Our Patron Saint
Beloved in Christ,
On April 30th and May 1st we will celebrate the feast of the patron saint of our church. The feast of St George is celebrated globally by most Christian denominations such as the Byzantines, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental orthodox, Catholics, Anglicans, East Syrians, Monophysites, Lutherans, etc. Saint George is known as Georgios in Greek and Latin; Geevarghese in Malayalam. He lived in the third century and, according to legend, was a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a Christian Martyr. He was martyred under the Emperor Diocletian in 303. His parents were Christians of Greek background. His father, Gerontius, was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother, Polychronia, was from Lydda in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina (Palestine). The name ‘George’ means ‘worker of the land’ (farmer). His memorial, Saint George's Day, is traditionally celebrated in the Julian Calendar on the 23rd of April and the 6th of May in the Gregorian Calendar. Many countries, cities, professions and organizations claim Saint George as their patron.
George served as a soldier under the Emperor Diocletian. He was promoted to the rank of tribune and stationed as an imperial guard of the Emperor in Nicomedia. In 303 Diocletian issued an edict that every Christian soldier in the army should be arrested and every other soldier should offer sacrifice to the Roman gods. George refused to comply with the imperial edict and with Christian fortitude confronted the Emperor with his refusal. Diocletian was upset but did not want to lose his best tribune and the son of his official, Gerontius. But George publically renounced the Emperor's edict and in front of his fellow soldiers and officers he declared himself to be a Christian. Diocletian attempted to persuade George, even offering him gifts of land, money, and slaves if he made a sacrifice to the Roman gods. George refused all offers. Recognizing the futility of his efforts and insisting on upholding his edict, Diocletian ordered that George be executed for his refusal. Before the execution George gave his wealth to the poor and prepared himself to meet his Savior, Jesus Christ. After various forms of torture, including laceration on a wheel of swords during which he was resuscitated three times, George was executed by decapitation before Nicomedia's city wall, on the 23rd of April 303. The Empress Alexandra was converted to Christianity by a witness of his martyrdom. His body was returned to Lydda for burial where Christians soon came to honor him as a martyr. Eastern Orthodox depictions of Saint George slaying a dragon in Beirut often include the image of a young woman who looks on from a distance. The standard iconographic interpretation of this icon is that the dragon represents Satan (Rev. 12:9) and the young woman is the wife of Diocletian, Alexandra.
Saint George had been depicted as a soldier since the seventh century. The earliest known surviving narrative is an 11th century Georgian text. The Western version, which developed as part of the Golden Legend, a dragon or crocodile makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of ‘Silene’ perhaps modern Cyrene in Libya. Consequently, the citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its lair in order to fetch water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon at first a sheep, and if no sheep can be found, then a maiden is the best substitute for one. The victim is chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happened to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life to be spared, but to no avail. She is offered to the dragon, but then Saint George appears on his travels. He faces the dragon, protects himself with the sign of the Cross, slays the dragon, and rescues the princess. The citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity.
Veneration as a Martyr
A church built in Lydda during the reign of Constantine was consecrated to "a man of the highest distinction", according to the church history of Eusebius of Caesarea; the name of the patron was not disclosed, but later he was asserted to have been George. During the fourth century the veneration of George spread from Palestine through Lebanon to the rest of the Eastern Roman Empire – though the martyr is not mentioned in the Syriac Breviarium. By the fifth century, the veneration of Saint George had reached the Christian Western Roman Empire, as well. In 494 George was canonized as a saint by Pope Gelasius I and placed among those "whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to [God]."
St. George is venerated as a saint of the farmers as he identifies with them by his name. He is the saint of soldiers as he was a soldier of his time. He carried the Cross and shield to face the ‘Diabalus’ by killing the dragon. ‘By that sign he became victorious’. He proclaimed his faith to the emperor and his fellow soldiers and willingly accepted martyrdom for his Savior. For the Keralites he is Geevarghese Sahada. He gave up all his belongings to the poor before his martyrdom and became a saint for the poor and needy. So my brothers and sisters, let us pray together for the mediation of our patron Saint George (Gee Varghese Sahada) and for God’s grace through the mediation of all saints. May the prayers of Geevarghese Sahada be a shield and protection for our church and our community and the land we live in.
