became one of its outstanding officers.
St. George is called the first martyr under Diocletian.
One day as he was riding his home in the streets of the city
of Alexandria, he saw a posted proclamation denouncing the
Christian religion and its adherents. With great anger and no
fear, he tore it down. Henceforth he scorned office and all
worldly things, and prepared to defend the faith. So he
distributed his wealth, freed his slaves and went to the court.
There he spoke to the king and chiefs saying, ‘How, O king
and chiefs, do you dare make such a proclamation against the
religion of the Christ, the true religion?’ When asked how he
dared to speak thus, he answered boldly, ‘I am a Christian
and come to witness to the truth’. Refusing to retract this
statement and to worship the king's idols, he was subjected
to the severest tortures, for the space of seven years. Given
strength to endure them all, he was finally beheaded, and
thus received the crown of martyrdom. He was buried in
Lydda, his mother's homeland, but tradition says that his
relics were brought to Egypt during the days of Abba
Ghabrial, the 57th Pope of the Coptic Church (about A.D.
900).
The churches that have been built in the name of St.
George in all parts of Egypt are innumerable. One of the
oldest of them is in a small town called "Meetdamsis" in the
province of Daqahliya in the Nile Delta. Once a year
thousands of Copts and many Muslims as well visit this town
to participate in the religious services and festivities held in
honour of the saint; and to pay their debts of gratitude and
fulfil their vows for the blessings of healing, deliverance or
succour bestowed upon them through the intercession of the
saint. To this day countless are the miracles that are
wrought by God Almighty and in the lives of those who have
appealed to Him through the name of St. George – so much
so that one of the descriptions by which he is popularly
elle
(Elle)
#1