Saint Georges le Géorgien

Originally from Georgia, George, or Zorzes, was sold into slavery to a Turk and converted to Islam during his youth. He lived almost his entire life as a Muslim, appearing to have no memory of the faith or language of his parents. However, when he reached the age of 70, he decided without warning to reconvert to Christianity and presented himself before a judge to formalize his new religion. The Ottoman authorities did not accept his conversion and began to question, threaten, and then torture him. Tradition holds that his only response was: "I am a Christian; I want to die a Christian!" The executioners decided to hang him, but cut the rope immediately afterward to give him one last chance. He refused to renounce his religion and was, this time, truly hanged. Considered a martyr, he is commemorated by the Orthodox Churches on January 2 (January 15).