Life (biography) of George the Victorious, icon and prayer to George the Victorious. Interesting facts about George the Victorious

The Great Martyr George was the son of rich and pious parents who raised him in the Christian faith. He was born in the city of Beirut (in ancient times - Belit), at the foot of the Lebanese mountains.

Enrolling in military service, Great Martyr George stood out among other soldiers with his mind, courage, physical force, military posture and beauty. Having soon reached the rank of commander, St. George became the favorite of Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian was a talented ruler, but a fanatical follower of the Roman gods. Having set himself the goal of reviving dying paganism in the Roman Empire, he went down in history as one of the most cruel persecutors of Christians.

Having once heard an inhuman verdict on the extermination of Christians at the trial, St. George was inflamed with compassion for them. Foreseeing that he, too, would suffer suffering, George distributed his property to the poor, set his slaves free, appeared to Diocletian and, declaring himself a Christian, denounced him of cruelty and injustice. Speech of St. George was full of strong and convincing objections to the imperial order to persecute Christians.

After futile persuasion to renounce Christ, the emperor ordered the saint to be subjected to various torments. St. George was imprisoned, where they laid him on his back on the ground, put his feet in stocks, and placed a heavy stone on his chest. But St. George courageously endured suffering and glorified the Lord. Then the tormentors of George began to excel in cruelty. They beat the saint with ox sinews, wheeled him, threw him into quicklime, forced him to run in boots with sharp nails inside. The holy martyr endured everything patiently. In the end, the emperor ordered that the head of the saint be cut off with a sword. Thus the holy sufferer departed to Christ in Nicomedia in the year 303.

Great Martyr George for courage and for the spiritual victory over the tormentors who could not force him to renounce Christianity, as well as for miraculous help to people in danger - is also called the Victorious. The relics of St. George the Victorious were laid in the Palestinian city of Lida, in the temple that bears his name, while his head was kept in Rome in a temple also dedicated to him.

The superstitious people of that area, in order to quench the fury of the serpent, began regularly by lot to give him a young man or a girl to be eaten. Once the lot fell on the daughter of the ruler of that area. She was taken to the shore of the lake and tied, where she waited in horror for the appearance of a snake.

When the beast began to approach her, a bright young man suddenly appeared on a white horse, who struck the snake with a spear and saved the girl. This young man was the holy Great Martyr George. With such a miraculous phenomenon, he stopped the destruction of young men and women within the boundaries of Beirut and converted to Christ the inhabitants of that country, who had previously been pagans.

It can be assumed that the appearance of St. George on a horse to protect the inhabitants from a snake, as well as the miraculous revival of a farmer’s only ox described in his life, served as a reason for the veneration of St. George as the patron of cattle breeding and a protector from predatory animals.

In pre-revolutionary times, on the day of memory of St. George the Victorious, the inhabitants of Russian villages for the first time after cold winter they drove the cattle to the pasture, performing a prayer service to the holy great martyr with the sprinkling of houses and animals with holy water. The day of the Great Martyr George is also popularly called "St. George's Day", on this day, until the reign of Boris Godunov, peasants could move to another landowner.

St. George is the patron saint of the army. The image of George the Victorious on a horse symbolizes the victory over the devil - the "ancient serpent" (Rev. 12, 3; 20, 2). This image was included in the ancient coat of arms of the city of Moscow.

wrote on his blog brief reference about St. George in connection with the discussion of the reconstruction of Victory Square in Ivanovo - especially for bloggers. I bring it in full. I hope that those who write various insults and continue to troll will read it. And if they want to remember and know the past, let them know it not only for the last 100 years. The history of our country is centuries-old, and for 70 years, if someone has forgotten it, you can recall it. And for those who are especially stubborn, who believe that St. George is related only to Moscow (and has nothing to do with Ivanov at all), it is worth knowing that Yaroslav the Wise founded the monasteries of St. George in Kiev and Novgorod in the 1030s and commanded throughout Rus' " make a feast” of St. George. And first of all, St. George has been the image of the defender of the Motherland for many centuries. So before blogging: "A people that does not know its past has no future!", I hope they look into the depths of centuries and themselves ...

And now the text from Abbot Vitaly about St. George:

Having entered the military service, the Great Martyr George stood out among other soldiers with his mind, courage, physical strength, military posture and beauty. Having soon reached the rank of commander, St. George became the favorite of Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian was a talented ruler, but a fanatical follower of the Roman gods. Having set himself the goal of reviving dying paganism in the Roman Empire, he went down in history as one of the most cruel persecutors of Christians.

On the icons of St. George is depicted sitting on a white horse and striking a serpent with a spear. This image is based on tradition and refers to the posthumous miracles of the Holy Great Martyr George. They say that not far from the place where St. George in the city of Beirut, a snake lived in the lake, which often devoured the people of that area.
The superstitious people of that area, in order to quench the fury of the serpent, began regularly by lot to give him a young man or a girl to be eaten. Once the lot fell on the daughter of the ruler of that area. She was taken to the shore of the lake and tied, where she waited in horror for the appearance of a snake.

In pre-revolutionary times, on the day of memory of St. George the Victorious, the inhabitants of Russian villages for the first time after a cold winter drove their cattle to pasture, performing a prayer service to the holy great martyr with sprinkling houses and animals with holy water. The day of the Great Martyr George is also popularly called "St. George's Day", on this day, until the reign of Boris Godunov, peasants could move to another landowner.

George, the Great Martyr and the Victorious, is one of the most popular Christian saints, the hero of numerous legends and songs among all Christian peoples and Muslims.

