Who is patronized by Saint George the Victorious?

On May 6, Orthodox believers celebrate the memory of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, one of the greatest Christian saints of all times and peoples. A young talented military leader, George, having learned about the resumption of persecution of Christians, dismissed the soldiers under his command and confessed himself a follower of the Christian faith before Emperor Diocletian (3rd-4th centuries). For this, he was subjected to inhuman torture, during which Christ the Lord repeatedly demonstrated His power and shamed the pagan persecutors. Beheaded with a sword, Saint George continued to appear to people and help them. The most famous of his posthumous miracles is the defeat with a spear of a monstrous serpent that crawled out of a lake and demanded human sacrifices from the townspeople.

The veneration of Saint George by Christians began soon after his death: in the 4th century in the East, the Holy Land, Syria, Georgia and Asia Minor – and starting in the 5th century in the West. In the Russian lands, his veneration spread along with the baptism of their inhabitants; many of the princes took the Christian name Yuri (George) from the baptismal font. One of these princes was the founder of Moscow, Yuri Dolgoruky; this is why the image of his patron saint – Saint George on horseback, striking the dragon – still adorns the coat of arms of the capital of Russia.

For the Eastern Slavs, as well as for the Southern Slavs, Saint George the Dragon-Slayer is not only the heavenly protector of the Orthodox army, but also the patron of farmers and cattle breeders. For the Greeks, he is, first and foremost, the patron of all people who work on the land: perhaps because the very name George is translated from Greek as "farmer". In the Phanar quarter of Istanbul, the main church of the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople is consecrated in honor and glory of Saint George. Even Muslim Turks revere George the Victorious, known to them by the name of Giurjis. Many of them make a pilgrimage to the monastery named after him, located on the island of Buyukada in the Sea of ​​Marmara. Among the pilgrims, there is a custom of remaining silent until they reach this monastery and worship the shrine.

In England, whose flag bears the St. George's Cross, the veneration of this saint as the country's main patron has been rooted since the time of King Richard the Lionheart. While on the Third Crusade (1189–1192), this king saw a horseman in shining armor leading an army of crusaders and recognized him as St. George. Returning to England, Richard spread the veneration of this saint of God throughout the country. And centuries later, the English, going into battle, filled the battlefield with the battle cry: "Help, St. George!" And St. George's Day was long considered the second most important holiday here after the Nativity of Christ.

There is a whole country on the world map that bears the name of this great saint. It is Georgia, also known as Georgiy or Georgia. Together with the Virgin Mary, Saint George is revered as the heavenly patron of this state. Saint Nina, the enlightener of Georgia, was a relative of Saint George, which the Georgians are rightfully proud of. The first church of Saint George on Georgian soil was built back in 335 on the burial site of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina. To this day, no other saint on the territory of Georgia has had as many churches built to him as Saint George.


In different eras, popular faith attributed certain “competencies” to the saints of God: some were prayed to for protection from foreign invasions, others – for well-being on a journey, and so on. In the popular imagination, St. George the Victorious has such “specializations” like no other. He is the patron of the Christian army and those who work the land. People pray to him for rain and protection from witchcraft. They ask for a safe arrival at the end of the journey and for protection from evil people. They also appeal to him for luck in hunting and for protection from snakes and all kinds of diseases. All this, of course, eloquently testifies to the great love of the people for this wonderful saint in different countries of the world.

V. Sergienko



Prayer to the Great Martyr George the Victorious

Holy, glorious and all-praiseworthy Great Martyr George! The people gathered in your temple and worshipping before your holy icon, we pray to you, the known intercessor of our desires, pray with us and for us to God, who is implored by His compassion, that He may mercifully hear us, asking for His goodness, and not abandon all our necessary petitions for salvation and life, and grant our country victory over the enemy; and again, falling down, we pray to you, holy victorious one: strengthen the Orthodox army in battle with the grace given to you, destroy the forces of the rising enemies, so that they may be ashamed and disgraced, and their insolence may be crushed, and so that they may see that we have Divine help, and to all who are in sorrow and distress, show your most powerful intercession. Pray to the Lord God, the Creator of all creation, to deliver us from eternal torment, that we may glorify the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and confess your intercession now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.