St. George, the Prince of Martyrs.
We have spoken on this page about many preachers, some of whom were patriarchs, and others bishops, priests, and deacons. But today we speak of another type of preacher: the holy martyrs, who preached through their sufferings for the faith more than thousands of preachers.
We remember them on the occasion of the blessed Feast of Nayrouz. And at their forefront stands the brave hero and noble horseman,
St. George, the Prince of Martyrs.
The Prince of Martyrs.
There is no saint who gained a more popular place among the martyrs than St. George. How many churches bear his name! In the See of St. Mark alone, they are no less than two hundred. Feasts are also celebrated for him, and hymns, praises, and glorifications are chanted for him. Many Christians are named after him, and rarely does a home lack his image. He is the place of trust for all; everyone seeks his intercession—Christians and non-Christians alike. News of his miracles is on every tongue.
The Lord granted him great honor in proportion to how much he labored and suffered for His sake.
In this article we do not wish to speak of St. George’s courage and heroism during his military service, nor about his bravery when he tore up Emperor Diocletian’s decree concerning the persecution of Christians, how he cast it to the ground amid the astonishment and admiration of the crowd, nor how he proclaimed his faith before Diocletian and the high officials of his state with a boldness they had never seen from anyone. Nor will we speak about his many pains and tortures.
Rather, we want to speak of him as a preacher. Through St. George, thousands believed and were martyred for the name of Christ. History has recorded for us famous stories of this, among which we mention:
When Diocletian was confused before St. George’s persistence in his faith, he thought he could tempt him with women. So he sent to him in prison one of the emperor’s concubines, hoping that if he yielded to her femininity, he might soften and offer incense to the idols. But St. George paid no attention to that woman when she tried to tempt him in prison; instead, he knelt in prayer. The woman felt awe before his purity and soon asked him about his faith, and he spoke to her about Christ. In the morning this concubine returned to the emperor confessing the faith, and he became enraged and ordered her execution, and she became a martyr.
News of St. George reached everywhere, and all came to know his courage in holding fast to the faith. Among those who admired him was the emperor’s own daughter. She reproached her father, Diocletian, for his injustice toward St. George and openly declared her faith in Christ. Her father then attacked her 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 greatly vexed, he ordered the most famous magician of his empire, named Athanasius, to prepare a cup of poison from the deadliest substances—one dose of which was enough to kill the one who drank it. In the presence of high state officials and before the great magician, they ordered St. George to drink this deadly cup. He took the cup of poison with rare courage, signed it with the sign of the Cross, and drank it all without suffering any harm, confessing the name of Christ. The great magician then came forward to St. George, declaring Christ, and the emperor ordered his execution, and he died a martyr. Many of those present cried out, declaring their faith in the God of St. George, and the emperor ordered them all to be killed.
Diocletian was extremely distressed, and he prepared for the great saint instruments of torture: they placed his body in a torture device from which sharp, pointed blades protruded, cutting into him so that parts of his body were scattered, until the torturers left him thinking he had died. But the Lord Jesus soon raised him up healed, with no trace of wounds, and many believed when they saw this miracle and openly confessed their faith. The emperor then ordered that he be dragged on the ground until all his limbs were crushed, but the Lord also raised him healed, and the people were astonished and came forward confessing their Christianity.
The Empress Alexandra herself, when her daughter had believed and been martyred, sat with St. George 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 St. George.
Then the emperor summoned St. George to offer incense to the idols, thinking he would do so. Thousands gathered to witness the astonishing event. St. George 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, declaring their faith in the God of St. George. Many were martyred that day 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 the empress Alexandra, and the faith of the thousands of people—all are certain evidence that St. George was a preacher.
He was a preacher in his testimony for Christ, in his evangelism and teaching about Him during his trials and in his encounters. He was also a preacher through the miracles that occurred during his torture and through the miracles that still occur in many 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.
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An article by His Grace Bishop Shenouda, Bishop of Education – Al-Keraza Magazine, Year Two – Issue Seven – September 1966
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