The Final Prayer of St. George before his Martyrdom

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer, in prayer to Christ (source)

  

The Martyr of Christ, George, when he had reached the place of his execution, entreated the guards to give him a short time to himself. This is the gift that the Saint asked of the enemies of his Faith. They fulfilled his request. Then, the Great Martyr gathered himself together for prayer, and lifted up his eyes to Heaven, and prayed from the depth of his heart:

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophybearer (source)

   

"O Lord my God, to Whom I belong from birth, and to Whom I have placed my hopes, You Who gave me boldness and prepared me for this struggle, You Who are my sweet hope, the unerring promise, the unalterable eros of sacred souls, You Who look down with care upon the intentions of our hearts and fulfill our requests, and to Whom we address our requests in prayer, I ask of You: help me to complete this struggle well, which I have taken on in confession of Your name, and receive my soul, and having preserved my from the evil spirits, do number me with those who have pleased You throughout the ages. Forgive, O Master, the people who out of ignorance have worked this grave things against me, and make them worthy to truly come to know You, for You are blessed unto the ages of ages."
(source)
  

Sts. George and Demetrios the Great Martyrs (source)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly, the Lord has risen!

Akathist to St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer, the Wonderworker

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Akathist to St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer, the Wonderworker
Begin with the usual introductory prayers….Heavenly Comforter….Holy God, Holy and Mighty…etc. During the Easter season, begin with Christ is Risen… (3x)
  
Kontakion 1
To you, O champion leader and victorious Saint George, we offer a hymn of praise as our intercessor and speedy helper. Holy Great Martyr, as one who has boldness before the Lord, deliver us from dangers of all kinds that we may cry unto you: Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Ikos 1
The Creator of angels and Maker of all creation has revealed you to His Church as a guardian and passion-bearer for the faith. You are an inspiration for us, and we lift up praises to you for the ascetic labors of your sufferings, Saint George, in this manner: Rejoice, you who loved unto the end Jesus, the Son of God.
Rejoice, you who laid down your life with love for His Name.
Rejoice, confessor called forth by God.
Rejoice, spiritual athlete glorified by the grace of God.
Rejoice, you who dwelled with the angels.
Rejoice, you who are the equal of the prophets.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 2
Beholding how the wicked idolaters were persecuting the Christians, You did not fear their wiles and tortures, divinely wise George. As a good soldier of Christ, you distributed all your possessions among the poor and then voluntarily ran to that ungodly gathering, singing unto Christ, your commander and God: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great-Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 2
Mentally comprehending the One God divinely worshipped in Three Persons, with a firm mind You confessed Him before the assembly of the ungodly. Thus, you exposed the unwise king’s foolish worship of creation. In admiration of your lofty love of wisdom, Saint George, accept from us these fervent praises:
Rejoice, wise preacher of the One True God.
Rejoice, faithful advocate of the All-Holy Trinity.
Rejoice, you who manifest the great mystery of the True Faith unto the unbelievers.
Rejoice, you who exposed the deception of idol worship.
Rejoice, revelation of holy wisdom.
Rejoice, image of divine inspiration.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 3
  The power of God, which enlightens every man that comes into the world, visited you also, while you were suffering in prison, O George wise in humility. You despised all the corruptible things of this life as chaff. You faithfully held unto Christ alone, so that after fighting the good fight for His Name, you might be granted eternally to chant with the angels: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 3
Possessing a mind and heart enlightened by the Holy Spirit, by His inspiration you fervently struggled for the Name of Christ, even unto blood. Standing courageously in the faith, you exposed the puffed-up pride of the ungodly congregation. Let us, then, come to you, most wonderful George, singing praises unto you:
Rejoice, shield lifted for preservation of piety.
Rejoice, sword raised for the beheading of evil.
Rejoice, confirmation of the Christian Church.
Rejoice, comfort of those gathered in prayer.
Rejoice, encouragement of the faithful.
Rejoice, fear and disgrace of the unbelievers.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 4
  The mad persecutor, breathing murder against you, O passion-bearer George, longed for your blood like a thirsty dog, ordering your body stretched out on a wheel and giving you over unto the most evil torments. Then you, taking strength in the Lord, with hope and trust in God, cried aloud: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 4
When Diocletian and the priest of the idols heard words of wisdom from you, they were enraged with hatred for you, and even more so when you said: O tormenting king, why do you torture me in vain? For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The faithful therefore humbly cry unto you, O George of great fame, in this way:
Rejoice, you who shed your blood upon the wheel for your courageous confession of the Faith.
Rejoice, you who magnified the triumph of the Faith by your blood.
Rejoice, zealot together with the apostles.
Rejoice, imitator of the voluntary Passion of Christ.
Rejoice, unshakable champion of the Faith.
Rejoice, passion-bearer harder than adamant.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 5
  You were as a star sent by God, O Saint George, for with your miraculous healing and release from the wheel by an angel before the eyes of all, you enlightened the unbelievers to believe in the Trinity in One Essence, and to sing unto Him together with you: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 5
  The people beheld the miracles of the power of God so clearly taking place in you, and meekly accepted the teaching of Christ from you. They cried aloud, saying: Truly great is the God of the Christians. It is fitting that we also sing praises unto you, George worthy of glory, and so we cry out:
Rejoice, you who dispersed the darkness of unbelief by the radiant word of salvation.
Rejoice, you who converted unbelievers to Christ by your martyr’s confession of faith.
Rejoice, you who lead legions of earthly soldiers unto the heavenly army.
Rejoice, you who dwelled with the heavenly hosts as a soldier of Christ.
Rejoice, glory of courageous soldiers.
Rejoice, beauty of the all-radiant choirs of martyrs.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 6
  Zealous in faith, like unto those Spirit-bearing preachers, the apostles, you were crucified unto the world, O Martyr George. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster, you were hurled headlong into the furnace of the lime pit so that through your life might be manifested the glory of the Lord Who is wondrous in His saints. Then, in the lime pit as in a temple of glory, you noetically cry out: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 6
  Having shone forth in His Resurrection from the tomb on the third day, Jesus, the Almighty Conqueror of hades and death, saved you from corruption, O victorious George. After three days you were found alive in the lime pit, with your hands lifted and singing unto God. The ungodly were sorely afraid and stricken with terror, but we rejoice and compose a hymn of victory unto you:
Rejoice, you who cast down the puffed-up pride of the devil by your being cast down in disgrace into the lime pit.
Rejoice, you who overcame the persecutor’s bestiality by your miraculous salvation from God.
Rejoice, for as one without guile, you prayed as for benefactors for those who worked evil against you.
Rejoice, for you were zealous for their conversion as Paul was for the Jews.
Rejoice, man of spiritual desires.
Rejoice, victor through the power of Christ.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 7
Desiring by any means to ensnare your heart for service to the idols, the wicked persecutor contrived to mislead you by magical spells. Therein you, chosen of God, cry out with David: In God is my salvation and my glory, and faithfully chant unto Him: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 7
  That evil servant of Satan, Diocletian, revealed a new villainy. In his insane zeal for the idols, he ordered you to be given poison, Saint George, but you were filled with faith and hope. Even though you drank the deadly poison, yet you remain unharmed, O praised-one of God. We marvel at your holiness and sing unto you:
Rejoice, for you were not disgraced by your hope in the living God.
Rejoice, for you counted your torment as nothing.
Rejoice, expeller of soul-destroying demons.
Rejoice, destroyer of the wiles of magicians.
Rejoice, through you God is shown to be wondrous in His saints.
Rejoice, through you the Name of Christ is piously glorified.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 8
  There came to the wicked king a strange and terrible counsel from a certain wizard: that he command you, as proof of the truth of the Christian Faith, by your word to resurrect a dead man. You, Saint George, having no doubt whatsoever, sang unto Him Who is not the God of the dead but the God of the living: Alleluia.
  

