Saint George – Saint Of The Day – 23 April
Saint George. A Greek soldier in the Roman army. A martyr and one of the most known saints in the Christian world. Patron saint of England and Georgia (country) and of the city of Moscow, Russia.
George of Lydda was born in the 3rd century and died in 303 AD. He was a Greek soldier in the Roman army. He was sentenced to death by beheading for refusing to recant his Christian faith.
Saint George is probably one of the most well known and most venerated saints in almost all Christian Churches. Since the Crusades Saint George is venerated as a patron saint of military. He is also a patron saint of England, Georgia (country) and the city of Moscow in Russia.
There are many versions of his life, both canonical and apocryphal. According to the tradition, he suffered during the Great Persecution under the Emperor Diocletian and after eight days of severe torment he was beheaded.
One of the most famous legends about his miracles is the “Miracle of the Serpent.”
In the Catholic iconography, Saint George is usually depicted as a muscular man wearing the heavy armor and a helmet. He is carrying a huge spear, riding a white horse and killing a large dragon-like serpent with wings and paws.
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition Saint George is a sweet young man, not muscular at all, without a beard. There is no heavy armor or a helmet, and his spear is elegant and thin.
The earliest images of Saint George originate from the territories of Cappadocia, Armenia and Georgia (country).
Contemporary depictions of Saint George are based on a traditional composition of a man killing a serpent with a spear. However, even though the compositions might seem similar, each artist ads special character traits, symbols and individuality to the image of the saint.
