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Writer's pictureFather Branko

The Life Of St. George, Greatmartyr and Victory-Bearer

ЖИТИЕТО НА СВЕТИОТ ВЕЛИКОМАЧЕНИК И ПОБЕДОНОСЕЦ ЃОРЃИ


From the Prologue of Ohrid:


This glorious and victorious saint was born in Cappadocia the son of wealthy and virtuous parents. His father suffered for Christ and his mother then moved to Palestine. When George grew up, he entered the military, where in his twentieth year, attained the rank of a Tribune and as such was in the service of the Emperor Diocletian. When Diocletian began the terrible persecution against Christians, George came before him and courageously confessed that he is a Christian. The emperor had him thrown into prison and ordered that his feet be placed in a stockade of wooden hobbles and that a heavy stone be placed on his chest. After that, the emperor commanded that George be tied to a wheel under which was a board with large nails and he was to be rotated until his entire body became as one bloody wound. After that, they buried him in a pit with only his head showing above the ground and there they left him for three days and three nights. Then George was given a deadly poison to drink by some magician. But, through all of these sufferings, George continuously prayed to God and God healed him instantly and saved him from death to the great astonishment of the people. When he resurrected a dead man through his prayer, many then accepted the Faith of Christ. Among these also was Alexandra, the wife of the Emperor Athanasius, the chief pagan priest and the farmers: Glycerius, Valerius, Donatus and Therinus. Finally the emperor ordered George and his wife Alexandra beheaded. Blessed Alexandra died on the scaffold before being beheaded. St. George was beheaded in the year 303 A.D. The miracles which have occurred over the grave of St. George are without number. Numerous are his appearances, either in dreams or openly, to those who have invoked him and implored his help from that time until today. Enflamed with love for Christ the Lord, it was not difficult for Saint George to leave all for the sake of this love: rank, wealth, imperial honor, his friends and the entire world. For this love, the Lord rewarded him with the wealth of unfading glory in heaven and on earth and eternal life in His kingdom. In addition, the Lord bestowed upon him the power and authority to assist all those in miseries and difficulties who honor him and call upon his name.

St. George is commemorated on April 23/May 6.

Holy Saint George, Pray to God for Us!

Hymns of the Saint

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone Liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and champion of kings, O trophy-bearer, Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved. Kontakion: Fourth Tone Cultivated by God, you became manifest as an honorable tiller gathering for yourself the sheaves of virtue. For you sowed with tears but reaped with gladness; in the contest you competed with your blood and came away with Christ. By your intercessions, O Holy One, all are granted forgiveness of sins.

***

Овој славен и победоносен светител беше роден во Кападокија од богати и благочестиви родители. Татко му пострада за Христа, а мајка му се пресели во Палестина. Кога порасна, Георгиј отиде во војска и во својата дваесетта година го стекна чинот трибун и како таков служеше при царот Диоклецијан. Кога овој цар започна страшно гонење на христијаните, Георгиј истапи пред него и одважно исповеда дека е христијанин. Царот го фрли во затвор, па нареди нозете да му ги стават во клади, а на градите да му положат тежок камен. Потоа нареди и го врзаа на тркало под кое имаше штици со големи клинци и така го вртеа додека целото тело не му се направи една голема рана. По ова го закопа во ров, така што надвор од земјата му беше само главата и го остави во ровот три дена и три ноќи. Потоа со помош на некој магионичар му даде да испие смртоносен отров. Но при сите овие маки Георгиј непрестајно Го молеше Бога и Бог веднаш го исцелуваше и на големо одушевување на народот, го спасуваше Својот маченик од смртта. Кога Св. Георгиј воскресна и еден мртовец, тогаш многумина ја примија верата во Христа. Меѓу овие беше и царевата жена Александра и главниот жрец Атанасиј, земјоделецот Гликериј, и Балериј, Донат и Терин. Најпосле царот ги осуди Свети Георгиј и својата жена Александра на смрт со меч. Блажената Александра издивна на губилиштето пред да ја убијат, а Свети Георгиј го убија во 303 година. Безбројни се чудата што се јавија на неговиот гроб. Многубројни се и неговите јавувања во сон и на јаве на многумина коишто го спомнуваат и ја бараат неговата помош до денешен ден. Сиот разгорен од љубов кон Господ Христос, Свети Георгиј без тешкотии остави се` заради својата љубов: чин, богатство, царски почести, пријатели и сиот свет. За оваа љубов Господ го награди со венец на невенлива слава на небото и на земјата и со живот вечен во Своето Царство. И го дарува со сила и власт да им помага на оние што го слават и призиваат неговото име во бедите и неволјите. Тропар Како ослободител на плениците и заштитник на сиромасите, лекар на немоќните, помошник на владетелите, победоносче, великомачениче Георгие, моли Го Христа Бога, да ги спаси душите наши. Кондак Обработен од Бога, ти се покажа како најчесен градинар на верата, и снопови од добродетели собра за себе; откако посеа во солзи, жнееш со веселба; а за борбата што до крв ја водеше, за награда Го прими Христа, и со твоите молитви на сите им даваш прошка на гревовите.