St. George with his parents (source)

  
Ikos 8
The all-desirable and Sweetest Jesus, Whom You loved with all your soul and heart, most blessed George, attended to the fervent prayer of your faith and speedily commanded the resurrection of the dead man at your word. This was to the glorification of His Name and the confirmation of the faithful, so that the unbelievers and the blind might be astounded and thereby gain knowledge of God. For this reason, we dutifully cry unto you:
Rejoice, through you the Lord of Hosts manifested wonders.
Rejoice, through you He resurrected a dead man from the tomb.
Rejoice, you who grant the mental vision of faith unto the blinded wizard.
Rejoice, you who showed the way to the Holy of Holies unto many who suffered for Christ.
Rejoice, astonishment of Rome.
Rejoice, exaltation of the Christian race.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 9
  All the angels rendered praise unto God, Who granted you such courage, victorious George, that even when locked up in prison you did not cease to keep vigil in prayer. As a great communicant of the mystery of divine grace, you were vouchsafed to behold the Lord in a vision. He crowned your head with the crown of incorruption, so that we might cry out with you: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 9
  The learned orators are unable with their rhetorical tongues to render worthy praises unto you, Martyr George, for your labors and sufferings which you assumed voluntarily for Christ and the Church. We also, not knowing how to properly praise you, chant this hymn with faith:
Rejoice, by your voluntary suffering for Christ and the Church you crucified the old Adam in yourself.
Rejoice, by your courageous suffering you receive a crown of righteousness from the Lord.
Rejoice, rule of pious zeal.
Rejoice, model of self-sacrifice.
Rejoice, for you pleased not yourself, but Christ alone.
Rejoice, for you were prepared for any form of death for the sake of your Savior, Christ.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 10
  Desiring to save the souls perishing in idolatry, O Saint George, lover of God, you were zealous for God like Elias. Entering the temple of the idols, by the power of God you drove out the demons, shattering the idols and putting their priests to shame. Thereafter as conqueror, not with men but with angels, you chant unto God: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Trophy-bearer, surrounded by St. Polychronia his mother, and St. Alexandra whom he helped bring to Christ (source)

