Introduction
The present encomiastic discourse to Saint George has a particular characteristic. Saint Andrew, astonished before the martyrdom of Saint George, praises him with wondrous words, making an effort to bring forth the greatness of the Saint’s soul. Yet, unintentionally, he also allows his own spiritual wealth to be revealed. Then follows Saint Nikodemos who, out of love for his neighbor, in order to offer pure evangelical nourishment, renders into the language of his time the discourse of Saint Andrew. This rendering, however, is also imbued with his own holiness. He gives to the text a new pulse, a new vitality, without setting aside either the Saint being praised, or Saint Andrew who composed the encomium. Thus, we have three persons gathered together around one axis: the person of Christ. And the word of the Lord, that “for where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in their midst” (Matt. 18:20), demonstrates the particular grace of this text. It is a marvelous introduction into the communion of the Saints, where all things tend and move around Christ, where every sanctified mind, animated by the spirited tone and inflamed by the highest desire, becomes wholly an eye, delighting in the glory of the person of Christ. All the words of this encomium both lead to, and are guided by, the host of the communion of love, this “most singular” Word. Christ, attended by the Great Martyr George, Saint Andrew, and Saint Nikodemos, calls us to the banquet of His Kingdom. The present edition of the text aims at imparting the taste of this communion of the Saints.
We, in a brotherly manner, will draw attention to two points within this richly varied table of spiritual nourishment of the encomiastic discourse. The first is that the battlefield between Christ and the devil is Saint George—and more specifically, his human flesh. The devil has always had a sensitivity toward human flesh, for many reasons. One basic reason is that by “devouring” the flesh he easily “swallows” the soul as well. He has succeeded in shaping a mindset among people whereby they consider the life of the body as the most important, most significant, and most vital of all things in the world. Most people have come to be almost entirely identified with the body. They have come to think that they live and exist only as long as the body lives. The immediate consequence is that the human person becomes trapped in the tragedy of physical death, because man has become excessively sensitive to his earthly dependence.
Through their martyrdoms, the Saints—and among them the Great Martyr George—offer another kind of witness to the world. Saint George, with his illumined mind, saw beyond his earthliness and all the limitations of his earthly service. His entire life—his thought, desire, expectation, personal joy and happiness—was oriented toward the person of Christ, the source of life and joy. For this reason the devil was embittered in his attempt to “devour” the flesh of the Saint through his servants, because he encountered the presence of Christ which flooded both the soul and the body of the Saint.
When people are far from the life-giving grace of God and, in their effort to avoid every adverse influence of pain, illness, destruction, death, and every worldly evil, out of a longing for life, they invent idols. Thus they appropriate every existing favorable power. This is the second point we wish to emphasize. Of course, in the time of the Saint, the natural and social environment had been established as the source of good and evil; therefore the idols of that time were directly dependent upon deified creation and deified social institutions. With the progress of human knowledge and man’s conquests over nature, new ideas and new ways of life were formed. Modern idolatry has become more refined and more subtle. Yet the old notion remains—that devotion to idols is self-evident, just as life itself is self-evident. After all, idols generously provide the desired “security.”
Today’s idolatry shows an overgrowth in the inner life through a hypocritical way of living, which is a subtle form of demonic influence. Hypocrisy sometimes presents itself as a lofty moral life; at other times it establishes a labyrinthine conventionality, where a harsh struggle takes place for the defense of interests and rights. Hypocrisy distorts interpersonal and social relationships. Where it prevails as an organized condition, it robs man of his personality, even though it may display activity and social works. It is diffused throughout today’s organized reality. It serves many “ideals.” Among so-called “civilized” people it is considered a desirable panacea—the remedy that heals all social and economic problems—and thus it is regarded as a self-evident idol. For example, although the outdated institutions of slavery and theocracy have officially been abolished, entire classes of people have been systematically created who are oppressed under arbitrary economic, political, and bureaucratic power. Yet “Christian” societies forget the anger of Christ against organized hypocrisy.
In the external sphere, modern idolatry has cast off its mythological garment and replaced it with a scientific, ideological, political, athletic, artistic, and similar one. There prevails an unrestrained cult of personality (that is, idolatry) in the form of “superstar” figures, which unfortunately reveal the quality of twentieth-century civilization. Mass suicides are something unprecedented in the history of humanity. Likewise, the mindset of the builders of the Tower of Babel—“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top shall reach unto heaven, and let us make a name for ourselves…” (Gen. 11:4)—is today flourishing in the Western world and is being realized within a new “framework.”
The martyrs in the time of Saint George overthrew the idols of their age—that is, deified creation and deified social institutions. The New Martyrs ridiculed the idol of flourishing Mohammedanism. And the martyrs “who come out of the great tribulation” (Rev. 7:14) will have to confront the most mature expression of the mystery of lawlessness, at the time when sins will reach up to heaven (Rev. 18:5). Then they will bear witness to Jesus before “the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, and idolaters…” (Rev. 21:8).
Toward the end of the encomium, the Saints remind us of the exhortation of the Lord: “watch and pray” (Matt. 26:41), so that we may be able to enter into this communion of the Saints, where all “may be one” in Christ Jesus.
