Saint George and the Dragon

Saint George (275/281 - April 23, 303 AD) was a soldier in the Roman army later venerated as a Christian martyr. He is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The episode of St. George and the Dragon was a legend brought back with the Crusaders. A dragon makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of Silene. The citizens need the dragon to move from its nest to collect water. Each day they offer the dragon a sheep, When no more sheep can be found, they offer a maiden. The victim is chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happens to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life to be spared, but to no avail. She is offered to the dragon, but there appears Saint George 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. In the year 302, Diocletian issued an edict that every Christian soldier in the army should be arrested. George proclaimed himself to be a Christian, declared his worship of Jesus Christ, and was executed for his refusal to worship the Roman gods. Before the execution George gave his wealth to the poor and prepared himself. After various torture sessions, including laceration on a wheel of swords in which he was resuscitated three times, he was executed by decapitation. Woodcut frontispiece of Alexander Barclay, Lyfe of Seynt George

Picture No

12698395

Media ID

48540268

Size

3600px x 4048px (4.6MB)

Credit

Science Source/Mary Evans