of the Christian faith. Therefore, when, by decree of the emperor, they began to burn sacred 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 beautiful and brave young man, they begged him not to ruin his own glory and youth, but he was adamant. It is precisely such an unshakable faith that the life of St. George the Victorious, even in brief, usually puts at the head of all the virtues of the Great Martyr.
Trial and death
A young man was brutally tortured and then beheaded. Since he bravely endured all the tortures and did not renounce Jesus Christ, George the Victorious was later canonized as a saint. This is the short life of George the Victorious.
The day of his execution took place on April 23, which corresponds to May 6 in the new calendar. It is on this day that the Orthodox Church honors the memory of George the Victorious. His relics are kept in the Israeli city of Lod, where a temple named after him was built. And the severed head of the saint and his sword are in Rome to this day.
Miracles of George the Victorious
The main miracle that describes the life of St. George the Victorious is his victory over the serpent. It is this story 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 happened after deathGreat Martyr George and canonization of him among the saints. This story happened after the Arab people attacked Palestine. One of the invaders went into an Orthodox church and found the priest there praying in front of the image of 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 George the Victorious made such a strong impression on him that the Arab converted to Christianity, and then he even began to preach it among his compatriots, for which he later accepted the martyrdom of the righteous man.
Real miracles happened to George during the torture. Cruel tortures lasted for 8 days, but by the will of the Lord, the body of the young man was healed and strengthened, remaining unharmed. Then the emperor decided that he was using magic, and wanted to kill 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. What was the shock of the assembled people when, after the prayer of the saint, the dead really rose from the tomb, and the earth shook by the will of God.
No other than a miracle can be called a healing spring, which gushed in the place where the church named after St. George the Victorious was built. It is located exactly where, according to legend, the saint de alt with the snake.
What can you tell children about St. George?
Georgy the Victorious has become famous for many things in his life. Life and for children will be interesting. For example, you can tell them that this saint is revered not only in our country, but also abroad. And his life was 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 the people through this great martyr. Thanks to them, many who had gone astray regained their faith and came to Christ. George the Victorious lived in the 3rd century, but his exploits and miracles strengthen the faith of people today, giving strength to cope with troubles and gratefully accept everything that life has in store for us.
Children often ask questions about why on the icons the spear in the hand of St. George is thin-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, a person has great strength, courage and happiness.
Facts related to George the Victorious
- 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: ΆγιοςΓεώργιος.
- May 6, on the day of St. George, the memory of Empress Alexandra, the wife of Emperor Diocletian, is also honored. She took the torment of George so deeply to her heart and believed in his own faith so much that she recognized herself as a Christian. After that, the emperor immediately sentenced her to death as well.
- George the Victorious, whose life has become a true example of courage and courage, is especially revered in Georgia. The first temple named after St. George was built there in 335. Several centuries later, more and more temples and chapels began to be built. In total, they were erected in different parts of this country as many as there are days in a year - 365. Today it is impossible to find a single Georgian church that would not have the image of St. George the Victorious.
- The name George is 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 not know failure in anything and would emerge victorious from any situation.
Sometimes it's hard to believe that the life of George the Victorious really describes the events that really happened. After all, there are so many inhuman torments, valor and unshakable faith in it, as it is simply impossible for us, mere mortals, to imagine. However, the story of this saint is the best example of how any adversity can be overcome with the help of true faith.