Encomium to the Holy Great Martyr of Christ George the Trophy-Bearer
By Our Father Among the Saints, Andrew of Crete the Jerusalemite
By Our Father Among the Saints, Andrew of Crete the Jerusalemite
Always indeed, the feasts of all the other holy martyrs are bright and distinguished; more bright, however, and more distinguished is the feast celebrated today, of George the glorious Great Martyr, because this present festival of his not only bears within itself the imitation of the Passion of the Lord, and is adorned with the athletic contests of the martyr, and is made splendid with the beauties and graces of Spring, but also, in addition to these, it has within itself the radiance of the two great and sovereign feasts, I mean the Resurrection and the Ascension, and it is found like a bright moon between two suns, by whose rays from both sides it is illumined. And thus, with the very rays which it receives from there, it illumines, in imitation of Christ, the whole world.
For the sovereign feast of the saving Passion, and of the radiant and all-festal Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the true God and Son of God, the leader of all the martyrs — who for our sake was incarnate and bore witness under Pontius Pilate, according to the Apostle, and by His own Passion and death granted to us the victory over the passions and over death — this feast, I say, of the Resurrection of the Lord, according to order, precedes on the one side the present feast of the martyr, and from it rises upon the Church of Christ like a great sun. Immediately also after it, there rises together with it the present festival of George. And together with these shines also the bright and most graceful season of Spring.
And the glorious Ascension of the Lord into the heavens, by which our nature sat together with the Father, follows fittingly on the other side after this feast of the martyr. Let no one suppose that this occurred by chance — that the memory of George should have, on the one side and on the other, these two great and sovereign feasts. No; rather I say that this has happened by divine economy and by a manifest kinship of divine things, that is, in order that Christ, who was confessed by George, might show to us the exceeding love which He had for this George who bore witness to Him. And how George not only became like the Lord’s Passion through his martyrdom, but also in the time and the days in which the Lord suffered.
For just as the Passion of the Lord and His Resurrection surpass all the other sovereign feasts both in themselves and because of the season of Spring, in such a way also the feast of the Martyr George surpasses the other feasts of the martyrs of the year; for this alone, after the holy Resurrection, is celebrated in the time of the most radiant Spring.
Since therefore the boundaries of the present festival of the martyr, being found on either side, are so full of joy, it is fitting that we also present its beauty in itself and its splendor. And the beauty of a festival is either a saving word or a godly deed and action. The Greeks and barbarians who worshipped idols considered the joy of a feast to be to serve the demons with every impurity and disorder. But we, to whom has been granted through the Cross the victory over death, must do the opposite, and put the demons to shame by every virtue and God-pleasing deed.
For this reason among Christians every pleasure, as shameful, was hated; but every pain of virtue, and death for the sake of piety, as sweet, was loved. For this reason the delusion of idols was extinguished, and the multitude of martyrs shone forth. For this reason the earth became heaven, being adorned as with stars by the holy martyrs, and the day-and-night feast of their contest holds the whole inhabited world, which honors their relics and celebrates their struggles.
And by “struggles” I mean those which the common enemy of men, the devil, stirred up and organized, striving to be worshipped himself as God, and through idols to receive for himself the incommunicable name of God. But God, the Savior of all, and the lover of mankind, the commander in war, permitted these things, wishing to show men to be victors over the devil, so that by those from whom he sought to be worshipped as God, by these same he might be mocked as a dead thing, being trampled underfoot.
Wherefore, since in that time the darkness of idolatry had spread not only throughout the whole inhabited world, but almost even through the uninhabited regions as well, and all people, of their own accord, were rushing into impiety, and, having forgotten the true God, like blind men and those in darkness preferred to worship demons, and to be confirmed in delusion by the apparitions of demons as though they were miracles —
and since the leaders and chief promoters of this impiety were the emperor of that time, Diocletian, together with his co-ruler Magnentius, and their generals, attendants, and rulers, who, like irrational wild boars charging forward, gave themselves zealously to evil and persecuted the Christians —
and since, as David says, there was no release for them unto death, but they continued for a long time, “walking in the light of their own fire,” and there was no restraint in their scourges, because God was showing long-suffering, in order that the righteous might be tested, and that human nature might not become fruitless and without a crown, if before the proper time both the wheat and the tares were uprooted together —
I say all these things, because in that time these things were taking place; then there appeared, like a star shining in full daylight, brightly illumining piety, this radiant and renowned martyr George — sweet both in deed and in name.
George — he who showed the work to be in harmony with the name, and, in turn, the name with the work.
George — he who imitated that patriarch Issachar and desired with utmost love the good of divine cultivation.
George — he who loved the laborious toil, as the wise Sirach says, and was shown to be a field cultivated by the Most High.
George — the toiling farmer from his tender youth, who in due season rendered through martyrdom to the Master of all a fruit a hundredfold.
George — he who cut the sweet furrows of piety with the plow of his virtue, and thus was shown fit for the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Lord said.
George — he who sowed with tears and reaped with rejoicing, as David cried out: “He who sows in sorrow gathers his sheaves with joy.” A well-tilled land, often drinking the rain that descends upon it from the Holy Spirit, as Paul says, and bringing forth sweet vegetation for those who reap it with faith.