  
Ikos 10
  More unfeeling than a wall, your hard-hearted tormentor, O Great Martyr, did not see God, Who so clearly worked miracles through you, but to the end remained as an asp, stopping his ears. He commanded you to be executed as a criminal by beheading. Though grieving over the loss of his soul, you joyfully accepted your end, for which we praise you with love in this manner:
Rejoice, you who kept faith, hope and love unto the end.
Rejoice, you who worked many great miracles at your beheading.
Rejoice, you who were crowned to the glory of God’s goodwill toward those on earth.
Rejoice, you who were adorned with majesty in Heaven.
Rejoice, man of God.
Rejoice, good soldier of Christ.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
 
Kontakion 11
  You render a hymn unto the Most Holy Trinity exceeding others, holy Saint George, not in word and mind only, but by the living sacrifice of your whole self. Imitating Him Who was crucified for us, Christ the Lamb without blemish, you voluntarily laid down your life for your friends. Even though we are incapable of praising such courage as yours, for no man has greater love than this, yet being grateful we sing unto Him Who is wondrous in the saints: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 11
  You are a light-receiving lamp of the True Light to those on earth, Saint George, chosen of God, for You enlighten the hearts of the faithful and guide them all to divine understanding, instructing us also to joyfully cry aloud:
Rejoice, for you dwell in the all-radiant angelic mansions.
Rejoice, for you commune with the never-waning light of the Trinity not in a mirror, but face to face.
Rejoice, provider for the needy and defender of the wronged.
Rejoice, healer of the infirm and support of kings.
Rejoice, champion of faithful soldiers in battle.
Rejoice, fervent intercessor for the salvation of sinners.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 12
  Knowing the grace granted by God, we celebrate your memory, Great Martyr George. Running with fervent prayer to your miraculous icon, we are protected by your all-powerful help in the Lord as by an invincible wall. In praise of your aid to others, we fervently cry unto God: Alleluia.
  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  
Ikos 12
  Singing of your glorious end, by which you were magnified as a good soldier of Christ, we pray you, O passion-bearer and helper in all good for us: Protect us as we earnestly cry to you:
Rejoice, by you the Church of the faithful is enlightened.
Rejoice, for your name is praised even among the faithless.
Rejoice, wondrous glory of the confessors.
Rejoice, lofty praise of the martyrs.
Rejoice, protector of those who honor your memory.
Rejoice, deliverer of those who confess Christ God.
Rejoice, Saint George, Great Martyr and Wonderworker.
  
Kontakion 13
Most blessed and holy Great Martyr George, accept our hymn of praise and deliver us from every evil by your fervent intercession unto God, so that we may sing with you: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. 12  
(Repeat Kontakion 13 three times.)
Repeat Kontakion 1 and Ikos 1.
  

Sts. George and Demetrios, among the first and greatest of the Great Martyrs of Christ (source)

  
A Prayer
Great Martyr George, we hasten to you for triumph over every torment and distress and over all pride and passion, that we may glorify Jesus Christ as zealous conquerors of this world and heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom. We acknowledge our unworthiness of such holy victory but, in praise of the courage, hope and trust which you have demonstrated throughout your life and into your martyrdom, we lovingly beseech your aid in battle against sin. Pray for us, Saint George, that we may be granted the grace to confess the Faith before others and to fulfill the Commandments under all circumstances and among all people. Let us witness of Christ the Lord that everyone might see His radiant light and believe in His holy teachings. Amen   
This prayer was adapted from https://akathistreconstructed.wordpress.com/george-great-martyr/, to which we are greatly appreciative. (source)
   

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!
Truly the Lord is risen!

O true friend of Christ, first leader among His Champions..."

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

    

O true friend of Christ, first leader among His Champions, all-radiant lamp of the world, brightest star, shining light, unsleeping protector of those who honor you: protect us, O Martyr George.

The Church skips and claps her hands at the sacred Resurrection of the Savior, and now for the repose of the Champion, chanting: two good things have been joined together.

There is nowhere on the earth, nor on the sea, nor in the city, nor the desert, in which the sounds of your wonders has not reached, O Martyr, forming an overflowing sea, for your wondrous name is praised throughout the whole earth.

All of the peoples of the nations praise, bless and hymn, crying out together: Rejoice, O savior, the joy of the faithful, rejoice, you who are the boast of Champions, O supremely-wondrous George.
-Excerpts from the Matins Canon of St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer
 
(source)
 

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

 

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

The Prison and Instruments of Torture of St. George the Trophy-bearer

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer, being tortured on the wheel for Christ (source)

Pilgrims to the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George (seat of the Patriarch of Alexandria) can have the opportunity to visit the purported prison where St. George the Trophy-bearer was held by the Emperor Diocletian, the chains that bound him, and some of the instruments of torture, including the wheel that he was tied to, but soon freed from by an Angel. Below are photos from the Greek site Agioritikovima and also from Mystagogy (see the respective links for more info).
  