The image of George the Victorious on a horse symbolizes the victory over the devil - the "ancient serpent" (Rev. 12, 3; 20, 2).
Saint George the Victorious from ancient times was considered the patron of the Russian army.
The George Cross is a symbol of soldier's prowess and glory.
The name of St. George the Victorious entered the thousand-year history of the Russian state. The image of George the Victorious, a copy of the striking serpent, adorns the coat of arms of the city of Moscow. Since the reign of Prince Dmitry Donskoy, Saint George has been considered the patron saint of Moscow. The coat of arms of Moscow traditionally depicts St. George, piercing a serpent - Satan - with a spear. George the Victorious - the patron saint of all valiant warriors fighting in different times for faith and the Fatherland.

Saint George became the ideal image of a warrior, defender of the Motherland. In Rus', icons depicting St. George became known already in the 12th century:
spear, sword, chain mail - the attributes of a warrior.
A scarlet cloak thrown over his shoulder is a symbol of martyrdom.

In Rus', in honor of the patron saint of warriors, George the Victorious, the order was established on December 9 (November 26, old style) in 1769 by Empress Catherine II and was awarded to soldiers solely for bravery on the battlefield. The Order of St. George was divided into four classes, or degrees, when established. Moreover, there was the highest command "this order should never be removed" and "the order granted by this order should be called holders of the Order of St. George."

There was another award, the insignia of the military order - an award badge for soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the Russian army from 1807 to 1917 - the St. George Cross, established by Emperor Alexander I. The motto of the award: "For service and courage." For centuries, there was no higher military distinction in Russia than the “Cavalier of St. George”.

In 1819, by decree of Emperor Alexander I, the St. George flag was established. In the center of the crosshairs of the famous St. Andrew's flag, a red shield was placed with the image of St. George the Victorious. As a high award, the flag was awarded to a ship whose crew showed courage and courage in achieving victory or in defending the honor of the navy.
After the presentation of the St. George flag, the sailors received the right to wear the St. George ribbon on a peakless cap. Its five stripes of black and orange meant gunpowder and flame.
St. George's silver trumpets appeared in 1805. They were wrapped around with St. George's ribbon with tassels of silver thread, and on the bell of the St. George's pipes, the sign of the Order of St. George was also strengthened.
Knights of St. George - heroes of the history of the Fatherland.
Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745-1813) - was one of four people who were awarded all the degrees of the military order of St. George.
Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly (1761-1818)
Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich (1782-1856)
Ivan Ivanovich Dibich (1785-1831)
General A.P. Ermolov (1777-1861)

Heroes of the First World War:
Strakhov Aleksey - sergeant major of the 16th East Siberian Rifle Regiment, full St. George Knight, who received all four St. George's Crosses during the 1st World War

As a sign of special distinctions, for the shown personal courage and dedication, the St. George's Golden Weapons were awarded - a sword, a dagger, a saber.

The priests also became knights of St. George. Behind each such award - unprecedented feats on the battlefield. The history of the Fatherland knows eighteen such names.
Father Vasily Vasilkovsky - Order of St. George IV degree. War of 1812.
Father Iov Kaminsky was awarded the Order of St. George in the Russian-Turkish campaign in 1829.
Archpriest John Pyatibokov - Order of St. George IV degree and a pectoral cross on the St. George ribbon for exploits during the defense of Sevastopol in 1855.
Father John Straganovich was awarded a gold pectoral cross on the St. George Ribbon for his exploits in the Russo-Japanese War

The golden pectoral cross on the St. George ribbon has become not only a very honorable, but also a relatively rare military award; before Russo-Japanese War they were awarded only 111 people. And behind each award - a specific feat.
One of the best ceremonial halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, built in the middle of the 19th century, was subsequently named in honor of the Order of St. George and his military cavaliers.
In this Hall of Military Glory, the names of 11,000 Knights of St. George are inscribed in gold letters on marble plaques. Among them is Georgy Zhukov.
The black and orange colors of the St. George Ribbon have become a symbol of military prowess and glory in Russia, moving to some orders and medals. Soviet Union And Russian Federation.

In October 1943, on the initiative of I.V. Stalin, the Order of Glory was established, which was awarded to privates and sergeants of the Red Army, and in aviation and to persons with the rank of junior lieutenant who showed themselves in battles for the Soviet Motherland glorious deeds bravery, courage and fearlessness. The colors of the ribbon of the Order of Glory repeat the colors of the ribbon of the Russian Imperial Order of St. George.

On March 20, 1992, the Order of George was restored by the Decree of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation.

The statutes of the Order of George and the George Cross were developed later and approved by President V. Putin on August 8, 2000.

"George Ribbon" is a public action dedicated to the celebration of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War, which has been taking place since 2005. The purpose of the action is not to let new generations forget who and at what cost won the most terrible war of the last century, whose heirs we remain, what and whom we should be proud of, who to remember

In the Orthodox Church, several holidays have been approved in memory of the Great Martyr and Victorious George:
Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. Memorial Day April 23 (old style) / May 6 (new style).
Consecration of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George in Lydda. Memorial Day November 3 (old style) / November 16 (new style).
The wheeling of the Holy Great Martyr George. November 10 (old style) / November 23 (new style).
Consecration of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in Kyiv. November 26 (old style) / December 9 (new style).

November 23 - Memorial Day of St. George the Victorious. It is believed that it was on this day that George was wheeled by order of Emperor Diocletian for his devotion to the Orthodox faith. But an angel appeared, put his hand on the tormented George, and he was healed. Seeing miraculous healing, many of the pagans converted to the Orthodox faith. George the Victorious is one of the most revered Orthodox saints and the heavenly patron of Georgia. His memory is honored with special trepidation.