George — a most fragrant garden, within which the flowers of piety have blossomed abundantly, and from which the noetic bees gather sweet honeycombs, whose sweetness is healing for the soul, as the proverb says.
George — a useful tree, planted beside the rivers of the Holy Spirit, ever having its leaves green, and bearing the ripe fruits of virtue for the increase of the soul of those who partake of them, as the Psalmist says.
George — the fruitful vine of the true Vine, as the Lord said, whose husbandman is the heavenly Father, who through him cultivates in us spiritual gladness, for the healing of passions and the renewal of both soul and body.
George — the fountain of divine waters, from which every soul that has become barren, when watered, is cultivated and bears fruit — faith, hope, and love, the thrice-desired Trinity of the theological virtues.
George — the cultivator of divine thoughts, and the field of God, in which were cultivated the grace of piety and the multitude of miracles.
I have said these things concerning the name of George, because even the very names of the Saints reveal the grace of God and the virtue which those who bear them possessed. Thus the name of Abraham; thus the name of Sarah; and of Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, and many others — these contain the virtues of those who bear these names, as we learn from Holy Scripture.
This one, therefore — George both in name and in deed — blossomed at that time of idolatry like a rose among thorns, like a lily breathing forth the fragrance of piety in the midst of mire, like a cypress among brambles, like a richly fruitful olive tree in the wilderness, like a palm sweetening with its fruit the bitterness of impiety, like a full-radiant moon shining in the night of delusion, like a lamp giving light to those who are in the sea of impiety and guiding them to the harbor of the knowledge of God, like the morning star flashing in the midst of dark clouds, and like the sun shining forth in the deepest darkness.
And if you desire, beloved, to learn also what was the spiritual kinship of George, behold — these very things proclaim that he was a child and son of God, and an heir of the heavenly and upper Jerusalem, which is free. For the Evangelist and Virgin John says: “As many as received Him (the Word of God), to them He gave authority to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
And if you wish to learn also what was the earthly and bodily homeland and lineage of George, know that it was the land of Cappadocia, and that Palestine was his place of upbringing. A Christian from his forefathers, young in age yet an elder in wisdom, upright in heart, and breathing against impiety a witness of piety.
From childhood he advanced in civil contests and trained himself precisely in courage for warfare, so much so that he became a tribune of a military band, and he governed that office worthily, and in many wars he was victorious many times. Therefore, having acquired experience in warfare, and desiring to receive a greater rank, he indeed received a greater one.
For, taking with him the wealth from his paternal inheritance, he went to the emperor of that time, Diocletian, and a circumstance befell him similar to that of Saul the son of Kish. For just as that one, seeking his father’s donkeys, found an earthly kingdom, so also the great George, seeking worldly rank, obtained a heavenly kingdom, and found that the secondary matter was greater than what he had intended. For going to the emperor and seeing God being blasphemed and demons being worshipped, the zealot of piety could not endure it; but remembering the Prophet David who says, “I saw the foolish and was grieved,” and “zeal for You has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words,” and considering also the words of the Lord, “Whoever confesses Me before men, I also will confess him before My Father in heaven,” — having reflected on these things, he was inflamed with divine zeal and sharpened his mind like an arrow. Therefore he hastened to obtain the promise spoken by the Lord and to gain God Himself as his confessor through his good confession.
But lest the wealth he had with him become a hindrance to him, since he was about to pass through the narrow gate of martyrdom — and moreover, in order to prepare his martyrdom more courageously through almsgiving — he resolved to fulfill the Lord’s command, which the Lord and giver of crowns of his martyr’s contest spoke to that rich young man, saying: “If you wish to be perfect, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Therefore, the command which that former young man did not keep because of his negligence, this second young man, George, fulfilled with eagerness, casting off the burden of his wealth and distributing it to the poor; and through the poor he purchased the priceless pearl of the Kingdom of Heaven, and prepared for himself there an inheritance — the inviolable treasure of blessedness.
And fixing his martyr’s heart upon that treasure, as the Lord said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” in this way he first slew beforehand the devil, the teacher of soul-destroying greed, and seized from him the first crown of victory, and having placed it noetically upon his head, so as to have it as provision and a sign of a greater victory, and strengthening himself by the prayers of the poor, and trusting in them that he would add victory upon victory — thus, like a fearless lion, he took up his cross and rushed into the battle against impiety. For he knew well, being wise, that through almsgiving and faith sins are cleansed, as the Proverb says, sins which become obstacles to victory, and that almsgiving delivers a man from death, according to Tobit, and that more than shield and buckler and every strong spear, it fights against enemies, as Sirach says: “Store up almsgiving in your treasuries, and it will deliver you from every affliction; it will fight for you against your enemy more than a mighty shield and a strong spear."
For this reason also the great George, since he was about to become a wrestler, was first anointed with almsgiving, just as wrestlers are first anointed with oil. And going forth boldly into the arena of battle, he did not put on any material armor, but that of the Holy Spirit, which Paul taught. For he girded his waist with truth; he put on the breastplate of righteousness; he shod his feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace; he placed upon his head the helmet of salvation; and above all, taking up the shield of faith, which extinguishes all the fiery darts of the devil, and grasping the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, with all this spiritual armor he armed himself and fortified himself.