I post this not at all to emphasize anything masochistic or macabre. The great sufferings of the Martyrs of Christ reveal their great love for Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life, and from their great love for Him, they would sacrifice anything and endure everything. This is especially poignant, as there are Christians still today who are giving their lives for Christ throughout the world. May the example of the Martyrs inspire us all, whether in a small or great way, to sacrifice and live lives pleasing to Christ, Who suffered for us all and rose from the dead. To Him be glory and dominion unto the ages. Amen.
  

The wheel that St. George was tortured on (source)

  

Close-up on some of the instruments of St. George's torture (source)

 

The chains that bound St. George in prison (source)

  

Be entreated, O Lord, by the sufferings endured for You by the Saints, and we pray You, heal all our pain.

(source)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life! Truly the Lord is risen!

Homily on St. George the Trophy-bearer by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer, offering to Christ his head, which was severed out of love for Him (Source)

  

Homily on St. George the Trophy-bearer by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes (+2010)
Today is the feast of one of the greatest martyrs of our faith, of St. George the Trophy-bearer. This feast coincides with the most beautiful season. And, as our church chants today, let us run to the fields to pick flowers and weave wreaths to crown the hero of our Christian faith.

  

But to pick flowers is the easiest thing. We must do something else today, something higher and greater. What is this? We must get to know who this St. George was. And through this, I will try to give you a short answer.

  
The homeland of St. George was Asia Minor. He was born in the area of Caesarea, and was a compatriot with St. Basil the Great. His parents were rich and noble. His father was martyred for Christ while St. George was still small in his cradle. His mother, who was only 20 years old then, was one of those mothers who believed in God. Because of this, she did not enter into a second marriage, like many do today, whose husbands have not even decomposed yet in the grave, when they are looking for a new man. No! In Asia Minor, there was one marriage, one and only. Like the birds, where if you kill one of a pair of mates, the other remains until the end crying in its cage. The same as then. I don't say that those who enter a second marriage sin, but that the primary marriage is the one which is blessed by God, the Holy Trinity, the All-Holy Spirit.
  

Therefore, his mother remained a widow. Are you listening you women, are you listening you men? These feasts did not occur so that we can eat and have a good time. They occurred so that we might live like the Saints. Then St. George blesses us and is with us.

  

The young widow had George when she was young. And together with her milk, she raised him and formed him. Blessed therefore is the mother. Behind every Saint is a mother. And behind St. George is a mother, who took him to her chest, and together with her milk, nursed him on the faith, the faith in Christ.

  

George, the only son of the widow of the martyr, grew and discerned his inclinations. Early, he decided to enlist and become a soldier. He joined the military, therefore. He was distinguished as a soldier and as a general. He was first in battles. He had the heart of a lion. Thus he reached the rank of soldier, and even higher, of commander.

  

But St. George, beyond military metals, had God. Because above everything else is God. Later, everything else comes as well. And if the faith in God is endangered, we must be ready to sacrifice metals and ranks and positions and staffs and miters and everything. A thousand times a monk on the Holy Mountain would die rather than betray Orthodoxy. A thousand times an honored soldier [would die] rather than a soldier who does not believe. A thousand times a villager who has God inside of him [would die], instead of an atheist scientist. A thousand times a worker or farmer that had God inside of him, instead of the riches of the world. This is our holy faith. Our Church does not come from the great and strong of the day, it is founded on the faith of the humble and down-trodden.
  

St. George with scenes from his life and martyrdom (source)

  

The hour of St. George's trial came. It was the time of the final persecution of the first centuries. On the throne of Rome was one of the wildest beasts, the Emperor Diocletian (284-304). He had wild hate against the Christians. Because of this he ordered that whoever was a Christian, should loose their rank, and if they remained in the faith, they would be put to death.

  

When the order arrived, George's hour had come. Before everyone, he confessed and said: “I am a Christian, and above the Emperor, I have Christ!”
  

Diocletian ordered him to be seized. They took removed his metals, they took his weapons, and they threw him bound into prison. From the heights to the depths! But he had joy and exaltation.

  

Should I now relate his martyrdoms? They are many. Whoever wishes to, read the Synaxarion to see. In short I will tell you. They beat his stomach with an iron rod. Afterwards, they put on him an iron helmet which around the inside had bloodletting nails, and they let them cut into the head of the Saint. His flesh was torn and the ground was covered [in blood]. Then they made him wear iron shoes with nails and forced him to run. Then, they put him in a pit of lime, to dissolve him. But the lime he conquered, and the iron he conquered, and everything else. This is not strange. Christ said this: Do not fear, you will tread upon scorpions and serpents, and not a hair from your head will fall, unless God desires it. (Luke 10:19, 21, 18, Matthew 10:29)

After these, outside of Caesarea, there was a temple of idols full of statues. They seized St. George therefore, and took him there, that he might sacrifice. He appeared with the face of an angel. He looked at the idols, and said with a loud voice: "In the name of Jesus the Nazarene, I ask you, O statues and idols, what are you?" And they responded: "We are not gods, but demons!" Then the Saint prayed, and immediately an earthquake struck the temple, and the statues fell and broke into pieces and dust.