***

GOSPEL READING: John 15:17-16:2

17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

26 “But when the [a]Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

16 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

ЕВАНГЕЛСКО ЧЕТИВО: Јован 15, 17 – 27; 16, 1 - 2

17. Оваа заповед ви ја давам: да се љубите еден со друг. 18. Ако светот ве мрази, знајте дека Мене светот уште пред вас Ме замрази. 19. Да бевте од овој свет, тогаш светот ќе го љубеше своето; но бидејќи не сте од светот, туку Јас ве избрав од светот – затоа светот и ве мрази. 20. Помнете ги зборовите што ви ги реков Јас: ниеден слуга не е поголем од својот господар. Ако Мене Ме гонеа, и вас ќе ве гонат; ако Моите зборови ги запазеа, и вашите ќе ги запазат. 21. Но, сето ова ќе ви го прават заради Моето име, оти не Го знаат Оној, Кој што Ме пратил. 22. Да не бев дошол и да не бев им зборувал, грев немаше да имаат. Но сега тие немаат изговор за својот грев. 23. Кој Ме мрази Мене, Го мрази и Мојот Отец. 24. Ако не бев направил меѓу нив дела, какви што никој друг не направил, грев немаше да имаат; а сега и видоа, и Ме замразија Мене, и Мојот Отец. 25. Но нека се изврши словото, напишано во нивниот Закон, дека Ме замразија без вина. 26. А кога ќе дојде Утешителот, Кого што ќе ви Го испратам Јас од Отецот, Духот на вистината, Кој излегува од Отецот, Он ќе сведочи за Мене; 27. а и вие ќе сведочите, бидејќи од почетокот сте со Мене.

16. 1. Ова ви го кажав, за да не се соблазните. 2. Ќе ве истеруваат од синагогите. Но ќе настапи и време, кога секој, што ќе ве убие, ќе мисли дека на Бога Му принесува служба.

***

HOMILY

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Dear parishioners, brothers and sisters in Christ,

I would like to wish you all a Blessed Saint George’s Day, Gjurgjovden. The unfortunate circumstances of this year are preventing us from having a traditional celebration of our Feast Day, but let us give thanks to the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ for the opportunity to serve Divine Liturgy in honor of our patron, the Great Martyr and Victory-bearer, St. George. Even though we are physically separated, we are still spiritually united through this Liturgy and the protection of his prayers.

We know that it has never been easy to be a follower of Christ in this world, as Christians have been persecuted since the beginning of the Church. At the end of the third and beginning of the fourth century, one of those persecuted Christians was, St. George. When Diocletian began the terrible persecution against Christians, St. George came before him and courageously confessed that he is a Christian. At that time, he remembered the words of the Lord Jesus, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Mark 8: 34 -37).” Ignited with love for Christ the Lord, it was not difficult for Saint George to leave all for the sake of this love: rank, wealth, imperial honor, his friends, and the entire world. For this love, the Lord rewarded him with the wealth of unfading glory in heaven and on earth, and eternal life in His kingdom. In addition, the Lord bestowed upon him the power and authority to assist all those in miseries and difficulties who honor him and call upon his name.

In this crisis, when the whole world is affected by this terrible disease and trying to find answers, we can see in the life of St. George, the perfect example of how to follow and love God. St. George exemplifies how to deny everything that is earthly and perishable, for that which is heavenly and eternal. Therefore, we must simply be patient, and God will see our patience, take away every obstacle and every temptation, and we shall again see the dawn of joyful days, and we shall celebrate our common hope and love that we have in Christ Jesus.

We turn to you and pray this now, our beloved Saint: Liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and champion of kings, O trophy-bearer, Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved (Apolytikon of St. George).

May God, through the prayers of His Holy Mother and ever Virgin Mary, and our patron Saint George, keep us all in His loving care and save us. Amen.

Syracuse, NY, May 6th, 2020 Very Reverend Father Branko Postolovski

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