Saint Saint George

Saint Saint George

275–303 · Early Church

Feast day: April 23

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Biography

Saint George (Ancient Greek: Γεώργιος, romanized: Geṓrgios; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr, born in Cappadocia in Anatolia, who is venerated as a saint. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the Roman army. Saint George’s mother Saint Polychronia is believed to have come from Syria Palaestina and his father Saint Gerontios is believed to be of Syrian Cappadocian origin. He became a member of the Praetorian Guard for Roman emperor Diocletian, but was executed as part of the Diocletianic persecution. He is one of the most venerated saints, heroes, and megalomartyrs in Christianity, and he has been especially venerated as a military saint since the Crusades. He is also prominently venerated by the Druze, and by some Muslim groups, as a martyr of monotheistic faith. In hagiography, he is immortalised in the legend of Saint George and the Dragon and as one of the most prominent military saints. In Roman Catholicism, he is also venerated as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His feast day, Saint George's Day, is traditionally celebrated on 23 April. Historically, the countries of Portugal, England, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Ukraine, Malta, Ethiopia, Catalonia and Aragon, and the cities of Moscow and Beirut have claimed George as their patron saint, as have several other regions, cities, universities, professions, and organizations. The Church of Saint George in Lydda, now Lod in Israel, has a sarcophagus traditionally believed to contain St. George's relics. The English historian Edward Gibbon (1737 – 1794) argued that George, or at least the legend from which the above is distilled, is based on George of Cappadocia, a notorious 4th-century Arian bishop who was Athanasius of Alexandria's most bitter rival, and that it was he who in time became George of England. This identification is seen as highly improbable.

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Prayers

  • Intercessory Prayer

    intercession

    Saint Saint George, patron of england, pray for those who seek your intercession. Lead us closer to Christ, our Lord. Amen.

    — Original composition (intercessory formula)

  • Novena in Honor of Saint George

    novena

    Preparatory Prayer. Almighty and eternal God! With lively faith and reverently worshiping Thy divine Majesty, I prostrate myself before Thee and invoke with filial trust Thy supreme bounty and mercy. Illumine the darkness of my intellect with a ray of Thy heavenly light and inflame my heart with the fire of Thy divine love, that I may contemplate the great virtues and merits of the saint in whose honor I make this novena, and following his example imitate, like him, the life of Thy divine Son. Moreover, I beseech Thee to grant graciously, through the merits and intercession of this powerful Helper, the petition which through him I humbly place before Thee, devoutly saying, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Vouchsafe graciously to hear it, if it redounds to Thy greater glory and to the salvation of my soul. Amen. Prayer in Honor of St. George. O God, who didst grant to St. George strength and constancy in the various torments which he sustained for our holy faith; we beseech Thee to preserve, through his intercession, our faith from wavering and doubt, so that we may serve Thee with a sincere heart faithfully unto death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Invocation of St. George. Faithful servant of God and invincible martyr, St. George; favored by God with the gift of faith, and inflamed with an ardent love of Christ, thou didst fight valiantly against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and deceit. Neither pain nor torture, sword nor death could part thee from the love of Christ. I fervently implore thee for the sake of this love to help me by thy intercession to overcome the temptations that surround me, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may patiently carry the cross which is placed upon me; and let neither distress nor difficulties separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Valiant champion of the Faith, assist me in the combat against evil, that I may win the crown promised to them that persevere unto the end. Concluding Prayer. My Lord and my God! I offer up to Thee my petition in union with the bitter passion and death of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, together with the merits of His immaculate and blessed Mother, Mary ever virgin, and of all the saints, particularly with those of the holy Helper in whose honor I make this novena. Look down upon me, merciful Lord! Grant me Thy grace and Thy love, and graciously hear my prayer. Amen.

    — Mary, Help of Christians, and the Fourteen Saints Invoked as Holy Helpers (Bonaventure Hammer), 1909 edition, p. 220 (Novena in Honor of St. George)

Patronages

Sources: Wikidata (3) · Catholic Encyclopedia 1913 (2) · Wikipedia (1) · Wikipedia (1). Wikipedia content used under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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