Bulgarian icon | Saint Great Martyr George | 24757

Bulgarian icon | Saint Great Martyr George | 24757.

Depicted as a valiant soldier, the Great Martyr Saint George, whose feast day falls on April 23, is revered for his heroic deeds.

Legend tells of a dreadful dragon terrorizing a city, threatening its destruction with its venomous breath unless it received human sacrifices. The chilling decision of selecting victims was made by drawing lots, and fate cruelly fell on the king’s own daughter.

The princess was led to the lake, the lair of the beast. But just as the dragon was about to claim her, a knight from Cappadocia, George, arrived in the nick of time. With a mighty swing of his lance, marked with the sign of the cross, he wounded the dragon. He then commanded the princess to lead the weakened dragon through the city using her belt as a leash.

The sight of the dragon caused panic among the citizens, who were prepared to flee. George, however, offered them salvation. He vowed to slay the dragon if the people would embrace Christianity. With their agreement, Saint George fulfilled his promise, vanquishing the dragon. The entire city, king included, were baptized into the Christian faith.

In the top-right corner of this visual representation, the hand of Christ can be seen bestowing a blessing. On the top left, an angel places the crown of martyrdom upon Saint George. This icon does more than just illustrate a story; it embodies the triumph of faith over fear, the conversion of a city, and the sanctity of Saint George.

Source: Bulgarian icon | Saint Great Martyr George | 24757 © Ikonen Mautner. Typing errors, other errors or changes reserved. For more information: “Das Synaxarion. Die Leben der Heiligen der Orthodoxen Kirche.” (http://www.prodromos-verlag.de/buecher.html) and Joachim Schäfer: Das Ökumenische Heiligenlexikon – https://www.heiligenlexikon.de