St. George

The knight Sanct George is martyr. He is patron of England, the horsemen, farmers, and the horses. His day is 23rd of April. His worship has been attested since the 4th century.

The legend told of Georg that he was a soldier in a high position and suffered death as martyr around 303. He experienced that many proselytes became again infidel through the pursuits under the emperors Diokletian and Maximian.

Thereupon, he distributed all his personal wealth among the poor and preached the christian doctrine. He was arrested and had to endure countless martyrdoms. Among others he was death-chopped into small pieces, buried deep in the earth and consumed by fire. However, each time he was resuscitated by the power of God. Finally he was draged through the city and had lost his head.

Relatively late, since the twelfth or thirteenth century, the episode of the battle with the dragon is told. The dragon lived near the city in a lake and polluted the air with his poisonous breath. The citizens had to sacrifice lambs or sheep each day in order to satisfy his hunger. When no more animals were to be found, the sons and daughters became sacrificed. One day the lot fell to the king's daughter. When she went to the lake St. Georg chanced to ride by and promised to kill the dragon if the people would proselyte to the christian doctrine. He killed the dragon and the king was baptized together with his folk.

On representations, one finds Georg since the 12th century mounted on a horse fighting with the dragon. He belongs to the 14 holy helpers. His attributes are the knight with a spear bore through the dragon.