For he had not to fight against blood and flesh, but against principalities and authorities, and against the world-rulers of the darkness — demons — and against the spirits of wickedness, as Paul says. Therefore, being armed with these spiritual weapons in a spiritual manner, he cried out almost that apostolic saying: “Our weapons are not carnal, but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds.”
Thus, calling upon as his helper the Lord, the Judge of contests from above, and stirring up his natural zeal, and taking up the fervor of Elias, he rushed against injustice with the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. And finding the emperors of that time kings only in name, but in reality ruled by delusion — who misused their kingship against God, who had granted it to them — and who publicly set forth various instruments of torture, not against the unjust, but against the pious Christians, and moreover, having around them every nation and tribe armed, proclaimed with threats that whoever would name Christ would be punished and put to death by such torments — seeing all these things, the great George was inflamed by the Holy Spirit, and his inward parts trembled, and he brought forth righteous indignation, just as once the inward parts of that most valiant Maccabee, Mattathias, were stirred, as it is written. Therefore, roaring like a mighty lion, and casting a stern gaze upon the emperor, and despising his threats, he leapt into the midst, openly naming himself a Christian and publicly proclaiming the nobility of piety.
O soul truly God-bearing, conquered by divine love! O blessed voice, which the namesake of Christ, George, having long cultivated well within his heart, at the fitting time rendered perfect to the Master - this voice, when the air received it, was sanctified; the angels from heaven praised it; the archangels acclaimed it; and all the ranks of the heavenly powers marveled exceedingly. And the God and Master of all, accepting it, judged it right to grant His divine help to the zeal of His martyr, and prepared to bestow upon him the unfading crown of victory. This voice even the impious were astonished at; but their general, the devil, upon hearing it, received a deadly wound. Thus the noble athlete of Christ, George, stood confessing Christ as God with a bright and powerful voice, while those whom they worshipped he called demons, and those who worshipped them he declared to be rightly deceived and drunken, speaking shamefully rather than confessing God. He stood silencing those who blasphemed, urging all to repentance and to the knowledge of the one true God; and finally, George stood proclaiming that prophetic saying of Jeremiah: “The gods that did not make heaven and earth shall perish.”
Hearing these things, the worshippers of idols devised every kind of deceit, testing the athlete of Christ. And what did those impure ones not say? What did they not attempt? At one time, with flattery, softening their words as with oil; at another, with threats like bare arrows, they shot at George. At one time they hypocritically praised his prudence and nobility and his courage in wars; at another they pitied his youth and advised him not to prefer foolishly an untimely death to this sweet life. First they proposed to give him a multitude of riches and great honors; afterward they set forth the kinds of tortures and punishments, frightening him that he would receive through all these a long and most painful death if he did not show obedience to their words. But the steadfast and fearless soldier of Christ, remembering that saying of the sacred Apostles, “We must obey God rather than men,” and being fully persuaded that nothing is stronger than obedience and submission to God, did not at all waver in his mind, nor was he afraid of the threats of the unbelievers. Rather, their hypocritical flatteries he reproved and rejected with stern rebukes; their deceitful promises he despised; their impious counsels he spat out and hated as deadly poison; and their threats he laughed at and mocked, being prepared to suffer every torment for Christ. And not only this, but he even urged them to test him, and through the trial to be convinced of his words.
And now he cried out that inspired saying of the God-bearing Ignatius: “My love is crucified” — that is, my love has been crucified, who is Jesus Christ; and now he spoke those loving words of the Apostle Paul: “Who shall separate me from the love of Christ? Tribulation? or distress? or persecution? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or sword? For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of Christ. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
And not only with words did the Saint fight the unbelievers, but also with deeds he wisely and courageously warred against them, like a strong and invincible champion. For the blows and torments with which they tortured him, he endured bravely — suffering in body, but in soul tormenting them. For just as they struck George, so George by his patience and endurance conquered those who struck him, so that they were more tormented than the Martyr was by his sufferings because they could not overcome his resolve.
Wherefore they command that the Saint be struck with an iron spear. But the iron of the spear, as if it were lead, turned back, exposing their ignorance. Failing in this, they devise another punishment to punish the martyr. They place upon his belly a very great stone, and they fasten his feet in the stocks.
After they had tormented the Saint with many other grievous punishments, finally, when he was almost exhausted, they punish him with the harshest torture: for placing the martyr upon a wheel, which had knives fixed on all sides, they thought by this punishment to overcome the resolve of the brave one.
Upon this wheel, then, the waist of the Saint was tightly pressed, and he was made almost like a scorpion; and by the opposite motion of the wheel his breathing was constricted; and the joints and limbs of his body were dislocated from their places, while his flesh was cut to pieces by the knives set around; afterward his blood flowed like rivers, and the ground was reddened — so that the impious, thinking that he had completely died, left him thus upon the wheel, and with cries they gave thanks to their gods and demons.
But they were put to greater shame, when after a short while they saw him safe and sound, whom they had reckoned as dead. For Christ, the true God and Savior, the life of all, delivered His brave athlete from the wheel, healed his wounds, and frightened and drove away the soldiers guarding him.
