Holy Martyr George the New (1515)

The holy Martyr George the New (+1515) was born in the capital of Bulgaria into a noble family. His father was called John and his mother Mary. The child came into the world after the fervent prayers of his deeply believing parents. He was given the name of the Great Martyr George (commemorated 23 April). Distinguished by the fear of God, George received a good education and became deeply learned in Holy Scripture. The saint was twenty-five when his parents died. At that time Bulgaria had been conquered by the Turks, who were spreading Islam among the Christian population by force. Once some Turks decided to make George a Muslim too. They forced a turban onto the saint’s head, but George tore off the infidels’ head-covering and flung it to the ground. The enraged Turks brought him before the governor. The governor was captivated by George’s manly appearance. He promised the saint glory and wealth at the price of renouncing his faith, which George firmly refused, fearlessly confessing the true faith. Then the enraged governor ordered him to be tortured. Strengthened by God’s help, the saint bravely endured every torment. At last the Turks lit a great pyre in the middle of the city to burn George, but the saint did not reach the place of his last torment: weakened by his wounds, he collapsed on the way; the tormentors dragged the dying man to the fire, threw him in, and heaped dead dogs on top, so that the Christians would find it hard to recover his remains. Suddenly torrential rain poured down and put out the fire. At night a heavenly light lit up the place where George’s body lay. A priest was given permission to gather the martyr’s bones and bury them. When Metropolitan Jeremiah learned of this, he came with his clergy to the place of execution. They took George’s holy relics out of the embers and translated them with honour to the church of the holy Great Martyr George in the village of Sredets (present-day Sofia).