Yegory the Brave (George the Victorious): life, veneration

Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, he is Yegory (Yuri) Brave - one of the most revered saints in Christianity: in his honor temples and churches were erected, legends and legends were composed, icons were written. The Muslims called it Girgis al Khidr, the messenger of the prophet Isa, and the farmers, herdsmen and warriors considered him their patron. The name "George" was taken at the baptism by Yaroslav the Wise and Yury Dolgoruky, the emblem of the capital of Russia depicts Yegory the Victorious and the most honorable award - the St. George Cross - is also named in his honor.

The Origin of the Saint

The son of Theodore and Sophia (Greek version: Gerontius and Polychronia), Yegory the Brave was born in 278 (according to another version in 281) in the family of Christians living in Cappadocia, a territory located in the territory of Asia Minor. According to the ancient legends of Byzantium, Ancient Rus and Germany, Father George is Feodor Stratilat (Stratilon), while his biography is very similar to that of his son.

When Feodor died, Yegory and his mother moved to Palestine Syria, to the city of Liddu: there they had rich estates and estates. The guy joined the service to Diocletian, who then ruled. Thanks to his skills and abilities, remarkable strength and masculinity, Yegoriy quickly became one of the best commanders and received the nickname of the Brave.

Death for the sake of faith

The emperor was known as a hater of Christianity, brutally punishing all who dared to go against paganism, and having learned that George was a devout follower of Christ, he tried to force him to renounce his faith by various methods. Having suffered multiple defeat, Diocletian in the Senate announced a law that gives all "warriors for true faith" complete freedom of action, up to the murder of infidels (that is, Christians).

At the same time, Sofia died, and Yegory the Brave, having distributed all his rich inheritance and property to homeless people, came to the palace of the emperor and openly recognized himself as a Christian once again. He was seized, subjected to many days of torture, during which the Victorious repeatedly manifested the power of the Lord, recovering from the deadly wounds. At one of these moments, the wife of Emperor Alexander also believed in Christ, the more hardened Diocletian's heart: he ordered to cut off George's head.

It was 303 year of our era. A brave young man, who exposed the darkness of paganism and fell to the glory of the Lord, was not yet 30 years old at the time.

St. George

Already since the fourth century in various countries began to build the churches of St. George, raising his prayers as a defender and glorifying in legends, songs and bylinas. In Russia Yaroslav the Wise appointed November 26 the feast of St. George: on this day he was offered gratitude and praise, talking amulets for luck and invulnerability in battles. Egorii was asked to heal, to be lucky on hunting and good harvest, most warriors considered him their patron.

The head and sword of Yegory the Brave are stored in San Georgia in Velor, under the main altar, and his right hand (part of the arm to the elbow) in the monastery of Xenophon in Greece, on the sacred Mount Athos.

Day of Remembrance

April 23 (May 6, according to a new style) is the day of St. George the Victorious. According to legend, on this day he was beheaded. Another day is called "Yegory Veshny" (spring): on this day the herdsmen for the first time released livestock to pastures, collected medicinal herbs and performed bathing rites in "healing Yuryevskaya dew", which protected from seven diseases.

This day was considered symbolic and divided the year into two half-year (together with Dmitriev's day). There were many signs and sayings about St. George's Day, or the day of the Earth's Disengagement, as it was also called.

The second holiday of veneration of Egor Khrabry was on November 26 (December 9 according to a new style) and was called Yegory Osenny, or Cold. It was believed that on this day St. George released wolves to the will, which could damage the cattle, so they tried to arrange the animals for a winter stall. On this day, the saint was prayed for protection from the wolves, calling him "wolf shepherd".

In Georgia, on April 23 and November 10, every year Giorgob is celebrated - the days of St. George, the patron of Georgia (there is an opinion that the country was named after the great saint Georg: Georgia-Georgia).