Yours in Christ
Alakot Achen
On April 30th and May 1st we will celebrate the feast of the patron saint of our church. The feast of St George is celebrated globally by most Christian denominations such as the Byzantines, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental orthodox, Catholics, Anglicans, East Syrians, Monophysites, Lutherans, etc. Saint George is known as Georgios in Greek and Latin; Geevarghese in Malayalam. He lived in the third century and, according to legend, was a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a Christian Martyr. He was martyred under the Emperor Diocletian in 303. His parents were Christians of Greek background. His father, Gerontius, was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother, Polychronia, was from Lydda in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina (Palestine). The name ‘George’ means ‘worker of the land’ (farmer). His memorial, Saint George's Day, is traditionally celebrated in the Julian Calendar on the 23rd of April and the 6th of May in the Gregorian Calendar. Many countries, cities, professions and organizations claim Saint George as their patron.
George served as a soldier under the Emperor Diocletian. He was promoted to the rank of tribune and stationed as an imperial guard of the Emperor in Nicomedia. In 303 Diocletian issued an edict that every Christian soldier in the army should be arrested and every other soldier should offer sacrifice to the Roman gods. George refused to comply with the imperial edict and with Christian fortitude confronted the Emperor with his refusal. Diocletian was upset but did not want to lose his best tribune and the son of his official, Gerontius. But George publically renounced the Emperor's edict and in front of his fellow soldiers and officers he declared himself to be a Christian. Diocletian attempted to persuade George, even offering him gifts of land, money, and slaves if he made a sacrifice to the Roman gods. George refused all offers. Recognizing the futility of his efforts and insisting on upholding his edict, Diocletian ordered that George be executed for his refusal. Before the execution George gave his wealth to the poor and prepared himself to meet his Savior, Jesus Christ. After various forms of torture, including laceration on a wheel of swords during which he was resuscitated three times, George was executed by decapitation before Nicomedia's city wall, on the 23rd of April 303. The Empress Alexandra was converted to Christianity by a witness of his martyrdom. His body was returned to Lydda for burial where Christians soon came to honor him as a martyr. Eastern Orthodox depictions of Saint George slaying a dragon in Beirut often include the image of a young woman who looks on from a distance. The standard iconographic interpretation of this icon is that the dragon represents Satan (Rev. 12:9) and the young woman is the wife of Diocletian, Alexandra.
Saint George had been depicted as a soldier since the seventh century. The earliest known surviving narrative is an 11th century Georgian text. The Western version, which developed as part of the Golden Legend, a dragon or crocodile makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of ‘Silene’ perhaps modern Cyrene in Libya. Consequently, the citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its lair in order to fetch water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon at first a sheep, and if no sheep can be found, then a maiden is the best substitute for one. The victim is chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happened to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life to be spared, but to no avail. She is offered to the dragon, but then Saint George appears on his travels. He faces the dragon, protects himself with the sign of the Cross, slays the dragon, and rescues the princess. The citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity.
Veneration as a Martyr
A church built in Lydda during the reign of Constantine was consecrated to "a man of the highest distinction", according to the church history of Eusebius of Caesarea; the name of the patron was not disclosed, but later he was asserted to have been George. During the fourth century the veneration of George spread from Palestine through Lebanon to the rest of the Eastern Roman Empire – though the martyr is not mentioned in the Syriac Breviarium. By the fifth century, the veneration of Saint George had reached the Christian Western Roman Empire, as well. In 494 George was canonized as a saint by Pope Gelasius I and placed among those "whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to [God]."
St. George is venerated as a saint of the farmers as he identifies with them by his name. He is the saint of soldiers as he was a soldier of his time. He carried the Cross and shield to face the ‘Diabalus’ by killing the dragon. ‘By that sign he became victorious’. He proclaimed his faith to the emperor and his fellow soldiers and willingly accepted martyrdom for his Savior. For the Keralites he is Geevarghese Sahada. He gave up all his belongings to the poor before his martyrdom and became a saint for the poor and needy. So my brothers and sisters, let us pray together for the mediation of our patron Saint George (Gee Varghese Sahada) and for God’s grace through the mediation of all saints. May the prayers of Geevarghese Sahada be a shield and protection for our church and our community and the land we live in.
Yours in Christ
Alakot Achen