A brave soldier slaying the dragon and saving the princess is just about the best and oldest story there is, but what is it doing in the story of an early Christian martyr, and what do we really know about this man named George?

With some authority, we can say that a man named George lived at the end of the third century, was a Christian, suffered death in Lydda during the Diocletian persecutions, and developed an early cult that attained a notable level of popularity. Early church consecrations in his name indicate a popular devotion forming within perhaps 100 years of his death. From there, devotions spread as new hagiographies were written embellishing his story, until by the Middle Ages he was highly venerated and considered one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His dates might be 280 to 303, and a death in his early 20s seems plausible. Tradition places George in a respected family from Cappadocia, where he was baptized in a monastery.

Eusebius mentions that the onset of the Diocletian persecutions was accompanied by the posting of flyers ordering the destruction of churches, burning of all texts, and general outlawing of Christianity. He claims one brave man ripped down a flyer, and was subsequently tortured and killed.

Eusebius does not name the man, but he is traditionally identified with St. George, with his death occurring in his mother’s home city of Lydda (Lod, Israel). Pope Gelasius I mentions him in 494 as a martyr worthy of devotion, but the subject of biographies by heretics. He is sometimes confused with others named George, including a bishop from Alexandria and an Arian heretic. Some of these early narratives describe a saint who had a vision of Jesus telling him he would be martyred for seven years, repeatedly killed and brought back to life.

One curious sideroad of Georgiana comes to us from Adomnan (624–704), Abbot of Iona Abbey and author of the life of St. Columba. A Frankish bishop named Arculf shipwrecked in Scotland, and while there regaled Adomnan with the story of his pilgrimage to the Holy Land around 670. The resulting work, De Locis Sanctis, is a treasure trove of information, and mentions a highly venerated saint named George who has a monument in Lydda.

This George, per Arculf, was a confessor rather than a martyr, and a monumental pillar was a devotional site. George was viciously tortured at the pillar, which bore the imprint of his hands and was later carved with his likeness. Arculf relates an eyewitness story about a soldier who promised to honor the saint if he should survive his upcoming military campaigns. The soldier later returns safely from war and lays gold equal to the value of his fine horse at the statue in thanksgiving. This version marks the first appearance of the story in the British Isles, and shows an early connection to the military and equestrian patronages that continue as part of George’s bailiwick.

Brought Home from the Crusades

The next part of George’s explosion in popularity was thanks to the Crusaders, who learned of this saint, by now associated with soldiers and equestrians, on their campaigns to the Holy Land. They adopted him as their own, and devotion exploded after the assault on Antioch in 1098. The crusader armies prayed for his intercession in a desperate fight against the Saracens in which all hope seemed lost. Suddenly, there came a vision of thundering hosts led by Sts. Demetrius and George. William of Malmsbury describes it thus in his Chronicle:

They imagined, moreover, that they saw the ancient martyrs, who had formerly been soldiers, and who had gained eternal remuneration by their death, I allude to George and Demetrius, hastily approaching with upraised banner from the mountainous districts, hurling darts against the enemy, but assisting the Franks. Nor is it to be denied, that the martyrs did assist the Christians, as the angels formerly did the Maccabees, fighting for the self-same cause.

George was also reportedly seen leading the hosts at Jerusalem. During the Third Crusade, Richard’s rear-guard was attacked on the road from Acre in 1191. It seemed to be a lost cause until a soldier shouted for the help of St. George, and others took up his name as a battle cry, ultimately defeating the attacking Saracens. For England and Saint George would become a rallying cry for soldiers.

About That Dragon

The story of the dragon is attached to George fairly late. It first appears in a prologue added in the 12th century to the Greek Passion of George. The motifs of the tale are drawn from a common well of dragon lore, and most likely built on George’s equestrian and military patronages to show him conquering evil in a tangible and vivid form.

That made it appealing to both homilists and artists, particularly when it was retold in the Golden Legend, one of the most widely read works of its day. It’s quite possible that it was never intended to be taken literally, particularly since St. Jacobus, author of the Golden Legend, doesn’t seem to believe in dragons.

The story is set in Silena, Libya. The city is beset by a pestilential dragon, which comes forth from the nearby swamps to breathe its killing vapors upon the innocent populace. In order to keep it at bay, the people offer it two sheep a day, keeping it fed and peaceful.

Soon, however, they run out of sheep, and the dragon returns to bring its disease-causing breath to the city. And so the people choose to sacrifice their own children to it, providing their sons and daughters by lot, with no one excluded from the drawing.

One day, the lot falls to the king’s daughter, and when he offers money for another to take her place, the people express outrage and threaten to burn the palace and the royal family. The king asks for eight days to mourn his daughter, and when the time comes, dressed her in royal robes, weeps for her in a scene of much pathos, and sends her forth, weeping, to meet her fate.

By chance, she meets the knight George on her way, and he inquires why she weeps. After warning him away, she explains her predicament. George replies, '“Do not be afraid, daughter, because I will help you in the name of Christ.”

Afraid for his life, she tells him to flee, but at the moment the dragon emerges from the water. George mounts his horse, makes the sign of the cross, and attacks, hurling his spear at the great beast.

The creature falls but is not killed, so George tells the girl to throw her girdle around its neck, and not to be afraid. After she leashes it, the beast becomes like a tame dog and follows her back to the city with George.

The people begin to flee in fear, but George says, “Do not be afraid, for the Lord sent me to you for this, that I should liberate you from the punishments inflicted by the dragon. Only believe in Christ. If every one of you is baptized, I will kill this serpent.”

That day, 20,000 people are baptized, and George draws his sword and slays the beast. In his honor, the king builds a great altar, from which a lively spring gushes forth, healing all those who drink its waters. The king offers George all his money, but the knight insists it all be given to the poor.

He instructs the king on four final points: build and care for God’s churches, make his priests live honorable lives, pray the divine offices, and care for the poor. At that, George kisses the ground, mounts his horse, and continues on his way.