Honoring in other countries

In many countries of the world, George the Victorious is one of the main saints and defenders:

• Georgia: Egoriy is the most revered saint in this country, along with Nina the Enlightener, who is considered his cousin. The first church in Georgia for the glory of St. George was laid exactly in the year of the death of Nina, the apostle in 335, and the St. George Cross is placed on the state flag. In the days of St. George in the country the official day off.
• England: in this country, Saint George (George) is also the main patron of the country. In one of the Crusades, the Victorious appeared before a meaningful battle and thus helped them win the battle. It was from those times that Saint George is revered throughout the country. On the day of celebration - April 23, there are mass festivities, fairs and church processions. The English national flag is also the St. George cross.
• In the Arab countries, Giorgia is considered the first non-Quranic saint. He is sent prayers during droughts.
• Usgergi (Uastygdi) is the name of Yegory the Brave in Ossetia, where he is considered to be the patron of men (women are even forbidden to give his name). Holidays in his honor last a whole week, starting on the third Sunday of November.

George the Victorious is highly esteemed in many countries of Europe, and in each his name is transformed in connection with the tradition of the language: Dozhrut, Jerzy, George, George, York, Egor, Yuri, Jiri.

Mention in the folk epic

Traditions about the deeds of the saint are widespread not only in the Christian world, but also among people of other beliefs. Each religion changed little facts, but the essence remained unchanged: Saint Yuri was a brave, courageous and just defender and a true believer who died for faith, but did not change his spirit.

In the tale of Yegory the Brave (another name, "The Miracle of the Serpent") tells how a brave youth saved a young daughter of the ruler of the city, who was sent to the slaughter of a monster from the lake with a terrible stench. The serpent terrorized the residents of the nearby settlement, demanding children to be eaten, and no one could defeat him until George appeared. He cried to the Lord, and with the help of prayers he immobilized the beast. Using the belt of the rescued girl as a leash, Egorius led the serpent into the city and, in front of all the inhabitants, killed him and trampled him with his horse.

"Bylina about the brave Egorii" was written by Peter Kireevsky in the middle of the nineteenth century from the words of the old-timers. It tells about the birth, the maturation of Yuri and the campaign against Busurman, Demjanischa, who trampled down the glory of the Lord. Bylina very accurately conveys the events of the last eight days of the great saint, describing in detail the tortures and tortures that Egorii suffered, and how each time his angels resurrected.

"Miracle of the Saracens"

A very popular tradition among Muslims and Arabs: it tells about the Arab who wanted to express his disrespect to Christian shrines and shot from the bow in the icon of St. George. The hands of the Saracen swelled and lost sensitivity, he was blown away by the heat, he called to the priest from this temple with requests for help and remorse. The minister advised him to hang the insulted icon over his bed, go to bed, and in the morning to smear his hands with oil from the lamp, which was to burn all night at this icon. The scared Arab did it. He was so impressed by the healing that he accepted Christianity and began to praise the glory of the Lord in his country.

Temples for the glory of the saint

The first church of St. George the Victorious was built in Kiev in the 11th century by Yaroslav the Wise, at the end of the 12th century the Kurmukh Church (St. George's Church) was laid in Georgia. In Ethiopia, there is an unusual temple in honor of this saint: he was cut from the rock in the form of a Greek cross in the 12th century by a local ruler. The shrine goes to the earth for 12 meters, diverging in width to the same distance.

Five kilometers from Veliky Novgorod is the St.Juris Monastery, which was also laid by Yaroslav the Wise.

The Russian Orthodox monastery in Moscow arose on the basis of the small church of St. George and became the family clan of the Romanov family. Balaklava in the Crimea, Lozhevskaya in Bulgaria, a temple on the Pskov mountain and thousands of others - all this was built for the glory of the great martyr.

Symbols of the most famous image

Among the icon painters, Yegory and his exploits enjoyed interest and popularity: he was often portrayed as a fragile young man on a white horse with a long spear, striking the dragon (serpent). The meaning of the icon of St. George is very symbolic for Christianity: the serpent is a symbol of paganism, lowlands and meanness, it is important not to be confused with the dragon - this creature has four paws, and the serpent has only two - as a result, he always crawls with his belly on the ground (a plazun, a reptile - a symbol of meanness and lies in ancient beliefs). Yegoriy is portrayed with a young clergyman (as a symbol only for the emerging Christianity), his horse is also light and airy, and very often depicted Christ or his right hand. This also had its own meaning: George did not win, but thanks to the power of the Lord.

The significance of the icon of St. George the Victorious is somewhat different: the saint is often portrayed as a well-built strong man with a thick spear and a powerful horse-a more mundane interpretation of the heroic deed of a warrior standing on the protection of righteous people.