Saint George
Christian saint and martyr (died 303)
Patron of Places
EnglandGeorgiaEthiopiaPortugalAragonCataloniaCrown of AragonKingdom of AragonMoscowBeirutLvivFerraraCampobassoCáceresFreiburg im BreisgauBračPagLovranPrimoštenSlovenske Konjice
Patron of Causes
soldiersHellenic ArmyImperial Russian ArmyPortuguese NavyBrotherhood of Knights and Infanzones of Saint GeorgeChapter of Knights and Nobles of the City of ZaragozaGrand Serment Royal et de Saint-Georges des Arbalétriers de BruxellesSaint George’s OrderSerment de Saint-Georgescoopers
BornKayseri (275)
DiedLod (303)
CountryAncient Rome
VocationsSoldier, Martyr
Biography
Saint George was born in Cappadocia in Anatolia, to a family that cherished the Christian faith; tradition remembers his mother, Polychronia, as coming from Lydda in the Holy Land. Raised as a believer, George entered the Roman army and rose to serve as a soldier of notable courage. When the Emperor Diocletian unleashed persecution against Christians, George refused to deny Christ. For this steadfast witness he was arrested, cruelly tortured, and finally beheaded at Lydda (Diospolis) in Palestine on April 23, 303. His tomb there became a place of prayer, and devotion to him spread swiftly through the Church, honoring him as a great martyr and a model for all who must choose fidelity over fear.
Through the centuries, Christian imagination also remembered him in the beloved legend of George and the dragon, a sign of Christ’s victory over evil and the saint’s fearless defense of the innocent. He is patron of many places, including Aragon. His feast day is April 23.