  

And only this? And the other miracle of St. George is wondrous. Outside of Caesarea, in a ravine, there was a spring of beautiful water, but no one dared to approach it, because near there was a great dragon, a gigantic serpent, which would come out and eat men and beasts. St. George approached the spring with his spear. The beast growled, exited with speed and opened its huge mouth to swallow him. But St. George--let the faithless disbelieve, we believe--what did he do? He pierced it within its bowels and the beast was torn apart and died. Because of this, you see St. George in icons depicted on horseback with his spear, which on its tip has the Cross of the Lord, in order to kill the dragon.

These things seem unbelievable today. People of the world perceive these as myths. But we know that St. George did not only this, but things thousands of times higher occur. History is full of miracles worked by the Saints of our Faith, with the power of Christ. We have a living faith, totally alive, and we must love it and devote ourselves wholly to it.
 

This is, therefore, my beloved, the life of the Saint in short. Because of this, St. George is one of the most beloved Saints.

One more thing I want to tell you, and I'll stop. We saw the fearsome dragon which was at the spring, and did not allow anyone to refresh themselves. But besides that dragon, which St. George killed with his spear and with the Cross, in our days first and foremost, another dragon appears much worse than that dragon which St. George killed. And that worse dragon, which chokes all of mankind and endangers with the greatest destruction, is atheism, God-less materialism. With this dragon, our small country must struggle heroically, to not fall into its mouth.

Because of this, even though others might betray their faith and their ideals, you poor children, the heroic children of the Church and the fatherland, remain faithful to God, and struggle with bravery, chest to chest, for everything that is most-holy of our land.

With the help of St. George, we will go forward, we will overcome the obstacles.

I pray that you remain fixed and immovable in the faith, through the intercessions of St. George, and all the Saints. Amen.

+Bishop Avgoustinos

 

(From a homily in the Holy Church of St. George Lakkias, April 23rd, 1968. Amateur translation of text from source)

  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer, on horseback, killing the dragon (source)

     

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life! Truly the Lord is risen!

St. Luke of Simferopol on St. George the Trophy-bearer

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer - 12th Century Mosaic from Xenophontos Monastery, Mount Athos (source)

   

St. Luke of Simferopol on St. George the Trophy-bearer

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you… If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also (John 15:19-20).

These words of the Lord Jesus Christ were spoken not only to His Holy Apostles, but to all those whom He so often called His little flock.

The little flock is made up of all those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and taken His law into their hearts – the law of love, His beatitudes, which are all commandments of love – and who fulfill His commandments.

In this small flock of His, the holy martyrs shine as stars of the first magnitude, serving as great examples for us of the most profound faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, of boundless love for Him, and of self-denial in sufferings and unimaginable torments and tortures.

Among the enormous host of holy martyrs, the number of which likely exceeds ten thousand, there shine the holy great martyrs, those who endured especially terrible sufferings for Christ and whose exploits have the greatest significance for the entire Christian world. And even among the great martyrs, the great George the Trophy-Bearer, whom we are now honoring, stands out as one of the very greatest.

Why do I attribute such enormous importance to the exploits of the holy martyrs?

First of all, because by their blood and boundless love for the Lord Jesus Christ they contributed greatly to the preaching of Christ’s Apostles.

Think of this: had it not been for the tens of thousands of holy martyrs, would the preaching of the Resurrection of Christ, of the Resurrection of the crucified Lord, really have had such all-conquering force?

Could all nations, over the course of a few centuries, really have come to believe in a crucified Jewish Teacher as the True Son of God, as the Savior of the entire human race?

The pagans would have laughed at faith in the Crucified One had it not been confirmed by His Resurrection from the dead; had the Apostles not possessed the right to preach Him as having been Crucified and Resurrected, as having died and risen again, as the Conqueror of death and the devil.

The holy martyrs played a most profound and effective role in this great work, for you all know what a tremendous impression their sufferings had on pagan witnesses and even on the executioners themselves, when they underwent horrific torture fearlessly and silently, sometimes even with thanksgiving on their lips.

Today, along with the memory of St. George the Trophy-Bearer, we also celebrate the memory of Alexandra, wife of the wicked Diocletian who tortured and tormented more Christians than all the other Roman emperors.

You know that witnessing the sufferings of the Great-Martyr George immediately converted this pure-hearted woman to faith in Christ. She fearlessly declared herself a Christian before her terrible spouse, suffering death for our Lord Christ along with the Great-Martyr George.

Why does the blood of the martyrs have such enormous significance for the entire Christian world? Because this blood blessed and sanctified the earth; because this blood makes the devil himself and his dark angels fear and tremble more than anything else.

The exploits of the holy martyrs have a most profound significance in other regards as well. They serve as the most vivid examples for us of absolutely unwavering faith in Christ and of love for Him. We should be ashamed if we show cowardice, fearing with fear where there is no fear[Psalm 13:15].