George did not renounce his faith under terrible torture

According to legend, George's parents were deeply believing Christians. He himself rose to the rank of senior commander in the army of Emperor Diocletian. But when persecution of Christians began in the country, George appeared in the Senate, declared that he was Orthodox, and distributed all his property to the poor. Diocletian's entreaties to abandon these views were in vain. Because of this, George was subjected to terrible torture.

He was wheeled, but the angel healed his wounds, he was thrown into quicklime, forced to run in boots with nails inside. His legs and arms were broken, he was given poison, beaten with whips, but he did not give up his ideas and at the same time remained unharmed. Then the emperor ordered to cut off his head.

How Saint George is venerated in different countries

There is a version that, as happened quite often with Christian saints, the cult of St. George was put forward in opposition to the pagan Dionysus. Like this one or not, this saint is highly revered in many countries. Traditionally, George is considered the patron of farmers, shepherds, warriors and travelers. Probably in connection with last fact this saint is very popular with gypsies.

Orthodox in Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia pray to him for rain. Georgians turn to St. George with requests for good luck, not hunting, for healing, for the offspring of livestock, for protection from evil, for childbearing. St. George's Day is officially declared non-working in Georgia.

Europeans believe that prayers addressed to this saint relieve contagious diseases and poisonous snakes. St. George is well known to the Islamic peoples of Africa under the name Jirjis and the peoples of the Middle East under the name al-Khidr.

The oldest Russian church was erected in honor of George the Victorious

The wooden church of St. George the Victorious near the village of Rodionovo, built in 1493, is considered the oldest wooden church in Russia, which stands in its historical place. This temple is closed, but every year on the day of St. George on May 6, a service is held in this temple. However, everyone who gets to Rodionovo can find the monk Methodius, who opens the doors of the church for everyone.

Relics of George the Victorious

The name of George the Victorious is inextricably linked with the Xenophon Monastery of Mount Athos. The first church on this site, according to legend, was erected in 520 by a wealthy senator and dedicated this church to the holy martyr Demetrius. A new cathedral was built on this site in 1819. Today it is the largest temple on Mount Athos with an iconostasis made of colored marble. Among the shrines that are kept in the monastery are the miraculous and St. George, the relics of the Apostles Barnabas and Philip, the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tyron, the Saints Modest and Marina, as well as the Holy Great Martyr George.

Since October 30, the relics of the saint, with the blessing of Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, have been in Ukraine. On December 5, the Ark with the right hand of the Great Martyr George the Victorious will be met at the Holy Dormition Odessa Cathedral, where the relics will stay for a little more than a day. A prayer service will be held at the shrine with the reading of an akathist, and everyone who comes to the temple will be able to pray to the saint.

George the Victorious - the patron saint of Moscow

The appearance of the city of Moscow is associated with the name of George the Victorious. When a son was born to the Grand Prince of Kyiv Vladimir Monomakh, he named him Yuri. heavenly patron it was George the Victorious, and the princely seal depicted Saint George dismounted and drawing a sword (there was no snake in that image). According to legend, Yuri Dolgoruky was traveling from Kyiv to Vladimir and on the way he stopped to stay with the boyar Kuchka. The prince did not like the reception, and at first he decided to execute the boyar, but loving his possessions, he gave the order to found the city of Moscow there. And in the coat of arms of the new city he gave the image of his heavenly patron.

After the Great October War, the coat of arms of Moscow was abolished, and in 1925 Moscow became the first city with revolutionary symbols. Instead of St. George, all the attributes of the workers' and peasants' state appeared on the coat of arms - a red star. Hammer and sickle, rye ears and cogwheel, symbolizing the bond between the village and the city, as well as the emblem of electrification - a dynamo.

The image of St. George was returned to Moscow during the Great Patriotic War- a cavalryman striking a swastika with snake heads is clearly inspired by the motifs of the ancient Moscow coat of arms.

The historical emblem of the sample of 1781 was returned to Moscow on November 23, 1993 by order of the mayor of the capital. It’s a little pity that the image of a medieval knight, which is far from the Orthodox image of a saint, is preserved on the coat of arms, but the main thing is that Moscow is again under the protection of St. George the Victorious.

George the Victorious- Christian saint, great martyr. George suffered during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Diocletian in 303, after eight days of severe torment he was beheaded. The Great Martyr George the Victorious is commemorated several times a year: May 6 (April 23, old style) - the death of the saint; November 16 (November 3, old style) - consecration of the Church of the Great Martyr George in Lida (IV century); November 23 (November 10, old style) - the suffering (wheeling) of the Great Martyr George; December 9 (November 26 old style) - the consecration of the Church of the Great Martyr George in Kyiv in 1051 (the celebration of the Russian Orthodox Church, popularly known as the autumn St. George's day).

Great Martyr George the Victorious. Troparion and kontakion to the saint

Troparion, tone 4

P 0dvigom good deeds, passion-bearing hrt0v by faith, and 3 tormentors1 њm њlichi1l є3si2 wickedness. but the sacrifice is good, bgo bring it, the same and the 3 crown of victory, and 3 prayers with your 1, you give the sin to everyone.

Having labored a good feat, the passion-bearer of Christ George, for the sake of faith, you denounced wickedness as a tormentor, but you brought a sacrifice favorable to God. From here, the crown of victory is pleasant, and with your prayers is holy, give forgiveness of sins to everyone.

Kontakion, tone 4

In dressing up the bgom you2 show, the merciful doer is honest, the virtues of the hand are collected for yourself. sezv bo with tears, rejoice. tried the same blood, xrta prist. and 3 prayers with yours, give forgiveness to all sins.

