Encomium to the Holy Great Martyr of Christ George the Trophy-Bearer (St. Andrew of Crete)

Introduction

The present encomiastic discourse to Saint George has a particular characteristic. Saint Andrew, astonished before the martyrdom of Saint George, praises him with wondrous words, making an effort to bring forth the greatness of the Saint’s soul. Yet, unintentionally, he also allows his own spiritual wealth to be revealed. Then follows Saint Nikodemos who, out of love for his neighbor, in order to offer pure evangelical nourishment, renders into the language of his time the discourse of Saint Andrew. This rendering, however, is also imbued with his own holiness. He gives to the text a new pulse, a new vitality, without setting aside either the Saint being praised, or Saint Andrew who composed the encomium. Thus, we have three persons gathered together around one axis: the person of Christ. And the word of the Lord, that “for where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in their midst” (Matt. 18:20), demonstrates the particular grace of this text. It is a marvelous introduction into the communion of the Saints, where all things tend and move around Christ, where every sanctified mind, animated by the spirited tone and inflamed by the highest desire, becomes wholly an eye, delighting in the glory of the person of Christ. All the words of this encomium both lead to, and are guided by, the host of the communion of love, this “most singular” Word. Christ, attended by the Great Martyr George, Saint Andrew, and Saint Nikodemos, calls us to the banquet of His Kingdom. The present edition of the text aims at imparting the taste of this communion of the Saints.

The Icon of the Resurrection of Christ (Photios Kontoglou)

The Icon of the Resurrection of Christ 

By Photios Kontoglou

In Orthodox iconography, the type of the icon of the Resurrection is the one upon which the image of this book cover was made, and it bears the title “Resurrection” or “The Descent into Hades.” In the center is depicted Christ, of greater stature than the other figures, within a radiant “glory.” With forceful movement He steps upon the shattered gates of Hades, which opens beneath His feet like a dark cave, strewn with locks, keys, and broken bars. With His right hand He pulls Adam, and with His left Eve, drawing them out of the tombs. On His hands and feet are visible the marks of the nails.

On the right and left surrounding their Redeemer and standing in amazement are the “righteous,” that is, those who were pleasing to God from the foundation of the world until the Incarnation of Christ: Enoch, Noah, Moses, Elijah, David, Solomon, and the others. First on the right appears Saint John the Forerunner, because, after he proclaimed beforehand to the world the coming of the Lord, he was beheaded and descended into Hades in order to announce also to “those bound from ages past” that the Redeemer would descend to free them from the bonds of Hades, “and as a forerunner to the faithful in Hades.”

Venerable Elizabeth the Wonderworker in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

The Venerable Elizabeth the Wonderworker becomes especially relevant in our time, chiefly because her entire life was — and continues by grace to be — an extraordinary presence of compassion toward the world. Especially today, when a large number of our fellow human beings live in sorrow and distress due to the many problems of daily life, the Venerable one comes as a foremost protector of those in affliction, to grant that grace which helps overcome sorrow and attain true joy. The Holy Hymnographer of our Church records this clearly from the very beginning of the hymns dedicated to her: “You received the grace to drive away the illnesses of souls and bodies, Venerable Mother, to expel evil spirits by the Holy Spirit, and to be the protector of all those in afflictions” (Vespers Sticheron).

Her entire life was a conscious effort to share in the suffering of her fellow human beings — that is, to live the true and genuine love brought by the Lord Jesus Christ. And this means, of course, that she struggled to remain firmly upon the rock of the Orthodox faith, since true love toward God and neighbor is known to be the most excellent flower of the right Orthodox faith. Faith and love are two sides of the same coin, and whoever thinks he can have one without the other is gravely mistaken. “You practiced compassion, Orthodox faith, and love toward the Lord and your neighbor, O Venerable one blessed by God, therefore the divine grace of the Spirit rested in you, Mother Elizabeth” (Vespers Sticheron).

Chapel of Venerable Elizabeth in Agios Amvrosios of Cyprus

In the village of Agios Amvrosios in Limmasol, Cyprus, there is preserved a very old medieval chapel with distinctive frescoes. This chapel is dedicated to the Venerable Elizabeth the Wonderworker and is considered a priceless jewel of the village.

The church has a unique architectural style and is situated in a secluded yet peaceful setting. In addition, the entire structure is protected by the Department of Antiquities.

Synaxarion of Venerable Elizabeth the Wonderworker

On the same day of the month (April 24th), we commemorate our Venerable Mother Elizabeth the Wonderworker.

Verses

Elizabeth, leaving the earth, O Word of God,
as a pure bride beholds You, the fair Bridegroom.
On the twenty-fourth Elizabeth departed to heaven.

This Venerable Elizabeth, from a young age, entered into ascetic struggles; therefore she received from the Lord the grace of healing, and she healed various sufferings and illnesses. Her birth was revealed from above by divine revelation, and it was foretold by God that she would become a chosen vessel.

