Saints & Martyrs

Saint George

George (d. 23 April 303), military saint and martyr, popular in both Western and Orthodox Christianity. According to the saint's legend, George was a soldier under Emperor Diocletian who was tortured and beheaded for his Christian faith. George is popular for having slain a dragon and requesting that, in lieu of thanks, the villagers he saved convert to Christianity.

Excerpt from The Golden Legend

When she was there [St.] George passed by, and when he saw the lady he demanded [of] the lady what she [did] there and she said: Go ye your way fair young man, that ye perish not also. Then said he: Tell to me what have ye and why weep ye, and doubt ye of nothing. When she saw that he would know, she said to him how she was delivered to the dragon. Then said [St.] George: Fair daughter, doubt ye no thing hereof for I shall help thee in the name of Jesus Christ. She said: For God's sake, good knight, go your way, and abide not with me, for ye may not deliver me. Thus as they sp[o]ke together the dragon appeared and came running to them, and [St.] George was upon his horse, and drew out his sword and garnished him with the sign of the cross, and rode hardily against the dragon which came towards him, and smote him with his spear and hurt him sore and threw him to the ground. And after said to the maid: Deliver to me your girdle, and bind it about the neck of the dragon and be not afeard.

When she had done so the dragon followed her as it had been a meek beast and debonair. Then she led him into the city, and the people fled by mountains and valleys, and said: Alas! alas! we shall be all dead. Then [St.] George said to them: Ne doubt ye no thing, without more, believe ye in God, Jesus Christ, and do ye to be baptized and I shall slay the dragon. Then the king was baptized and all his people, and [St.] George slew the dragon and smote off his head, and commanded that he should be thrown in the fields, and they took four carts with oxen that drew him out of the city. ... After this the king offered to [St.] George as much money as there might be numbered, but he refused all and commanded that it should be given to poor people for God's sake; and enjoined the king four things, that is, that he should have charge of the churches, and that he should honour the priests and hear their service diligently, and that he should have pity on the poor people, and after, kissed the king and departed.

Next Saint