Saint Mar Girgīs, the Prince of Martyrs
Saint Mar Girgīs, the Prince of Martyrs¹
We have spoken on this page about many preachers, some of them patriarchs, others bishops, priests, and deacons.
Today we speak about another type of preacher: holy martyrs who preached through their sufferings with faith more than thousands of preachers.
There is no saint who attained a popular place among the martyrs more than Mar Girgīs.
How many churches bear his name—within the See of St. Mark alone they are no fewer than two hundred. Feasts are also celebrated for him, and praises, hymns, and glorifications are chanted for him. Many Christians are named after him, and it is rare for any of their homes to be without his picture. He is the place of trust for all; everyone seeks his intercession, Christians and non-Christians alike, and the stories of his miracles are countless.
The Lord granted him great honor in proportion to how much he toiled and suffered for His sake.
We do not wish in this article to speak about the courage of Mar Girgīs and his heroism during his military service, nor about his courage when he tore up the edict of Emperor Diocletian concerning the persecution of Christians, and how he cast that edict to the ground amid the astonishment and admiration of the crowds, nor how he confessed his faith before Diocletian and the high officials of his state with a boldness they had never known from anyone. Nor shall we speak about his many pains and tortures.
But on this page we want to speak about him as a preacher. Through Mar Girgīs thousands believed and were martyred for the name of Christ. History has recorded for us famous stories about this, among them:
When Diocletian was perplexed by Mar Girgīs’ insistence on his faith, he thought he could entice him with women. So he sent to him in his prison one of the emperor’s concubines, so that if he yielded to her femininity his resolve might soften and he would offer incense to the idols. But Mar Girgīs did not turn toward that woman when she tried to tempt him in prison; instead, he knelt in prayer. The woman felt awe before his purity, and soon she asked him about his faith, and he spoke to her about Christ. In the morning this concubine returned to the emperor to confess the faith, and he raged with anger and ordered her killed. She became a martyr.
The news of Mar Girgīs reached everywhere, and all knew of his steadfastness in holding to the faith. Among those who admired him was the emperor’s own daughter. She rebuked her father Diocletian for his injustice toward Mar Girgīs and openly confessed her faith in Christ. Her father fell upon her in fury and killed her with his own hands, and she became a martyr. Her story spread among the people, and many believed in Christ and came forward for martyrdom.
When Diocletian was distressed, he ordered the most famous magician in his empire, named “Athanasius,” to prepare a cup of poison from the most deadly substances, enough that a single sip would kill whoever drank it. In the presence of high officials of the state and the great magician, they ordered Mar Girgīs to drink this deadly cup. He took the cup of poison with rare courage, traced over it the sign of the cross, and drank all that was in it without any harm coming to him, confessing the name of Christ. The great magician then approached Mar Girgīs, declaring Christ. The emperor ordered his execution, and he died a martyr. Many of those present cried out, proclaiming their faith in the God of Mar Girgīs, and the emperor ordered them all killed.
Diocletian became very distressed, so he prepared for the great saint instruments of torture: he placed his body in a torture device from which sharp, cutting blades protruded, and his body parts were scattered. The torturers left him, thinking he had died. But the Lord Christ soon raised him up healed, with no trace of wounds. Many believed when they saw this miracle and openly confessed their faith.
So the emperor ordered that he be dragged on the ground until all his limbs were broken, and the Lord again raised him healed. The people were astonished and came forward confessing their Christianity.
The Empress Alexandra herself, when her daughter had believed and been martyred, sat with Mar Girgīs and asked him about his faith. He spoke to her about Christ, and the empress believed and was also martyred, entering the kingdom through the preaching of Mar Girgīs.
Then the emperor summoned Saint Mar Girgīs to offer incense to the idols, thinking he would do so, and thousands gathered to witness the astonishing event. Mar Girgīs stood before the idols and lifted his hands in prayer to God, and the idols fell shattered to the ground. Thousands of those present cried out, proclaiming their faith in the God of Mar Girgīs.
And on that day many were martyred for the name of Christ.
Finally, Diocletian found no solution but to order the killing of the saint, fearing for paganism because of his life. He was martyred in the year 303 A.D. (23 Baramouda).
The faith of the emperor’s concubine, the faith of the princess his daughter, the faith of the magician Athanasius, the faith of Empress Alexandra, and the faith of thousands of the people—all are sure proof that Mar Girgīs was a preacher…
He was a preacher in his testimony for Christ and in his preaching and teaching of Him, whether during his trials or in his encounters… and he was also a preacher through the miracles that occurred during his torture, and through the miracles that still occur in various lands through his intercessions and in the churches that bear his name.
The blessing of this great saint, the preacher and martyr, be with us. Amen.
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – Al-Keraza Magazine – Year Two – Issue Seven – September 1966.
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