Saint George the Great Martyr and Trophy Bearer… 2 ′

Saint George, called by the Orthodox Church Great Martyr and Trophy Bearer, is one of the most popular saints in the whole of Christendom.

His memory is commemorated on April 23 or for the Churches that go according to the Julian calendar, where if the day coincides before the Resurrection, it is postponed to Monday. Renewable.

He was born between the years 280-285 AD, probably in the region of Armenia, by the Greek Senate, a recruiter in office, during the reign of the emperor Diocletian, Gerontius.

There, in a monastery in the area, the Saint received the Sacrament of Baptism and became a member of the Church. The Saint's father, Gerontios, came from a rich and official generation in Cappadocia.

An old manuscript states that he was born in Sevastopol, Little Armenia, was initially a pagan and later became a Christian.

His wife was called Polychronia, she was a Christian and came from the well-known Lydda (Diospoli) of Palestine.

According to the sources, the Saint's family, when he was young, moved to Lydda, due to the death of his father.

In 303 AD, when the persecutions of Diocletian began, St. George did not hesitate to confess his Christian faith, provoking the death of Diocletian, who subjected him to a series of tortures.

The faith of the Saint is the occasion for the baptism of the soldiers Anatolios and Protoleon, Victor and Akindynos, Zotikos and Zenonas, Christoforos and Sevirianos, Theonas, Kaisarios and Antonios, whose memory is celebrated by the Church on April 20, and Vasilis , along with the slaves of Apollo, Isaac and Kodratos, whose memory is commemorated on April 21.

Diocletian did not expect it and was furious with George's attitude. Then began for the Saint a series of horrible tortures, but also miracles, which brought many pagans to the Christian faith.

After spearing him, they tore his flesh with a special wheel of knives.

He was then thrown into a pit of boiling lime and then forced to walk in hot metal shoes. From all this God kept him alive and caused the idols and their exponents to be humiliated.

The Saint martyred by praying, his head was cut off and he was beheaded on Friday, April 23, 303 AD.

According to the calculation of the historian Eusebius, and according to the Macedonian calendar, it corresponded to the Friday of the Renewable Easter.

The Christians secretly picked up his precious relic and buried it, along with that of his holy mother, who testified the same or the next day.

From there, according to the sources, the Crusaders took the holy relics of Saint Polychronia and transported them to the West.

After the martyrdom of the Saint, his associates Eusebius, Neon, Leontios, Logginos and four others also testified. Their memory is honored by the Church on April 23.

We see that centered on the day of the martyrdom of the Saint, a festive cycle is created during the liturgical time of the Church, which is cultivated more than the Typical of Constantinople, which begins on April 20 and ends on the 24th of the same month.

This festive cycle shows the prominent place of the Martyr in the life of the Church.

From the hymnography of the Orthodox Church, the adjectives are adorned with the precious daisy, the leftist the uncle, the lion the glorious, the bright star, the hoplite of Christ, the interlocutor of the heavenly army.