Saint George

The life of St. George

The existence of St. George is historically not one hundred percent proven. It is assumed that St. George (Latin Georgius) was born in the 3rd century and lived in Cappadocia. On April 23, 303 he was murdered because of his faith during the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian. The places of death could be Lydda, Nicomedia or Palestine. The oldest source reporting about George comes from the church father Eusebius from the 4th century. Eusebius mentions George's death as a martyr and also mentions the date of his death. Due to the unclear source situation, George was removed from the Roman general calendar in 1969. In 1975 the saint was reinserted.

The Legend

The less secure the information about the life of St. George is, the more fascinating are the legends that entwine themselves around the story of the martyr. In the Asia Minor region, the first legends were formed soon after the death of George. These were about the cruel end of the saint. The unshakeable faith in Christ is said to have helped George to overcome his incredible suffering in martyrdom.

Today Georg is known to many people as a dragon slayer. This legend dates back to the 12th century and is always told in connection with the crusades. It is very similar to the stories of knights that were widely spread in the Middle Ages. It is said that George of Cappadocia saved the life of a virgin king's daughter by killing a dragon. The country, which is said to have suffered under the cruel rule of the dragon, was freed by his death. From then on, the inhabitants were able to live in peace and were baptized in the Christian faith. The legend of St. George was and is told in different variations and is processed in literature. One variant even reports that a dragon could be killed with the help of a relic of the saint.

When the crusaders conquered Jerusalem, they are said to have received unexpected help from George: The saint appeared to them as a white knight and led the crusaders to victory. George's tomb in Diospolis (formerly Lydda) quickly became the center of George's worship in the Orient. Relics of George are said to be found in various places around the world, which is why there are several centers of George worship.

St. George as patron saint

Various countries and royal houses declared St. George as their patron saint. He was considered the personal patron saint of Richard the Lionheart and was even declared the patron saint of the English kingdom. St. George is one of the 14 patron saints and is still venerated by catholic believers today. The cross of George is still part of many coats of arms and flags. It is a red cross that is visible from afar on its white background.

Customs

The Georgstag, the 23rd of April, plays an important role especially for farmers and is mentioned in numerous peasant rules. So this date is important, because after April 23rd, the fields should not be entered in order not to endanger the harvest. If St. George is sighted on his mold, the year should be good.

Who would like to buy a wood carving showing St. George will surely find an appealing figure made of wood here in the store. A statue of St. George basically fits in many places and also provides joy because of the interesting representation with the legendary dragon.