You have been cultivated by God, you are an honest doer of piety, you have gathered the handles of virtues. Sowing more with tears, reap joy. Having suffered the same blood, Christ is welcome. And with your holy prayers, give forgiveness to all sins.

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Great Martyr George the Victorious. Icons

Already by the 6th century, two types of images of the Great Martyr George had formed: a martyr with a cross in his hand, in a tunic, over which a cloak, and a warrior in armor, with weapons in his hands, on foot or on horseback. George is depicted as a beardless young man, with thick curly hair reaching to his ears, sometimes with a crown on his head.

Since the 6th century, George has often been depicted with other martyred warriors - Theodore the Tyro, Theodore Stratilates and Demetrius of Thessalonica. The similarity of their appearances could also influence the association of these saints: both are young, beardless, with short hair reaching to the ears.

A rare iconographic rendition - George the warrior sitting on a throne - arose no later than the end of the 12th century. The saint is represented frontally, sitting on a throne and holding a sword in front of him: he takes out the sword with his right hand, and holds the scabbard with his left. In the monumental painting, the holy warriors could be depicted on the faces of the domed pillars, on the girth arches, in the lower register of the naos, closer to the eastern part of the temple, and also in the narthex.

The iconography of George on horseback is based on the Late Antique and Byzantine traditions of depicting the triumph of the emperor. There are several options: George the warrior on horseback (without a snake); George the Serpent Fighter (“The Miracle of the Great Martyr George of the Serpent”); George with a lad saved from captivity (“The Miracle of the Great Martyr George with a lad”).

The composition "Double Miracle" combined two of the most famous posthumous miracles of George - "The Miracle of the Serpent" and "The Miracle with the Boy": George is depicted on a horse (jumping, as a rule, from left to right), striking a snake, and behind the saint, on the rump of his horse , - a small figurine of a seated boy with a jug in his hand.

The iconography of the Great Martyr George came to Rus' from Byzantium. In Rus', it has undergone some changes. The oldest surviving image is the half-length image of the Great Martyr George in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. The saint is depicted in chain mail, with a spear; his purple cloak reminds of the martyr's feat.

The image of the saint from the Assumption Cathedral is consonant with the hagiographic icon of the Great Martyr George of the 16th century from the Assumption Cathedral in Dmitrov. The saint on the middle of the icon is depicted full-length; except for the spear right hand he has a sword, which he holds with his left hand, he also has a quiver with arrows and a shield. In the hallmarks are episodes of martyrdom of the saint.

In Rus', since the middle of the XII century, the plot has been widely known Miracle of George about the snake.

Until the end of the 15th century, there was a short version of this image: a horseman striking a serpent with a spear, with an image in the heavenly segment of the blessing right hand of the Lord. At the end of the 15th century, the iconography of the Miracle of St. George about the serpent was supplemented with a number of new details: for example, the figure of an angel, architectural details (the city that St. George saves from the serpent), and the image of the princess. But at the same time, there are quite a few icons in the former short version, but with various differences in details, including in the direction of the horse’s movement: not only the traditional left to right, but also in the opposite direction. Icons are known not only with the white color of the horse - the horse can be a black or bay color.

The iconography of the Miracle of George about the serpent was probably formed under the influence of ancient images of the Thracian horseman. In the western (Catholic) part of Europe, Saint George was usually depicted as a man in heavy armor and a helmet, with a thick spear, on a realistic horse, which, with physical exertion, spears a relatively realistic serpent with wings and paws. In the Eastern (Orthodox) lands, this emphasis on the earthly and material is absent: a not very muscular young man (without a beard), without heavy armor and a helmet, with a thin, obviously not physical, spear, on an unrealistic (spiritual) horse, without much physical exertion, pierces with a spear an unrealistic (symbolic) snake with wings and paws. Also, the Great Martyr George is depicted with selected saints.

Great Martyr George the Victorious. Paintings

The image of the Great Martyr George was repeatedly addressed by painters in their works. Most of the works are based on a traditional plot - the great martyr George, who strikes a snake with a spear. St. George on their canvases was depicted by such artists as Raphael Santi, Albrecht Dürer, Gustave Moreau, August Macke, V.A. Serov, M.V. Nesterov, V.M. Vasnetsov, V.V. Kandinsky and others.

Great Martyr George the Victorious. sculptures

Sculptural images of St. George are located in Moscow, in the village. Bolshereche Omsk region, in Ivanovo, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, Crimea, in with. Chastozerie Kurgan region, Yakutsk, Donetsk, Lvov (Ukraine), Bobruisk (Belarus), Zagreb (Croatia), Tbilisi (Georgia), Stockholm (Sweden), Melbourne (Australia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Berlin (Germany),

Temples in the name of George the Victorious

In the name of Great Martyr George the Victorious built a large number of churches, both in Russia and abroad. In Greece, about twenty churches were consecrated in honor of the saint, and about forty in Georgia. In addition, there are churches in honor of the Great Martyr George in Italy, Prague, Turkey, Ethiopia and other countries. In honor of the Great Martyr George, around the year 306, a church was consecrated in Thessaloniki (Greece). In Georgia, there is the monastery of St. George the Victorious, built in the first quarter of the 11th century. In the 5th century in Armenia in the village. Karashamb a church was built in honor of George the Victorious. In the IV century in Sofia (Bulgaria) the rotunda of St. George was built.

St. George's Church- one of the first monastery churches in Kyiv (XI century). Mentioned in Laurentian Chronicle, according to which the consecration of the temple took place no earlier than November 1051. The church was destroyed, possibly due to the general decline of the ancient part of Kyiv after the city was devastated by the hordes of Batu Khan in 1240. The temple was later renewed; destroyed in 1934.