Wherefore George, desiring to suffer yet more torments, again ran boldly to the impious, proclaiming with words and with deeds the invincible power of Christ; for in truth it was a spectacle both fearful and wondrous to behold — one which strengthened the faithful yet more in the faith of Christ, and stopped the mouths of the unbelievers.
Seeing, therefore, the Saint healthy, the deceived ones were astonished at this unexpected sight, and were convinced that he was none other than the one formerly thought dead. Yet instead of repenting and abandoning their delusion, they subjected the athlete of the truth to even worse torments, burying him like a precious pearl within burning quicklime.
And here, in truth, the wonder that followed appears incredible to many because of its greatness. For how did the naturally perishable body remain even for a little while within such a fierce and caustic boiling of lime? And how did even the finest hairs of his body remain completely unburnt? Or how did the living being, whose natural life depends on breathing the subtle air, being enclosed within the thick and clinging substance of the lime and deprived of breath, not also lose life?
But if anyone wonders and hesitates at this, let him remember how the Prophet Jonah, having remained within the exceedingly hot belly of the sea-monster for three whole days and nights, was cast forth whole; how Jeremiah, cast into the pit of mire, was preserved unharmed; and how the three youths, in the midst of the burning furnace, breathing a subtle air, were kept unharmed, and their bonds were burned, but their hairs remained unscorched.
Whoever considers these and other similar wonders which the greatly-glorious Lord has wrought in every generation through His servants and friends, will also confess this miracle in George to be without doubt, and believing, will say with David: “Truly God is wondrous in His Saints.” And this is the change wrought by the right hand of the Most High. For the will of God becomes as nature in created things.
But time will not suffice me — or rather to say, my speech will not be sufficient because of my lack of skill — if I should wish to enumerate one by one both the kind and the form and the most painful and unbearable suffering of each torment, with which those bloodthirsty dogs punished the Saint, both openly and boldly in the theater and also secretly within the prisons and dungeons. Nor am I able by words to set forth either the inhuman cruelty and brutality of those tyrannizing the athlete, or the endurance and greatness of soul of the athlete amid these torments.
And how, in every torture which he received, that apostolic saying was truly fulfilled in him: “as dying, and behold we live.” Nor am I able to make manifest as it ought the nightly and daily prayers of the martyr, by which he both entreated and supplicated God to help him in the torments to come, and also gave thanks to Him for His strength and help in those already past.
And what pen can describe the sudden destruction of the idols, and the lamenting voice of the demons themselves, by which they openly proclaimed that they are not gods, to the shame and reproach of those who worship them? Who can recount in detail the conversations and exchanges which took place both on the part of the tyrants and on the part of the martyr, and their character and form and meaning? And moreover, who can enumerate the divine manifestations and visitations that occurred to the martyr by night and by day — or rather, according to David, the helps and consolations and healings which were granted to him by Christ in reward for his endurance — through which he forgot the past sufferings and was strengthened to endure the future torments, as though he had a body not of clay, but of adamant?
For this reason, whoever desires to learn these things accurately, let him read the martyrdom of the Saint, and he will obtain what he seeks. For from there he will learn and marvel at the surpassing greatness of the martyr’s courage in his contests, the most just nature of his victory, and the worthiness of the divine rewards and gifts. From there he will clearly learn and marvel how those darkened by the darkness of impiety mingled sweetness with bitterness in their words, while the martyr of Christ, on the contrary, by the simple word of truth easily overturned and dissolved their deceitful contrivances; and how the hidden snares which the unbelievers set against him, he leapt over with the wings of his lofty understanding; and how the iron sandals, and nails, and the other instruments of torture, he overcame by the power of his endurance.
From there he will learn how, after he had completed the course of martyrdom, and the brave champion of the truth had his head cut off by the sword, and by bodily death put to death the death of the soul, he was shown forth victorious through blood, wearing the crown of victory; and then, by his deed, he joyfully cried out the hymn of triumph to the God who grants victory, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.”
From there he will also learn this: that the Martyr George did not suffer martyrdom only for his own benefit, but also for the benefit and salvation of many others - inasmuch as by his example he made others martyrs. Such were Anatolios and Protoléon, the commanders, who, being astonished at the miracles that occurred in the contest of the martyr, and imitated his courage; such was the renowned Glykerios, who, through the miracle performed upon his ox, was delivered from the irrational religion of idols; and many others, whom the great George, drawing up from the throat of the noetic dragon, offered to Christ the Master as acceptable and perfect sacrifices.
And moreover, whoever reads the martyrdom of the Saint will learn very great and extraordinary miracles, some of which were wrought by the prayer of the martyr for the sake of those who faithfully asked them; others were wrought by him for unbelievers who sought them — such as that miracle in which the Saint raised a dead man from the tomb, for the refutation of the ignorance of the unbelievers who had asked, and for the knowledge of the truth. For if those who saw such a wonder had eyes and human understanding, they ought to have recognized the true God.
But they paid more attention to the false apparitions of the demons than to the true wonders of the Lord; for after they had exhausted whatever devices of torture they had devised, and had been worn out by the endurance and courage of the martyr, they sought, like the Jews, that the Saint should perform miracles and impossible signs.
