My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord, God and Savior JESUS CHRIST,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
On the 23rd of April, Our Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates
the holy Feast-Day of the Holy and Great Martyr GEORGE the
Trophy-bearer.
Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone
LIBERATOR of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick,
and champion of kings, O trophy-bearer Great Martyr George,
intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
Kontakion Hymn. Fourth Tone
HAVING been cultivated well by the Lord God, as the most honored
cultivator of piety thou hast now gathered sheaves of
virtues for thyself; for, as thou didst sow with tears, thou dost reap
with rejoicing; with thy blood didst thou contest and thou now hast
received Christ. And by thine intercessions, O Saint George, thou
grantest all the forgiveness of trespasses.
This renowned and Glorious Holy and Great Martyr was born in Cappadocia, the son of rich and God-fearing parents. His father suffered for Christ, after which his mother moved to Palestine. When George grew up, he went into the army, in which he rose, by the age of twenty, to the rank of Tribune, and as such was in service under the pagan Roman Emperor Diocletian. When this Emperor began a terrible persecution of Christians, George came before him and boldly confessed that he was a Christian. The Emperor threw him into prison, and commanded that his feet be put in the stocks and a heavy weight placed on his chest. After that, he commanded that he be bound on a wheel, under which was a board with great nails protruding, and thus be turned. He then had him buried in a pit with only his head above ground, and left there for three days and nights. Then, through some magician, he gave him deadly poison, but in the fact of all these tortures, George prayed unceasingly to God, and God healed him instantly and saved him from death, to the great amazement of the people. When he also raised a dead man to life by his prayers, many embraced the Christian faith. Among these was the Emperor’s wife, Alexandra, and the chief pagan priest, Athanasius, the Governor Glycerius and Valerius, Donatus and Therinus. Finally, the Emperor commanded that George and the Empress Alexandra be beheaded. Blessed Alexandra died on the scaffold before being killed, and Saint George was beheaded. This happened in Nicomedia, the year 303 A.D. The miracles that have been performed at his grave are without number. Also are his appearances in dreams to those who, thinking on him have sought his help, from that time up to the present day. Consumed by love for Christ, it was not difficult for Holy and Saint George to leave all for this love — his status, wealth and imperial favor, his friends and the whole world. For this love, the Lord rewarded him with a wreath of unfading glory in heaven and on earth, and with Eternal Life in His Kingdom. The Lord further endowed him with the power to help in need and distress all who honor him and call on his name.
His holy relics were taken by his servants from Nicomedia to Palestine, to a town called Ludda, the homeland of his mother, and then were finally transferred to the church which was raised in his name. (The TRANSLATION of the Saint’s holy relics to the church in Lydda is commemorated on November 3rd. Saint Alexandra the Queen, on April 21st.
Though the centuries Saint George has shown himself to be a swift and present helper to all who call on him WITH FAITH, whether on land or sea, to the uttermost ends of the earth; yet so many miracles have been worked at his tomb in Lydda (the present-day Lod), that when Palestine was in the hands of the Muslims, they took half of his church and turned it into a mosque, which may still be seen to this day, dedicated in his honor and testifying to the abundant power of his intercession. (Resources: The Prologue from Ochrid)
_____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in Christ’s All-Holy Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 