Saint George & The Dragon

edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
There are a few things I don't understand here.

1) Why do Icons of Saint George have a dragon in there? There were no dragons in his story. He was a CHristian soldier that was killed by Diocletion. Diocletion didnt unleash dragons to kill him?  did he? He was beheaded.

2) WHo is the princess in the picture/icon?

3) Saint George was born in Anatolia, he grew up in Palestine (because his mother was from Lydda in Israel), His father was from Capodiccia in Turkey. Why do we say he was from Capodicia? Why do others say he is Palestinian? He was only raised as a young boy in Palestine??

4) He was the personal guard of Diocletion. When the Edict in 303 came around to kill all Christians, saint George testified his faith, and was persecuted for it. How exactly did it happen given that he was the personal guard of Diocletion?

Comments

  • [quote author=vassilios link=topic=5246.msg70388#msg70388 date=1177496991]
    1) Why do Icons of Saint George have a dragon in there? There were no dragons in his story.
    2) WHo is the princess in the picture/icon?

    may be not in the stories we hear. but the tradition says that that girl was the kings daughter, princess, and i tihnk she was attcked by the dragon but than st,george came and killed it and saived the girl.


    3) Why do we say he was from Capodicia? Why do others say he is Palestinian? He was only raised as a young boy in Palestine??

    the word from can refere to the place of birth and the place of living. so......

    4) He was the personal guard of Diocletion. When the Edict in 303 came around to kill all Christians, saint George testified his faith, and was persecuted for it. How exactly did it happen given that he was the personal guard of Diocletion?

    i tihnk he was one of the highest rank in the army but not personal gaurd of Diocletion. dispite that, when someone goes against the word of the king, he's against the king. becuase the king was the one who decided to kill all christians' not his edict. the edict was the one who brought the saint to Diocletion and than you know what happends. also don't forget, Diocletion was the crazy to kill all of these people....to the point that he killed himself at the end if am not mistaken.
  • [quote author=minagir link=topic=5246.msg70543#msg70543 date=1178044519]
    may be not in the stories we hear. but the tradition says that that girl was the kings daughter, princess, and i tihnk she was attcked by the dragon but than st,george came and killed it and saived the girl.


    As far as I'm aware, that's medieval Catholic legend.

    In Orthodox iconography, the dragon symbolises the devil. St. George defeated the devil when he maintained his faith in Christ and received the crown of martyrdom.

    The dragon also symbolises Diocletian who was defeated by St. George's martyrdom in the same manner.

    The idea of a real dragon is not present in Orthodox tradition, but came about at a later date in Europe.

    The maiden symbolises the Church, the Bride of Christ.
  • No Mina,
    That's not true. What happened was Diocletion left the position of emperor to grow cabages. Sounds strange, but the man was crazy.
    Regards,
    [quote author=minagir link=topic=5246.msg70543#msg70543 date=1178044519]
    [quote author=vassilios link=topic=5246.msg70388#msg70388 date=1177496991]
    1) Why do Icons of Saint George have a dragon in there? There were no dragons in his story.
    2) WHo is the princess in the picture/icon?

    may be not in the stories we hear. but the tradition says that that girl was the kings daughter, princess, and i tihnk she was attcked by the dragon but than st,george came and killed it and saived the girl.


    3) Why do we say he was from Capodicia? Why do others say he is Palestinian? He was only raised as a young boy in Palestine??

    the word from can refere to the place of birth and the place of living. so......

    4) He was the personal guard of Diocletion. When the Edict in 303 came around to kill all Christians, saint George testified his faith, and was persecuted for it. How exactly did it happen given that he was the personal guard of Diocletion?

    i tihnk he was one of the highest rank in the army but not personal gaurd of Diocletion. dispite that, when someone goes against the word of the king, he's against the king. becuase the king was the one who decided to kill all christians' not his edict. the edict was the one who brought the saint to Diocletion and than you know what happends. also don't forget, Diocletion was the crazy to kill all of these people....to the point that he killed himself at the end if am not mistaken.
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