The martyrs themselves did not fear anyone or anything; they were not seduced by anyone or anything.

The Emperor Diocletian, who martyred St. George, loved him very much, considering him his bravest and most essential soldier. When he saw that the severest torments could not break his faith in Christ, he even reached the point of offering George the second place in his great Roman Empire if he offered sacrifice to the gods.

In reply, St. George only laughed at this pledge; he, of course, rejected even the first place in glory and honor after the Roman Emperor, for his fidelity to Christ was firmer than adamant and His love for Him was boundless.

You have heard more than once from your pastors about the terrible torments the holy Trophy-Bearer George underwent for Christ. I will not enlarge on them. You yourselves will remember well how he was tortured for days on end with his legs fixed in stocks, with an enormous stone placed on his chest that nearly crushed him; you will remember how he was broken on the wheel, being tied to an enormous wheel under which a plank with nails and blades was placed, which cut and tore his holy body; how iron boots with sharp nails inside were placed on him, and how he was driven to run through the streets of the city in these boots; how he was thrown into a pit filled with quicklime, filled from the top with lime. He was supposed to have been burned in the lime; but when, three days later, Diocletian ordered a report on how St. George had been burned, the messengers returned to report to him that George was unharmed. When the Great-Martyr was brought alive before Diocletian, the latter could not believe his eyes.

The Great-Martyr George’s exploit was a difficult one. The good favor of the Lord Jesus Christ towards him for this great exploit was shown by how He Himself came to him in prison, encouraging and blessing him for the completion of his martyrdom.

George the Trophy-Bearer feared nothing. But do we, weak and worthless Christians, face in like manner that which, in whatever small and distant a measure, threatens us with some difficulty?

Did it not happen quite recently that there were hundreds of thousands of people among us that easily renounced faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, declaring in questionnaires that they were unbelievers, fearing something that did not in any way threaten them? They were not threatened in any way; they were required only to write in the questionnaire whether they believed or did not believe. And this was enough for them to commit the terribly grave sin of denying the Lord Jesus Christ, forgetting His dread words: But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father Which is in heaven (Matthew 10:33).

Do we not really prefer the worthless and quickly fleeting goods of this world to those of eternity? Do we really place traversing the path He pointed out to us as the goal of our lives? Do we really always remember Christ’s words: I am the way, the truth, and the life [John 14:6]?

For the holy martyr and Trophy-Bearer George, He was truly the Path and the Life; he neither followed any other path, nor did he wish to know of any other. He was not frightened by threats or fears, boldly following the way of Christ.

Therefore, we bow down before all the martyrs, and especially such great ones as George the Trophy-Bearer, commending them by our ardent love.

They strengthen our faith and love by their miracles, for the majority of them work miracles. You will know from your pastors about the miracle performed three times by the Great-Martyr George, freeing from bondage the youth who were languishing and suffering in captivity. You will remember how, as they were thinking about their native home and the Great-Martyr’s feast day while they were supposed to be serving food or wine to their masters, George the Trophy-Bearer suddenly carried them away on a white horse, transporting them in an instant to the home of their parents, who were then celebrating the memory of the Great-Martyr.

Do not such miracles serve as a great and powerful fortification of your faith in that which the Lord Jesus Christ said? After all, He said that those who believed in Him could perform not only such miracles as did He, but even greater ones. The martyrs accomplished great deeds, confirming the truth of these words of Christ.

Let us then be ashamed of our cowardice in the face of the slightest fear presented to us by our imaginations.

Let us love the Lord Jesus Christ and His martyrs with all our hearts, and especially the Holy Great-Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer, whose memory we celebrate today.

Amen.

Originally delivered on April 23 / May 6, 1954.

Translated from the Russian.

(source)
 

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

 

Christ has risen from the dead, by death he has trampled on death, and to those in the graves given life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

Excerpt from the Homily on St. George the Trophy-bearer by St. Andrew of Crete

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (http://www.ruicon.ru/exhibition/1x1.php?page_30=266&)

  

Excerpt from the Homily on St. George the Trophy-bearer by St. Andrew of Crete (amateur translation)

Always, and with each of the Holy Martyrs, the feasts are radiant and proper. But more radiant and proper, however, is today's feast that is celebrated, of George the glorious great martyr, for this festival not only bears the character of the imitation of the passion of the Lord, and adorns with the athletic struggle of the Martyr, and shines with the beauty and grace of spring, but beyond this, it bears the character of the radiance of the two great feasts of the Master: of the Resurrection, I mean, and the Ascension, and is found as a radiant moon between two suns, whose rays shine from both sides, and thus receiving the same rays, shines imitating Christ for the whole world, for though the Master's feast of the saving passion, and the light-bearing and all-festal Resurrection of Jesus Christ the true God, and Son of God, the creator of all the martyrs, Who suffered for us and was martyred under Pontius Pilate, according to the Apostle, and with His very passion and death, granted to us victory over the passions and death. I speak of the Resurrection of the Lord, which accordingly gives rise to one portion of this feast of the martyr, which before it dawns upon the church of Christ as a great sun. We proceed straightaway to this fellow dawn of this feast of George, which shines also with that of the radiant and most graceful season of spring. And with the glorious Ascension of the Lord to the heavens, through which our very nature was granted to be seated with the Father, thus follows harmoniously the other latter portion of this feast of the Martyr.