A monastery in the Novgorod region is dedicated to Great Martyr George the Victorious. According to legend, the monastery was founded in 1030 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Yaroslav in holy baptism bore the name George, which in Russian usually had the form "Yuri", from which the name of the monastery came.

In 1119, the construction of the main monastery cathedral - St. George's - began. The initiator of the construction was Grand Duke Mstislav I Vladimirovich. The construction of St. George's Cathedral lasted more than 10 years; before completion, its walls were covered with frescoes destroyed in the 19th century.

Consecrated in the name of Saint George Church at Yaroslav's Court in Veliky Novgorod. The first mention of a wooden church dates back to 1356. Residents of Lubyanitsa (Lubyanets) - a street that once passed through Torg (city market), built a church in stone. The temple was repeatedly burned and rebuilt again. In 1747, the upper vaults collapsed. In 1750-1754 the church was restored again.

In the name of George the Victorious, a church was consecrated in the village. Staraya Ladoga Leningrad region(built between 1180 and 1200). The temple was first mentioned in written sources only in 1445. In the 16th century, the church was rebuilt, but the interior remained unchanged. In 1683-1684 the church was restored.

In the name of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, a cathedral was consecrated in Yuryev-Polsky (Vladimir region, built in 1230-1234).

In Yuryev-Polsky there was the St. George Church of the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsky Monastery. The wooden St. George's Church from the village of Yegorye was transferred to the monastery in 1967-1968. This church is the only surviving building of the ancient St. George Monastery, the first mention of which dates back to 1565.

In the name of the Great Martyr George, a temple was consecrated in Endov (Moscow). The temple has been known since 1612. The current church was built by parishioners in 1653.

In honor of St. George, a church was consecrated in Kolomenskoye (Moscow). The church was built in the 16th century as a bell tower in the form of a round two-tiered tower. In the 17th century, a brick one-story chamber was added to the bell tower from the west. At the same time, the bell tower was rebuilt into the church of St. George. In the middle of the 19th century, a large brick refectory was added to the church.

The famous Church of St. George on Red Hill in Moscow. According to different versions, St. George's Church was founded by the mother of Tsar Mikhail Romanov - Martha. But the name of the church was recorded in the spiritual charter of the Grand Duke Vasily the Dark, and in 1462 it was designated stone. Probably, because of the fire, the temple burned down, and in its place, nun Martha built a new, wooden church. At the end of the twenties of the XVII century, the church burned down. In 1652-1657. the temple was renewed on a hill where festivities to Red Hill.

In the name of St. George, a church was consecrated in the city of Ivanteevka (Moscow Region). First historical information about the temple date back to 1573. Probably, the wooden church was built in 1520-1530. By the end of the 1590s, the church was rebuilt and served the parishioners until 1664, when the Birdyukin-Zaitsev brothers received permission to own the village and build a new wooden church.

The unique wooden church in the name of the great martyr George the Victorious is located in the village of Rodionovo in the Podporozhye district of the Leningrad region. The first mention of the church dates back to 1493 or 1543.

A church in Orel was consecrated in honor of Great Martyr George. The wooden St. George's Church has existed since the founding of the city of Orel. When, after the devastation of Orel by the Lithuanians, the city was destroyed, all the wooden churches were also destroyed. St. George's Church was renewed in the 1700s.

Old Believer churches in the name of Great Martyr George the Victorious

In honor of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, churches of the Russian Orthodox Church were consecrated in (Moscow region), in (Republic of Tyva), in (Ukraine), in (Pridnestrovie, Grigoreopol district), in the Old Believer Church (ROC) in the name of Great Martyr George in Khmelnitsky

Great Martyr George the Victorious. folk traditions

In folk culture, the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr George was called Yegoriy the Brave - the protector of livestock, the “wolf shepherd”. In the popular consciousness, two images of the saint coexisted: one of them was close to the church cult of St. George - a snake fighter and a Christ-loving warrior, the other - to the cult of a cattle breeder and tiller, land owner, patron of cattle, opening spring field work. So, in folk legends and spiritual verses, the exploits of the holy warrior Yegory were sung, who withstood the tortures and promises of "the queen of Demyanishcha (Diocletianish)" and struck down "a fierce snake, a fierce fiery one."

Great Martyr George the Victorious has always been revered among the Russian people. Temples and even entire monasteries were erected in his honor. In the grand-ducal families, the name George was widespread, the day of the new honoring in folk life, under serfdom, received economic and political significance. It was especially significant in the forest north of Russia, where the name of the saint, at the request of the laws of naming and hearing, first changed into Gyurgia, Yurgiy, Yurya - in written acts, and into Yegorya - in a living language, on the lips of all the common people. For the peasantry, sitting on the ground and depending on it in everything, the new autumn St. late XVI century was that cherished day when the terms of employment ended for the workers and any peasant became free, with the right to transfer to any landowner. This right of passage was probably the merit of Prince Georgy Vladimirovich, who died on the river. City in the battle with the Tatars, but managed to initiate the Russian settlement of the north and provide it with strong protection in the form of cities (Vladimir, Nizhny, two Yurievs and others). People's memory surrounded the name of this prince with exceptional honor. To perpetuate the memory of the prince, legends were needed, he himself personified the hero, his exploits were equated with miracles, his name was correlated with the name of George the Victorious.

