This is a very remarkable 15th century Russian icon in the Novgorod style with deep contrasting yet complementary colors, especially the reds, greens, and brilliant whites, which make it vibrant and visually striking. St. George is definitely one of the very most popular saints whose help and intercession have been well known since his extraordinary and heroic martyrdom in the early 4th century under the Roman Emperor ?Diocletian?. His father was a martyr before him in Cappadocia, and subsequently he and his mother moved to Palestine after his father’s death. St. George then served in the Roman army and rose to the rank of Tribune by the age of 20. Declaring his faith boldly before the Emperor, St. George was fiercely tortured in a series of ingenious and evilly inspired ways, until at the end he gave his life to proclaim that his life in Christ was more precious than his life on earth, and like the Lamb of God before him, he who had been a military hero now chose to suffer for the Truth. When in the course of his torture St. George raised a dead man to life, many people converted including the Empress Alexandra. Often shown riding a white horse and killing a dragon, as in this icon, St. George has inspired many to live a godly life and ask him to pray to God that they be strengthened in their faith and love towards God and the faithful.
