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Saint George
Hello all,
I am new here, but if you don't mind I have a question for you... my church (as well as many others I'm sure) has a painting of Saint George (Merry Mina) slaying a dragon. I don't recall ever hearing this story. Would someone be so kind as to explain?
Thank you.
I am new here, but if you don't mind I have a question for you... my church (as well as many others I'm sure) has a painting of Saint George (Merry Mina) slaying a dragon. I don't recall ever hearing this story. Would someone be so kind as to explain?
Thank you.
Comments
The picture which depicts Saint George (Mari Girguis) slaying the dragon was to depict the part of his life when he killed the dragon. This part of his life is more of a legend. We don't really know if he did kill a dragon but there are records, I think British, that document him slaying this dragon. This quote from the Book of Saints Part I about Mari Girguis says, "According to the English Legenda Aurea: George was riding one day in the province of Lybia, and there he came upon a city called Sylene, near which was a marshy swamp. In this lived a dragon (perhaps a large crocodile)which 'envenomed' the whole country. To prevent it from coming nearer, the people supplied it every day with two sheep, but when the sheep grew scarce, a human victim had to be substituted. This victim had to be chosen by a lot, and the lot just then had fallen on the king's own daughter. No one was willing to take her place, and the girl had gone forth dressed as a bride to meet her groom. Then Saint George, coming to the scene, attacked the dragon and transfixed it with his lance. Then he borrowed the girl's girdle, fastened it around the beast's neck, and lead the monster captive into the city. The people in terror were about to run away, but George told them to have no fear. If they believe in Jesus Christ, He is able to deliver them from all peril." If you read the story about Prince Theodore Stratelates (Amir Tadros el Shatebi) you will notice that a very similar story happens with him also.
Please pray for me always,
Believer in God
Forever,
Coptic Servent
Hello all,
I apologize, I originally asked this question in the wrong forum...
I am new here, but if you don't mind I have a question for you... my church (as well as many others I'm sure) has a painting of Saint George (Merry Mina) slaying a dragon. I don't recall ever hearing this story. Would someone be so kind as to explain?
Thank you.
From what I've heard (though I might be wrong) the slaying of the dragon symbolises how he defeated the devil by his martyrdom.
I've also heard it symbolises Emperor Dioclesian who killed him.
2) The title is "Mar" not "Merry"; it means "lord".
3) As Believer in God stated, the story regarding St George actually slaying a dragon/crocodile are most probably legends originating in the West during the Middle Ages. The Coptic Synaxarium certainly says nothing about this alleged event.
4) As Orthodox11 suggested, the dragon may be interpreted symbolically as representing Satan. This is the interpretation proposed by His Grace Bishop Daniel in his book The Spirituality of Icons.
5) As Orthodox11 also suggested, the dragon may be interpreted symbolically as representing the Emperor Diocletion. In fact some Syrian Orthodox icons of St George portray him slaying a human figure who represents Diocletion:
*also where did u get this picture i have never seen this version of the picture of St George?
*also in the more common picture of St George there is a lady in the background is that the 'bride' that was referred to earlier??
Thanx
Kristina123
after close examination i just noticed a hand from the sky touching the halo of St George - please explain (i thinkj it might be God??)
Kristina123
*...in the more common picture of St George there is a lady in the background is that the 'bride' that was referred to earlier??
As established above, a literal interpretation of this lady in the background is only plausible within the context of this legendary story that was later attributed to St. George (which is hence, according to its late addition, and negligible attestation within Orthodox Tradition, most likely not true). Since the most plausible and widely accepted approach to this icon involves a metpahorical interpretation of its element (e.g. the dragon taken to represent satan/diocletian), then we shall proceed along that direction.
Thus, the lady/bride in the background represents the Church, which is in fact the Mother of believers, and the Bride of Christ. The implication is that the Church observes and mourns for her faithful flock who suffer and even die for her sake. Well i'm going to make an educated guess and say that this figure (who is most likely a Bishop rather than a priest) represents the Church by virtue of the fact clergy are figures of authority within the Church and hence represent the Church. This Syrian icon seems to be more literal in its message. For example, instead of depicting Diocletian as a dragon, it just depicts him as a human being. It could thus be argued that instead of depicting the Church as a bride, the iconographer chose to depict the Church according to a literal representative of the Church i.e. Bishop. To be honest I do not know anything about the source other than that its an icon of the Syrian Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Antioch. I have folders and folders of icons of Saints, and I usually try and store as much information about the icons I have; unfortunately all that I have said concerning this particular icon is all I have already stated for now.