The blessed one wore only a single garment, and because of this she endured hardship from the cold and frost of winter. She never washed her body with water. She spent forty days fasting. For three years she kept her mind entirely fixed on God, and with her bodily eyes she did not look at all upon the beauty and vastness of the sky. By her prayer she put to death a poisonous and very large serpent. For many years she did not taste oil. She did not wear shoes on her feet.

Prologue in Sermons: April 24

 

On Attending the Church of God

April 24

(A discourse of Saint John Chrysostom, that Christians ought to leave their work and go to church when the time comes.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

Many Christians are very negligent in attending the church of God, and in many churches, even on feast days, the church bell resounds as though in some wilderness, and the churches themselves remain empty. Because of this, we have resolved today to offer the following word from Saint Chrysostom to such negligent people. If they do not listen to us, then let them at least listen to the universal teacher.

Homily Three on the Holy Great Martyr George (Archimandrite George Kapsanis)

By Archimandrite George Kapsanis,
Former Abbot of Gregoriou Monastery on Mount Athos

Both in earlier times and in recent times, people, out of love for someone dear to them, have not hesitated to perform a heroic act — even to sacrifice their own life. But there is no other example of “laying down one’s life” (cf. John 15:13) not only for one’s friends but also for one’s enemies, and even for those who crucified Him, except the example of our Lord. For the Lord was sacrificed on the Cross not only for the sake of His friends and His disciples and those who loved Him, but also for the sake of His enemies and those who crucified Him. And here the greatness of the love of God is revealed. And it is this love of God that conquered death. And Life could not remain in the tomb, but rose and became life and incorruption for the whole world.

Thus, those who follow the God-man Lord, like the Holy Great Martyr George, whose memory we celebrate today, also, in their love for God and for man, for the Crucified and Risen Lord, offer their lives. And outwardly it appears that the world and the devil prevail, because, according to human judgment, the end for the Holy Martyrs is painful and without hope. But the Holy Martyrs, because they had within themselves the Risen Lord and the love of God, saw beyond the veil of the flesh.

The Depiction of Saint George the Trophy-Bearer in Iconography (Photios Kontoglou)

 

“Saint George the Trophy-bearer,” portable icon, 1951. It is included among a series of portable icons that Kontoglou sent to America, after consultation with Father Nicholas Trivelas, for the iconography of the Sacred Church of the Holy Trinity in Charleston, South Carolina.

By Photios Kontoglou

Saint George the Trophy-bearer: young, beardless, curly-haired, with thick hair flowing at the sides. He is usually depicted on horseback, upon a white horse, armed, piercing with his spear a green dragon that has its lair within a cave. On the left side there appears a castle upon a rock, and within it the king and the queen, with trumpeters, soldiers, and people. Below the fortress and outside the gate stands the princess, whom the Saint saved from the teeth of the dragon, according to the popular story.

Saint George is also painted on foot, clothed in a breastplate and holding a spear and shield. Sometimes he is depicted seated upon a throne. More rarely he is painted holding his severed head and praying, as is seen in a wall painting of the Monastery of Xenophontos on Mount Athos.

Holy Great Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

The feast of the Holy Great Martyr George is, according to our Church, especially joyful not only because the day of a saint’s martyrdom is the day of his glory, as he then enters triumphantly into the Kingdom of Heaven, but also because it always accompanies “the feast of feasts and the festival of festivals,” the Resurrection of the Lord. According to the Holy Hymnographer, “Behold, the spring of grace has dawned; the Resurrection of Christ has shone upon all, and together with it now shines the all-festal and light-bearing day of George the Martyr; come all, bearing light with divine zeal, let us celebrate with joy” (Kathisma of Matins). “The all-glorious memory of the servant has shone forth for us together with the Resurrection of Christ, in which, having gathered together, we the faithful celebrate with joy” (Ode 3).

So great indeed is the joy of the feast that the Holy Hymnographer, moving on a high level of lyricism, says that with the Great Martyr George even the proverb “one swallow does not make spring” is surpassed. “Behold for you also one delightful swallow, O God-gathered people, wondrously fulfills the grace of spring — George” (Ode 6). Where does the great grace of the Holy Great Martyr lie, so that he is called “a true friend of Christ, His champion, a most radiant lamp of the world, a most shining star, a most precious lamp” (Ode 4)? The answer given by the hymns of our Church is none other than that given for all the saints: his deep faith in Christ and his fervent love for Him and for people, that is, his perfect obedience to His teachings. Simply, what is the core of holiness is expressed by our hymnographers in many ways and on many levels. For example: “You followed the teachings of the Master” (Doxastikon of Vespers). “Having established desire by faith, having driven away fear by hope, you acquired the heavenly things by love, all-praised one” (Litia). “Being established in hope and fenced about by love and also by faith, O George, and being strengthened by the power of Christ, you have overthrown the delusion of idols” (Ode 3).