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).