Orthodox icon | Saint Great Martyr George, the Victorious | 24560

The Saint Great Martyr George the Victorious (April 23) is depicted as a soldier on horseback.

A fearsome dragon demanded human sacrifices from a city, otherwise it would wipe it out with its poisonous breath. A lottery decided the choice of victims, and when this fell on the king’s daughter, the girl was brought to the lake where the dragon lived. Before he could kill the princess, Georg, the knight from Cappadocia, appeared and swung his lance with the sign of the cross and pierced the dragon. He ordered the king’s daughter to pull the dragon through the city with her belt. Terrified, all the residents wanted to flee. George promised them to kill the dragon if they were converted to Christianity. Then Georg killed the dragon and all residents, including the king, were baptized.

On the left edge:

Saint Prophet Micah “Micah the Morashtite” (August 14), worked from around 725 to 712 as a prophet in Jerusalem. The words of the prophet (Micah 5.:1-3) prophesied the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem in Matthew: „…But you, Bethlehem… out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel…”

Saint Venerable Sergius of Radonezh (25 & 27 September, July 7), was a monastery founder, abbot of Radonezh and miracle worker in the 14th century. He is a very venerated saint in Russia and the founder of the Trinity Lavra in Sergiev Posad.

Saint Archdeacon Stephen (January 4, December 27), was the first of seven deacons of the early Christian community in Jerusalem; these deacons were ordained by the laying on of hands by the apostles. He is considered the first martyr of Christianity and is therefore often referred to as an arch-martyr or protomartyr. Stephen faced two accusations in front of the Sanhedrin: that he had declared that Jesus would destroy the Temple in Jerusalem and that he had changed the customs of Moses. Accused of blasphemy at his trial, he made a speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him and was then stoned to death.

At the edge on the right:

Saint Alexius of Edessa “the man of God” (March 17) was a hermit from the 5th century and has been one of the most venerated saints since ancient times. His admiration reached its peak in the late Middle Ages and the Baroque. On the wedding night he left his wedded wife and parents and fled to Edessa, where he lived as a hermit in poverty and soon enjoyed great admiration.

Saint Martyr John (July 30), was a soldier in Constantinople and died in the 4th century.

Saint Martyr Martha (February 6). The holy virgins Martha and Mary were sisters and lived in Asia (in Asia Minor). As Christians, they were tortured and crucified, and their brother Lycarion was then beheaded with the sword. All this happened in the presence of her mother, who comforted her children in Egypt.

Middle right bottom:

Saint Anne of Kiev (November 3), was the daughter of Grand Duke Vsevolod I of Kiev and granddaughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomachus. She was one of the first Russian princesses to become monks. She tried to evangelize Russia. She passed away in peace around 1112.