And let not one think that it is by chance that the memory of George is between these two great feasts of the Master. No, but I say that this was accomplished according to divine providence, and through the revelation of the divine closeness (οικειότητα) of things, in other words, to reveal to us George, who was martyred for Christ, and the extreme love which this George had towards Him Whom he was martyred for, and how George not only become one with the passion of Christ through his martyrdom, but also shared the same season and days during which the Lord suffered. For, as the passion and the Resurrection of the Lord exceeds all the other feasts of the Master, thus, through the feast of spring, in a similar manner the feast of the martyr George exceeds the other feasts of martyrs throughout the year. For this feast is only celebrated after the holy Resurrection, and is celebrated during the time of most-radiant spring. And because those from the one side and the other are so joy-bestowing from the festival of the martyr, it is worthy also to present the beauty and radiance to one another. The festival is beautiful, the message is saving, and the works and actions are godly...

(http://www.orp.gr/?p=2982)

  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (http://www.ruicon.ru/exhibition/1x1.php?page_30=200&)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

A Vision of Saint George the Great Martyr In Glory

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (http://pics.livejournal.com/georgehp/pic/00085k84)

  
A Vision of Saint George the Great Martyr In Glory, by Theodotus, Bishop of Ancyra in Galatia (d. 430)
It came to pass in the time of the God-loving Emperor Theodosius of glorious memory that on the first day of his reign he saw a marvellous thing, he saw Saint George come from heaven with great glory and the archangel [Michael] with him, and he seated the God-loving Emperor Theodosius upon the throne of the Romans, and his faith within him was strong in Saint George all the time [of his rule].

And when he had reigned twenty years he built a large church to the name of Saint George, and he gathered together all the bishops to the consecration of the church of Saint George, and he sent for all the bishops and even for my feeble self, a weak old man. And when we had consecrated the holy church in the name of God and of Saint George, the precentor (?) sang the psalms in their proper order, and the emperor and his nobles and the whole city were with us.

And after the emperor and the whole multitude had sat down, he commanded the martyrdom of Saint George to be read, for that day was the twenty-third of Pharmouthi [April], and we listened breathlessly. But when the reader came to that place where God testified to Saint George, saying, "There is none like unto thee among all the martyrs, neither shall there be any like unto thee forever," the subject puzzled me, and I said, "Since so many generals and eparchs and governors of this world have forsaken all the glory of this world, and their rank, and wealth, and have died for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ under the impious and lawless Emperor Diocletian, how can this holy martyr be more exalted than they all?" When we had celebrated the Holy Communion and the evening had come, we lighted a lamp for the emperor, and lay down to sleep, and neither the emperor nor any of the others did eat, but he slept with us in the holy church.

Now it was the evening of the Lord's Day, for the consecration of the church took place on the Sabbath day. And when the night had come and we had, as was meet, performed the office for the night, and had said, "Amen", we sat down to speak of the mightiness of God, and the emperor came with us. And one of our fathers, a bishop, was taken up to heaven in a vision, and he saw most exalted mysteries of which it is not lawful for an earthly being to utter.

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (http://194.177.217.107/scanned/icons/14_8bit_PE-IC11-DS2-Q2.jpg)

  
He said: "I saw that I was standing before the throne of the Father, and I saw thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads praising the Holy Trinity, and coming in bands, and they worshipped God, and glorified Him and blessed Him, and made their requests, and afterwards they stood in rows, and no earthly creature could describe the glory and the great honour which they had received from the Trinity. And I saw one coming forth from within the veil like unto a king wearing a diadem of gold with seven crowns upon it, and he was riding upon a white horse, and he was many times brighter than the sun, and was equipped with sword and armour and the apparel of a king; in short his kingly dignity was immeasurable. And when he came forth a mighty multitude followed him on this side and on that, and I saw all the saints bowing down before him, and when I looked I was speechless, and I wished to know who he was. And I looked on my right hand and I saw a monk standing having wings like an angel of God, and he wore a kingly crown and raiment the like of which there is not among the kingdoms of the world, and he had a golden staff in his right hand, and his face was full of joy, and great glory surrounded him. And I besought him, saying, 'My father, I beseech thee to show me who thou art that art in such honour as this.' And he embraced me and said to me, 'I am Paul of Tamma, and well hast thou come, O shepherd of our true King, our Lord Jesus Christ;' and when he had said these things to me I rejoiced that I had found freedom of speech before him. And I said to him, 'O master, my holy father, inasmuch as thou hast deemed me worthy of thy holy salutation, I bessech thee to tell me who is this great king that has just come, to whom all this multitude has bowed the knee?' Then the blessed man broke into a spiritual smile and he said to me, 'Knowest thou not who this is?' And I said to him, 'O father, how should I know who this is since I have never seen him before?' He answered and said to me, 'I have been sent to thee to make thee certain of the things which thou didst ponder over in thy heart yesterday in the church concerning Saint George, the beloved of God, the chosen martyr exalted above all the saints according to the words of our Saviour. The works of every soul which comes forth from the body, whether of righteous men or whether of sinners, are manifested forth on the spiritual tablet and the soul is in its presence always, and its deeds are written upon it. When it pleased my Lord Jesus Christ to take me, His servant, to my rest and to visit me, I came forth from the world, and He esteemed me worthy of His goodness, and He brought me into His city, and I saw this being whom thou hast seen. And he had on this royal diadem with seven crowns above it, and I looked upon it and read the writing which was upon it, which said, I am George of Melitene, from Diospolis, who died three times for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I saw all the saints bowing their knees before him.