The Russian people attributed to Saint George deeds that were not mentioned in the Byzantine Menaion. If George always rode a gray horse with a spear in his hands and pierced a snake with it, then with the same spear, according to Russian legends, he also struck a wolf that ran out to meet him and grabbed his white horse's leg with his teeth. The wounded wolf spoke in a human voice: “Why are you hitting me if I want to eat?” “If you want to eat, ask me. There, take that horse, it will last you two days.” This legend strengthened the belief among the people that any cattle slaughtered by a wolf or crushed and carried away by a bear is doomed to them as a sacrifice by Yegoriy, the led leader and master of all forest animals. The same legend testified that Yegoriy spoke with the animals in human language. In Rus', a story was known about how Yegoriy ordered a snake to sting a shepherd, who sold a sheep to a poor widow, and in his defense referred to a wolf. When the guilty person repented, Saint George appeared to him, reproved him for a lie, but restored both his life and health to him.

Honoring Yegory not only as the master of beasts, but also of reptiles, the peasants turned to him in their prayers. One day a peasant named Glycerius was plowing a field. The old ox broke and fell. The owner sat down on the boundary and wept bitterly. But suddenly a young man approached him and asked: “What are you crying about, little man?” - “I had,” answered Glycerius, “one ox-breadwinner, but the Lord punished me for my sins, and another ox, in my poverty, I cannot buy.” “Do not cry,” the young man reassured him, “the Lord has heard your prayers. Take the “reverse” with you, take the ox that first catches your eye, and harness it to plow - this ox is yours. - "And whose are you?" the man asked him. - "I am Egory the Passion-bearer," the young man said and disappeared. On this widespread tradition were based touching rites, which could be observed in all Russian villages without exception on the spring day of the memory of St. George. Sometimes, more warm places, this day coincided with the "pasture" of cattle in the field, in the harsh forest provinces it is only a "cattle bypass". In all cases, the rite of "bypass" was performed in the same way and consisted in the fact that the owners walked around with the image of St. George the Victorious all the livestock gathered in a heap in their yard, and then drove it into a common herd gathered at the chapels, where a water-blessing prayer service was served, after which the whole flock was sprinkled with holy water.

In the old Novgorod region, where, it used to be, cattle were grazed without shepherds, the owners themselves “bypassed” them in compliance with ancient customs. The owner for his cattle in the morning prepared a pie with a whole egg baked there. Before sunrise he put the cake in a sieve, took the icon, lit a wax candle, girded himself with a sash, plugged a willow in front of him, and an ax in the back. In this attire, in his yard, the owner walked around the cattle three times in the salting, and the hostess smoked incense from a pot of hot coals and looked to see that the doors were all locked this time. The pie was broken into as many pieces as there were heads of cattle in the household, and each was given a piece, and the willow was either thrown into the water of the river to float away, or stuck under the eaves. It was believed that willow saves during a thunderstorm from lightning.

In the deaf black earth zone (Oryol province) they believed in St. George's dew, they tried on St. George's day as early as possible, before sunrise, when the dew had not yet dried up, to drive the cattle out of the yard, especially cows, so that they would not get sick and give more milk. In the same locality, they believed that the candles placed in the church to the image of George were saved from wolves, and whoever forgot to put it on, Yegoriy would take the cattle from him "to the wolf's teeth." Honoring Egoriev's holiday, the householders did not miss the opportunity to turn it into a "beer house". Long before that day, when calculating how many tubs of beer would come out, how much “zhidel” (lower grade beer) to make, the peasants thought about how there would be no “leakage” (when the wort does not run out of the vat) and talked about measures against such a failure. Teenagers licked ladles taken out of wort vats; they drank sludge or thick, which settled at the bottom of the vat. The women baked and washed the huts. The girls were preparing their clothes. When the beer was ready, every relative in the village was invited to "guest about the holiday." Egor's holiday began with the fact that each big road carried a must to the church, which in this case was called "eve". He was placed before the icon of St. George for the time of mass, and after mass they sacrificed the clergy. The first day they feasted with churchmen (in the Novgorod region), and then they went to drink at the houses of the peasants. Yegoriev's day in black earth Russia (for example, in the Chembarsky district of the Penza province) still retains traces of the veneration of Yegorye as the patron of fields and fruits of the earth. The people believed that George was given the keys to the sky and he unlocked it, giving power to the sun and will to the stars. Many still order masses and prayers to the saint, asking him to bless the fields and vegetable gardens. And to reinforce the meaning ancient belief a special ceremony was observed: they chose the most handsome young man, decorated him with various greenery, put a round cake decorated with flowers on his head, and in a whole round dance the youth were led into the field. Here they walked around the sown fields three times, made a fire, shared and ate a ritual cake and sang an old sacred prayer-song in honor of George (“they call out”):

Yuri, get up early - unlock the ground,
Release the dew for a warm summer
Not a violent life -
On vigorous, on spiky.

Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, originally from Cappadocia (a region in Asia Minor), grew up in a deeply religious Christian family. His father was martyred for Christ when George was still in childhood. The mother, who owned estates in Palestine, moved with her son to her homeland and raised him in strict piety.

Having entered the service of the Roman army, Saint George, handsome, courageous and brave in battles, was noticed by the emperor Diocletian (284-305) and accepted into his guard with the rank of comite - one of the senior military leaders.

The pagan emperor, who did much to revive Roman power and clearly understood the danger the triumph of the Crucified Savior posed for pagan civilization, last years government especially intensified the persecution of Christians. At the council of the Senate in Nicomedia, Diocletian gave all the rulers complete freedom in reprisals against Christians and promised his all-round assistance.

Saint George, having learned about the decision of the emperor, distributed his inheritance to the poor, set the slaves free, and appeared before the Senate. The courageous warrior of Christ openly spoke out against the imperial plan, confessed himself a Christian and called on everyone to recognize the true faith in Christ: "I am a servant of Christ my God, and trusting in Him, I appeared among you of my own free will to testify to the Truth." "What is Truth?" one of the dignitaries repeated Pilate's question. “The truth is Christ Himself, persecuted by you,” answered the saint.