But since even from the miracles which they themselves had requested they were put to shame — for such miracles became the salvation of many, and through them many came to know the God of George — since, I say, the impious were shamed by the miracles of the martyr, and were not able to oppose them, nor were they willing to turn toward the truth, having the eyes and ears of their heart blinded and closed, as Isaiah says — for this reason they not only remained again in their ancestral delusion, but even thought by magic to overturn the truth. Wherefore they brought forward Athanasios, who boasted in the magical art more than Jannes and Jambres, the magicians in Egypt, had boasted to overthrow the miracles of Moses — this man, I say, they brought forth into the midst. But within a short time all his magical art collapsed, and falsehood was defeated by the truth. And the presence of the magician proved beneficial to himself: for whereas the magicians in Egypt, calling that which overthrew them “the finger of God,” confessed the truth only in words, this good Athanasios, embracing in deeds the faith revealed to him, endured death by the sword for it, and thus, in accordance with his name, inherited immortal life.
And I pass over how many others the soldier of Christ, George, led to the kingdom of heaven by his courageous martyrdom. And together with these, he also caused the queen Alexandra to imitate the virtue of Moses: for just as Moses “esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt,” as Paul says, so also this blessed queen, choosing the reproach of Christ over her earthly kingdom, willingly endured death by the sword for His sake; and instead of the temporary and earthly kingdom which she despised, she inherited a heavenly and eternal kingdom.
O the insatiable wickedness of the devil! but also, O the surpassing richness of the Lord’s grace! Where now are those who shamelessly chatter that the enemy foreknows future things? For behold, by his own snares and devices the devil was caught, as the Prophet David says: “the sinner is taken in the works of his own hands.” And through those very people by whom he thought to conquer the athlete, by these same he was foolishly defeated; and by those from whom he sought to be worshipped, by these very ones he is now seen being mocked. Seeking to deceive, he was deceived; and hoping to kill, he was put to death. And what is more wondrous is this: that he endeavored to deceive and to kill by means of kings, by armed soldiers, by crowds, and by various kinds of violent torments; but he was deceived and slain not by the strong and armed, but by weak women, and by those naked and unarmed. And many kings and rulers of the world, having won many victories and trophies, yet after death, when their reign ceased, saw those victories and trophies vanish.
But the most glorious soldier of Christ, George, having once conquered the devil, always shows his victory against him fresh and flourishing. For by the sign of the Cross he drives away daily from men the whole host of the demons, and frees those who are held under their power. What thing is higher than these triumphs of George? what is more wondrous than this victory of the Trophy-bearer? or what is more glorious than these crowns of the athlete? This is the array and the warfare of the wise general. So great is the help of almsgiving. These are the victories of the great thrice-excellent one. Such are the trophies of our own great prize-winning crown-bearer. And such are the noetic spoils which by his contest he plundered.
Thus, being in the body, he slew the bodiless devil. And while making him waste his efforts only on how to kill the body of George, George at that very time slew him in his soul. And while making him hope that he would gain him, he even snatched from him those whom he already had in his bosom as captives. For George was an imitator of Jesus Christ, who by the covering of the flesh baited the devil, and appearing to fear and to shrink from death, by that very shrinking deceived the enemy and took him captive.
Therefore, having wholly dwelling within himself the Master, the Lord — or rather to speak more truly, being wholly beside himself in Christ and living no longer for himself but for Him who died and rose for him, as Paul says — and having thus been taught by his own example not to fear those who kill the body, for this reason, I say, George was no longer his own, belonging to his body, but only to the divine will. And why do I say belonging to his body? He was not even his own as regards his very soul. For being a disciple of Christ, he even denied his soul willingly, and having taken up his cross, he followed his Master without care.
Wherefore he fittingly forgot the past sufferings, but increased toward those to come. He did not reckon the former things, but sought those that remained. The tortures came to an end, but the crowns of George did not come to an end; for his readiness for the torments did not come to an end. The inventor of evils, the devil, grew weary; but the athlete of Christ, desiring greater crowns, sought from him occasions for greater contests. Wherefore one might see that the same contest which was for the devil was also for George: for the devil, being unable to conquer George by torments, struggled, not how he himself might be saved, but how he might leave to all Christians the example of salvation through his martyrdom.
Therefore also the just Contest-giver and Crown-giver, Christ, helps from above with justice the one who justly contends for His name. And so the martyr conquers and is saved, while the devil who seeks his destruction is defeated and perishes. Then indeed, then the angels of heaven sang hymns, and all the choirs of the righteous with triumphal shouts praised George, applauding his contests and glorifying the Contest-giver. And Christ, the only King of all, the overseer and perfecter of George’s contests, crowned the athlete with incomparable glory, opening to him His heavenly kingdom.
Then also the devil, seeing such glory of the martyr, was enraged and became savage, and the stings of envy which he had against the Saint were shattered. And as David says, gnashing his teeth he melted away and dissolved altogether, and he wept over the failure of his desire. And truly then one might see a new and paradoxical spectacle: to behold that most cunning dragon, who boasts against all flesh and body, who exalts himself and speaks great things, saying what is written in the Prophet Isaiah: “I by my power and by my wisdom will remove the boundaries of the nations; I will take the whole world into my hand like a small nest of a bird; I will lift up all that is in the world like eggs left in a nest” — then one might see him who says, “Who shall resist me, or speak against me? I will set my throne upon the clouds and I will be like the Most High” — this one, I say, speaking such great and lofty things, one might then see him being mocked like a little sparrow by a youth of twenty years.