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer being crowned (source)

 
Now I had endured many sufferings for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and died four times, and I said within myself, Behold, I am equal to him in honour, and I refrained from bending the knee to him. And straightway, in a moment, He who knows the hearts of all men sent the Archangel Michael to me who said, O excellent Paul, why hast thou not taken part in the spiritual salutation according to the command of the Almighty?, and I told him what was in my heart. Then he took me immediately to the holy Apa Noub the Confessor, who had been both a monk and a martyr, and he showed him the command of God. The holy confessor said to me, O Paul my holy father, go and perform the command of God, and say not, I have suffered like the mighty George, for thou, of thine own free will, [didst suffer] greatly; but that just man did for God's sake suffer by axes, by double edged hatchets, by saws, by nails, by fire, by two edged swords, and by the mouths of wild beasts. And I say unto thee, O my beloved one, that when the attendant cometh and sayeth unto thee, 'The Lord calleth for thee, come,' is not thy going better than seventy years of a monk's life in his cell?' When I heard these things I changed my mind through the words of the archangel and the holy man and I said, 'Forgive me'; and they rejoiced with me, and I went to the holy martyr of Christ and straightway made obeisance before him. [And the holy man said], 'O faithful shepherd of Christ, console thyself, for there is no one like unto thyself among the martyrs who are crowned [except] Saint George himself.' And while the holy man (Paul of Tamma) was talking with me, Saint George the soldier of Christ came up to me with his face beaming with rays of light, and he saluted me and filled me with joy and gladness, and said to me, 'When thou goest to thy city Ancyra, build thou a temple to me in it, that I may come and dwell with thee, for it will be one hundred and five months before thou shalt come to me in this holy city.' When he had said these things to me I rose up straightway from my vision.'"
   

A fresco from the 15th century monastery of the Precious Cross, Patrauti, Romania: The March of the Saints towards the Precious Cross. The Holy Archangel Michael points towards the Cross, and is followed by St. Constantine the Great. The Martyred Soldier Saints, led by St. George the Trophybearer and St. Demetrios the Myrrhstreamer, all march towards the Precious Cross. All bear armor, weapons and horses, not just as indications of their occupations, but as depictions of their spiritual armor and weapons, as they "fought the good fight", and will continue serve in Christ's Army unto eternity. (http://obiectivortodox.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cavalcada-sfintilor-militari-1.jpg)

   
When the emperor and the twelve bishops saw the radiant face of that bishop they knew that he had seen a revelation, and they entreated him to tell them what he had seen. And he, as his mind came to him, told them all the vision he had seen, and they marvelled greatly, and glorified God and the holy martyr Saint George. And the emperor answered and said, "On the day when God seated me, unworthy though I be, upon the Roman throne, I saw with my sinful eyes, Saint George with glorious visage come from heaven holding a sceptre of gold in his right hand, and the Archangel Michael was with him. And I saw a diadem of gold and seven crowns upon his head, and he shone a thousand times brighter than the sun, and he came to me filled with joy, and took hold of me, and seated me upon the imperial throne, and a number of the nobles of the army saw him face to face. And I saw him again in his holy church and he showed me things that would do good to my soul." Now when I (Theodotus) heard these things, I blessed my Lord Jesus and his holy martyrs. After these things that bishop went to his city and built a beautiful church in the name of God and Saint George, and consecrated it with his own hands before he came out of the body. Now that bishop was one of the three hundred and eighteen bishops that were gathered together in Nicea; and he filled the office of bishop for seventy-five years, and he died in God when he was one hundred and eighteen years old.

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Images/im3310.jpg)

  

Apolytikion in the 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 in the Fourth Tone
Cultivated by God, you became manifest as an honorable tiller gathering for yourself the sheaves of virtue. For you sowed with tears but reaped with gladness; in the contest you competed with your blood and came away with Christ. By your intercessions, O Holy One, all are granted forgiveness of sins.

(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/04/vision-of-saint-george-great-martyr-in.html)

  

St. George the Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer (source)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!

Truly the Lord is risen!