St. George
Feast Day: April 23
You probably know him as the knight who killed the dragon.
He is on flags.
He is in paintings.
He is the patron saint of England, Georgia, soldiers, and Boy Scouts.
But behind the legend is a real man who refused to deny Christ, even when it cost him his life.
St. George, pray for us.
Who Was St. George?
George was a soldier in the Roman army in the late 200s and early 300s.
Ancient tradition says he came from a Christian family in Cappadocia, in what is now Turkey, and that his mother was from Lydda, in the Holy Land.
He rose to a respected position in the army.
The Great Persecution
In A.D. 303, the Emperor Diocletian ordered Christians to be removed from the army and forced to sacrifice to the Roman gods.
According to tradition, George publicly declared that he was a Christian.
He refused to sacrifice.
“I am a servant of Christ, my God, and trusting in Him I have come among you willingly.”
— St. George, traditional account
He was tortured and beheaded at Lydda around A.D. 303.
His tomb there became a place of pilgrimage very early.
Known Only to God
Even in the early Church, the details of George’s life were hard to separate from legend.
In A.D. 494, Pope Gelasius said George was one of those saints “whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God.”
What the Church was certain of was this: George was a real martyr who died for Christ.
The Dragon
The famous dragon story was written down in the Middle Ages, most famously in the Golden Legend in the 1200s.
In it, George rescues a princess from a dragon that was terrorizing a town, and the people convert to Christianity.
It is best understood as a symbol.
The dragon represents evil and the devil.
George, armed with faith, conquers it.
(Revelation describes the devil as “the great dragon,” defeated by Michael and his angels.)
A Saint for Soldiers
Because he was a soldier, George became a patron of soldiers and knights.
Crusaders brought devotion to him back to Europe.
England adopted him as its patron, and his red cross on a white background became part of the English flag.
What St. George Teaches Us
George teaches us that courage means more than physical strength.
His greatest battle was not against a dragon.
It was refusing to deny Christ in front of an emperor.
He reminds us that we all fight battles against evil, and that faith is our strongest armor.
When Is the Feast of St. George?
The Catholic Church celebrates the optional memorial of St. George, Martyr, on April 23.
Prayer Inspired by St. George
Lord Jesus Christ,
St. George faced death rather than deny You.
Give us courage to fight against evil in our lives and in our world.
Protect soldiers and all who serve,
and help us stand firm in faith.
St. George, pray for us. Amen.