Then one might see him repenting greatly and weeping like an infant, because unwillingly he had caused such glory to George through his own persecution and martyrdom.
And not only this, but also because he added to his glory other heavenly and immortal recompenses, for the souls which he saved through his martyrdom. For looking always toward these recompenses, George did not cease warring and putting the devil to shame, until he utterly conquered him, and thus brought his vessel into the calm harbor of blessedness. He did not give sleep to his eyes, as the royal prophet says, nor slumber to his eyelids, nor rest to his temples, until he had made himself a place and a dwelling for the Lord. Nor did he accept release by death — that is, he did not wish to die at once by one or two torments in order to obtain, as Paul says, a better and more glorious resurrection. Nor did he cease striving and contending until he heard the Bridegroom Christ and Teacher say to him: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many; enter into the joy of your Lord.”
And to the soul of George, which was espoused to Christ, there also befit those words of the Bride of Christ, the Church that sings, of which George became a most honorable member. What are these words? “Come from Lebanon, O bride.” For George truly made his soul desirable — not by gift and favor, but by the fragrance of his own deeds — and made God Himself its Bridegroom, drawing Him to his love through his death, and offering himself to Him as a sacrifice acceptable, a sweet-smelling fragrance.
And if, because of that saying of David, “and he shall make them thin like the calf of Lebanon,” someone should understand “Lebanon” as idolatry — for the mountain of Lebanon was formerly dedicated to idols — he does not err at all. For from idolatry the soul of George departed and fled to the Master of all, who as a loving Father opened His arms and, meeting his martyr-soul, cried out most graciously to it: “Come from Lebanon, O bride.”
And not only was the soul of George counted worthy to hear this word from God, but also that other: “Behold, you are fair, my beloved; behold, you are fair, wholly fair, and there is no blemish in you.” These words agree with those Gospel words: “Whoever confesses Me before men, I also will confess before My Father who is in heaven.”
And what praise could be found greater than this praise — that the Judge Himself praises the one who comes to be judged by Him? What could be more glorious than this — that God, who has the order to demand from servants, Himself confesses that He is also indebted to servants? And that God invites into His own joy and kingdom those who, because of the ancestral disobedience, were liable to condemnation? Truly this is that which God swore to fulfill. For He said to the Prophet Samuel: “As I live, says the Lord, those who glorify Me I will glorify.”
Of this promise the great George became heir — heir of God and co-heir with Christ the Son of God. And because he contended lawfully, he was deemed worthy also of rewards beyond the law of God. For “the sufferings of the present time,” as Paul says, “are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed,” not only to all who are saved, but especially to the martyrs, who by their blood imitated the sacrifice of Christ.
What then shall I praise more? George, who made himself worthy of such grace, that he should receive God dwelling in his heart and pour out his own blood for Him? Or shall I praise God, who strengthened His Martyr and deemed the human race worthy of such grace? For who would not marvel at the exceeding greatness of God’s love toward man? That we, having sinned unpardonably, owe — if nothing else — at least to endure the bitterest pains, to repay the pleasure of the taste in Paradise which we enjoyed through our forefather Adam, and for the pleasure of the voluntary sins which we have committed.
Not to mention that we owe, willingly, with suffering and death, to repay the suffering and death which Christ endured for our sake, without even hoping to receive any crown for it. And now the opposite happens: the Master who suffered and was put to death for us, He Himself receives us though we are unworthy, and dwells by His grace in the martyrs, and helps them in their martyrdom. And not only this, but He also grants them unfading crowns, and rewards them with the highest gifts, and with those good things “which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man.”
And with those gifts, into which even the heavenly angels themselves desire to look, He makes those who suffer for Him co-heirs of His own kingdom. And the most wondrous thing is this: that He gives them wages and recompense not according to grace and freely, but as a debt and obligation. And if only someone comes to Him with unwavering faith, He says to him those words which He also said to Abraham: “I will not leave you, nor will I forsake you.”
So great and so abundant is God’s love and goodness toward mankind. Truly then the Prophet David spoke well: “I said in my ecstasy, every man is a liar.” For whatever anyone may say in glorification of God, he never says anything worthy, but always something unworthy; for nature cannot contain what is worthy — not only human nature, but even the very nature of the first and highest angels.
For this reason, as it seems to me, by silence alone the angels make manifest the incomprehensible and surpassingly worthy goodness of God, and by silence they honor God more than by speech, since speech is far inferior to the worth of God.
But perhaps someone might say: “And if Christ dwelt in George when he was being martyred and contending, what wonder is it if he endured so many torments bravely? For this was not the achievement of George, but of the grace of Christ dwelling in him; for where God wills, the order of nature is overcome.”
To such a one we answer: Truly, O beloved, the grace of the indwelling Christ accomplished everything, but what was it that caused Christ to dwell in George? Consider first, then, the cause of Christ’s indwelling, and then consider the achievements that came from it. The cause of this indwelling the Lord Himself revealed to us through the Son of Thunder, saying: “If anyone loves Me, he will be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.”