Stunned by the daring speech of the valiant warrior, the emperor, who loved and exalted George, tried to persuade him not to ruin his youth, glory and honor, but to bring, according to the custom of the Romans, a sacrifice to the gods. This was followed by the decisive answer of the confessor: "Nothing in this fickle life will not weaken my desire to serve God." Then, by order of the angry emperor, the squires began to push St. George out of the assembly hall with spears in order to take him to prison. But the deadly steel itself became soft and bent as soon as the spears touched the body of the saint, and did not cause him pain. In prison, the martyr's feet were stuffed into stocks and his chest was crushed with a heavy stone.

The next day, during the interrogation, exhausted, but strong in spirit, Saint George again answered the emperor: “You will sooner become exhausted, tormenting me, than I, tormented by you.” Then Diocletian ordered that George be subjected to the most sophisticated tortures. The Great Martyr was tied to a wheel, under which boards with iron points were arranged. As the wheel turned, the sharp blades cut the naked body of the saint. At first, the sufferer loudly called on the Lord, but soon fell silent, not emitting a single groan. Diocletian decided that the tortured man had already died, and, having ordered to remove the tormented body from the wheel, he went to the temple to offer a thanksgiving sacrifice. At that moment, it darkened around, thunder boomed, and a voice was heard: "Do not be afraid, George, I am with you." Then a wondrous light shone, and the Angel of the Lord appeared at the wheel in the form of a luminous youth. And as soon as he laid his hand on the martyr, he said to him: "Rejoice!" - how St. George rose healed. When the soldiers took him to the temple where the emperor was, the latter could not believe his eyes and thought that before him was another person or a ghost. In bewilderment and horror, the pagans peered at St. George and were convinced that a miracle had really happened. Many then believed in the life-giving God of Christians. Two distinguished dignitaries Saints Anatoly and Protoleon, secret Christians, immediately openly confessed Christ. They were immediately, without trial, by order of the emperor, beheaded with a sword. Know the truth and queen Alexandra, wife of Diocletian, who was in the temple. She, too, tried to glorify Christ, but one of the emperor's servants held her back and took her to the palace.

The emperor became even more embittered. Without losing hope of breaking Saint George, he betrayed him for new terrible torture. Thrown into a deep ditch, the holy martyr was covered with quicklime. Three days later they dug him up, but they found him joyful and unharmed. They shod the saint in iron boots with red-hot nails, and with beatings they drove him to the dungeon. In the morning, when he was brought for interrogation, cheerful, with healthy legs, he told the emperor that he liked the boots. He was beaten with ox sinews so that the body and blood mixed with the ground, but the courageous sufferer, supported by the power of God, remained adamant.

Deciding that magic helps the saint, the emperor called sorcerer Athanasius, so that he could deprive the saint of miraculous power, or poison him. The sorcerer presented Saint George with two bowls of potions, one of which was supposed to make him submissive, and the other to kill him. But the potions did not work either - the saint still denounced pagan superstitions and praised True God.

To the emperor’s question, what kind of power helps the martyr, Saint George answered: “Do not think that torment does not harm me thanks to human effort - I am saved only by invoking Christ and His power. which Christ created. Diocletian asked what are the works of Christ. - "Enlighten the blind, cleanse the lepers, give the lame walking, the deaf - hearing, cast out demons, resurrect the dead." Knowing that neither sorcery nor the gods known to him had ever been able to resurrect the dead, the emperor, in order to disgrace the hope of the saint, ordered him to resurrect the dead before his eyes. To this, the saint said: "You are tempting me, but for the sake of the salvation of the people, who will see the work of Christ, my God will create this sign." And when Saint George was brought to the tomb, he called out: “Lord! And the earth shook, the tomb opened, the dead man came to life and came out of it. Seeing with their own eyes the manifestation of the almighty power of Christ, the people wept and glorified the True God. The sorcerer Athanasius, falling at the feet of St. George, confessed Christ as the Almighty God and asked for forgiveness for the sins committed in ignorance. However, the emperor, hardened in wickedness, did not come to his senses: in a rage he ordered the beheading of the believer Athanasius, as well as the resurrected man, and again imprisoned St. George. People, burdened with ailments, began to enter the dungeon in various ways and there they received healing and help from the saint. Turned to him in sorrow and a certain farmer Glycerius whose ox fell. The saint consoled him with a smile and assured him that God would bring the ox back to life. Seeing the revived ox at home, the farmer throughout the city began to glorify the Christian God. By order of the emperor, Saint Glycerius was seized and beheaded.

The exploits and miracles of the great martyr George multiplied the number of Christians, so Diocletian decided to make a last attempt to force the saint to offer sacrifices to idols. They began to prepare a court at the temple of Apollo. On the last night, the holy martyr prayed earnestly, and when he dozed off, he saw the Lord Himself, Who raised him with His hand, embraced him and kissed him. The Savior laid a crown on the head of the Great Martyr and said: "Do not be afraid, but be of good cheer and you will be able to reign with Me."

The next morning in the judgment seat, the emperor offered St. George a new test - he offered him to become his co-ruler. The holy martyr responded with feigned readiness that the emperor should not have tormented him from the very beginning, but should have shown such mercy, and at the same time he expressed a desire to immediately go to the temple of Apollo. Diocletian decided that the martyr accepted his proposal, and followed him to the temple, accompanied by his retinue and the people. Everyone was waiting for Saint George to make a sacrifice to the gods. He, approaching the idol, made the sign of the cross and addressed him as if he were alive: "Do you want to accept a sacrifice from me as God?" The demon who lived in the idol shouted: “I am not God, and none of my like is not God. There is only one God, whom you preach. "How dare you be here when I, the servant of the True God, have come here?" - asked the saint. There was a noise and crying, the idols fell and were crushed.

