George Prince of the Martyrs
On the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St George Prince of the Martyrs.
George was born in Cappadocia to Anastasius and Theobaste, his father and mother respectively, George later became known as Prince of the Martyrs. After his father died when George was 20 years old, he went to Emperor Diocletian to take over his father's position. He found that the Emperor had apostatized the faith and ordered the worship of idols. George was sorrowful, and he gave all his wealth to the poor and needy, and set free his slaves.
When he saw the Emperor’s edict against the Christians, he became enraged and tore it. They took George before the Emperor, and he cried in their midst saying, "for how long you shall pour your anger against the innocent Christians, and force those who know the true faith to adopt the faith that you are in doubt of because it is fraudulent? So, either you believe in this true faith, or at least do not disturb with foolishness those who are steadfast in it." The Emperor asked Mephnanius, one of his ministers, to pacify and persuade George. He asked him, "who taught you to be daring like this?" The Saint answered, "it is the truth," then started to explain it to him. The Emperor interrupted, reminding George of the ranks the Emperor bestowed on him, and promised George with more if he denied his Christ. George refused with conviction, and accordingly, the Emperor tortured him severely. The Lord, however, strengthened George and healed all his wounds.
The Emperor became weary of torturing George, so he opted to utilize a magician. The magician, named Athanasius, gave the Saint a cup full of poison to drink. George made the sign of the cross over the cup, then drank it. When no harm came upon him, the magician believed in the Lord Christ and received the crown of martyrdom. The Emperor became enraged and ordered George to be squeezed until he delivered up his soul. The Emperor then cast George’s body outside the city.
The Lord Christ raised him up, and the Saint returned to the city. When the people saw him, 3,700 believed. The Emperor ordered their heads be cut off, and they all received the crown of martyrdom.
When George stood before Emperor Diocletian, along with seventy kings that were sitting around him, they said to the Saint, "make these chairs that we are sitting on to put forth leaves, and bear fruit." The Saint prayed to the Lord Christ, the Lord accepted his supplication, and the chairs put forth leaves and bore fruit.
They also took George to a cemetery and asked him to raise the dead therein. He prayed to the Lord Christ. The Lord raised the dead, and after they talked to them, they returned to their graves and died.
And on another occasion, a poor woman brought her son to George. Her son was was blind, deaf and dumb. St. George, prayed to the Lord Christ, then made the sign of the cross over him, and he was healed right away.
Diocletian continued torturing George until he grew weary and bored. He gradually became pleasant to the Saint, and eventually promised to give George his daughter in marriage if he would offer the incense to his gods. George pretended to accept his offer, and the Emperor rejoiced and brought him into the royal palace. While St. George was praying the Psalms, the Empress heard him and asked him to explain to her what he had said. George began to interpret to her all the events from the creation of the world to the Incarnation of the Lord Christ. His words entered her heart, and she believed in the Lord Christ, to Whom is the Glory.
The Emperor ordered all the men of the city to gather and see George offer incense to the Emperor's gods. When a multitude gathered by the idols, George stood and cried at the idols in the Name of the Lord Christ the Savior of the world. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed all the idols. The Emperor, and all those who were with him,...