Therefore, the cause of Christ’s indwelling is love; for “he who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me.” Since, then, George kept the commandments of the Lord and loved Him in deed, for this reason he also was loved by Christ, and he made Him whom he loved dwell within him. And since Christ dwelt in George, He honored him worthily — and not merely by grace — with the reward of martyrdom.
And that martyrdom is a reward and wage of good works, hear the Lord Himself confirming this in the Gospel according to Mark, saying that He will give recompense to the worthy for the persecutions which they endure for His love.
The first, therefore, achievement of George, and the cause of Christ’s love, is that he made himself worthy of the indwelling of Christ by the purity of his life — even though he was young in age and held military rank, which for men is very difficult. The second achievement of George was that he willingly loved martyrdom and prepared himself for it by distributing his possessions. And besides these, a third achievement of his was that he wisely called upon as his helper the indwelling Christ, and thus, through faith and hope in Him, entered into the martyrdoms for His sake.
These are the virtues and achievements of George: renunciation of the world, purity of life in the world, unwavering faith, readiness for martyrdom, and humility of heart. Among these virtues none is greater, and without them it is not possible for anyone to show his love for God.
Having these virtues before his martyrdom, and showing through them great love for God, the divine George was exceedingly loved by God in return, and openly received into his heart the Lord who justly loved him. Therefore, having thus prepared himself beforehand for the contests, he was not troubled in the time of the contests. “I was prepared,” he says, “and was not troubled”; but having conquered, he was crowned, because he had Christ ready as his helper.
For Christ, knowing the weakness of human nature and its tendency toward pride, does not leave the whole of victory to our own hand and strength, lest we fall into one of two evils: either that we be defeated through our weakness, or that we be cast down, like the Pharisee, through our pride.
But neither does Christ Himself accomplish the whole of our victory alone, lest we too become altogether idle and useless, and in order that we also may fulfill some part of our many debts.
Wherefore the Lover of mankind, working in every way for our salvation, according to the measure of each one’s faith, when He is entreated thus gives His help, and when He is sought is found, and to those who knock He opens the bowels of His divine mercy; and He helps those who are in danger, and fights together with them, and defends all those who are willing to suffer for His love, not allowing them to suffer beyond their strength, but together with the temptation giving them also the power to endure the temptation, as Paul says, in order that in this way they may also receive the unfading crown of righteousness.
But as for those of us who, through our negligence, are held fast by the earthly mind of the flesh and desire sins, we remain deprived of the help of God. Therefore we fear and fall, and are not even able to stand when any temptation befalls us. For this reason it is necessary and needful for us always to remember and to keep that sovereign command which says, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” And to watch and to pray means nothing else than to know our own weakness and always to call upon the divine help.
For even the foremost Peter, promising that he would die for the Lord, yet because he did not seek the Lord’s help but trusted in the readiness of his spirit, the weakness of his flesh was shown to prevail over the zeal of his spirit. Therefore the Lord, addressing him, said: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak,” and you have need of My help.
Therefore let us also call upon this our Lord Jesus Christ in all our circumstances and needs as our Savior and Redeemer, through the intercessions of today’s wonder-working, most glorious and ever-memorable, and truly Trophy-bearing and all-victorious Martyr George, asking that His will be done also in us, as it is in heaven. So that there may be one and the same mind and disposition toward Him among us earthly men as also among the heavenly angels, and thus His divine word to the Father may be fulfilled in us — the word by which He united us all to God — saying: “That as I and You, Father, are one, they also may be one in Us; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected into one,” that is, into one divine mind.
And if we love Christ, and hold fast to Him, and do not let Him go until we bring Him into the treasury of our heart, as it is written in the Song: “I held Him and would not let Him go until I brought Him into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her who conceived me” — if, I say, we love Him in such a way and make Him dwell within ourselves, then Christ Himself will also work in us that which He said to Abraham: “I will not leave you, nor will I forsake you,” and He will not abandon us to fall into temptation, but will deliver us from the evil one and from every soul-destroying harm and device of his, just as He delivered today’s divinely-minded and much-contending and truly all-glorious Martyr, Saint George.
So that we too may be able to say, rejoicing, that psalmic word: “Our soul has been delivered like a sparrow from the snare of the hunters; the snare is broken, and we are delivered; our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” For all the power of our salvation in time of affliction belongs to none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, the true God and our Savior. Through whom, and with whom, to the co-beginningless Father and to the consubstantial and life-giving Spirit, are due all glory and honor and worship, majesty and magnificence, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Source: Published in the commemorative volume in honor of Saint George, issued by Archimandrite Chrysostomos Papadakis (Protosyngelos of the Sacred Metropolis of Gortyna and Arcadia of Crete), titled: “Of Chrysostomos Papadakis the Cretan: Hymnographical and Encomiastic Works on Saint George the Trophy-bearer, on the completion of 1700 years from his martyrdom (303–2003 A.D.). Edition of the Sacred Metropolis of Limassol. Athens 2003, pp. 672–684.” Translated to English by John Sanidopoulos.