There was general confusion. The priests and many from the crowd attacked the holy martyr in a frenzy, tied him up, began to beat him and demand immediate execution.

Hastened to the noise and screams Holy Empress Alexandra. Making her way through the crowd, she shouted: "God Georgiev, help me, since You are the One Almighty." At the feet of the great martyr, the holy empress glorified Christ, humiliating idols and those who worshiped them.

Diocletian, in a frenzy, immediately pronounced the death sentence on the great martyr George and the holy empress Alexandra, who without resistance followed Saint George to execution. On the way, she became exhausted and leaned against the wall, unconscious. Everyone thought the queen was dead. Saint George thanked God and prayed that his path would end with dignity. At the place of execution, the saint in fervent prayer asked the Lord to forgive the tormentors, who did not know what they were doing, and lead them to the knowledge of the Truth. Calmly and courageously, the Holy Great Martyr George bowed his head under the sword. It was April 23, 303.

In confusion, the executioners and judges looked at their Winner. The era of paganism ended in bloody agony and senseless throwing. Only ten years have passed - and the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine, one of the successors of Diocletian on the throne of Rome, will order the Cross and the covenant, sealed with the blood of the Great Martyr and Victorious George and thousands of unknown martyrs, to be inscribed on the banners: "By this you conquer."

Of the many miracles performed by the Holy Great Martyr George, the most famous is depicted in iconography. In the homeland of the saint, in the city of Beirut, there were many idolaters. Near the city, near the Lebanese mountains, there was a large lake in which a huge serpent lived. Coming out of the lake, he devoured people, and the inhabitants could not do anything, since the air was infected from his mere breath.

According to the teaching of the demons who lived in the idols, the king made the following decision: every day the inhabitants had to give their children to the serpent by lot, and when the turn came to him, he promised to give his only daughter. Time passed, and the king, dressing her in best clothes sent to the lake. The girl wept bitterly, waiting for her death hour. Suddenly, the Great Martyr George rode up to her on horseback with a spear in his hand. The girl begged him not to stay with her, so as not to die. But the saint, seeing the serpent, signed himself with the sign of the cross and with the words "in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" rushed at him. The Great Martyr George pierced the snake's larynx with a spear and trampled it down with his horse. Then he told the girl to tie the kite with her belt and, like a dog, lead to the city. The inhabitants fled in fear, but the saint stopped them with the words: "Do not be afraid, but trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in Him, for it was He who sent me to you to save you." Then the saint killed the serpent with a sword, and the inhabitants burned it outside the city. Twenty-five thousand people, not counting women and children, were baptized then, and a church was built in the name of Holy Mother of God and Great Martyr George.

Saint George could become a talented commander and surprise the world with military exploits. He died when he was not even 30 years old. Hurrying to unite with the host of Heaven, he entered the history of the Church as the Victorious. With this name he became famous from the very beginning of Christianity and in Holy Rus'.

Saint George the Victorious was the angel and patron of several great builders of Russian statehood and Russian military power. The son of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir, Yaroslav the Wise, in holy Baptism George (+ 1054), greatly contributed to the veneration of the saint in the Russian Church. He built the city of Yuryev, founded the Yuryevsky monastery in Novgorod, erected the church of St. George the Victorious in Kyiv. The day celebrated on November 26, 1051 by Saint Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Rus', forever entered the liturgical treasury of the Church as a special church holiday, St. George's Day, beloved by the Russian people "autumn George".

The name of St. George was the founder of Moscow, Yuri Dolgoruky († 1157), the creator of many St. George's churches, builder of the city of Yuriev-Polsky. In 1238, the heroic struggle of the Russian people against Mongol hordes led († 1238; commemorated February 4), who laid down his head in the battle of the City. The memory of him, as Egory the Brave, the defender of his native land, was reflected in Russian spiritual poems and epics. The first Grand Duke of Moscow, at a time when Moscow was becoming the center of the gathering of the Russian land, was Yuri Danilovich († 1325) - the son of St. Daniel of Moscow, the grandson of St. Alexander Nevsky. Since that time, St. George the Victorious - a horseman slaying a serpent - has become the coat of arms of Moscow and the emblem of the Russian state. And this further strengthened the ties of the Christian peoples, and especially with the same faith Iberia (Georgia - the country of George).

The Holy Empress Alexandra, whose imaginary death was recorded in the martyrdom of St. George, drawn up immediately after his death, was, however, worthy of a martyr's crown a few years later, in the year 314.

Many things have happened over the years. Emperor Diocletian abdicated in 305 and power passed to his co-ruler Maximian Galerius (305-311), a fanatic of paganism, a rude and cruel warrior. His wife was the daughter of the holy Empress Alexandra - Holy Martyr Valeria, which Diocletian married against her will during the years of his reign. Saint Alexandra raised her daughter in Christian piety. When Galerius died, the emperor Maximin began to solicit her hand. Having been refused, he exiled Saint Valeria to Syria, where she lived with her mother. After the death of Maximinus in 313, mother and daughter arrived in Nicomedia, hoping for the mercy of the emperor Licinius (313-324). Together with the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, he signed the Edict of Milan, which granted Christians freedom of religion, but secretly remained an enemy of Christianity. Licinius ordered the execution of the holy Empress Alexandra and her daughter Valeria. They were beheaded and their bodies thrown into the sea.