Liturgical Calendar

Saint of the day

Saint George (d.303)

Saint George has a very famous and fanciful legend associated with him. The legend goes that Saint George, a Christian knight, came upon the town of Sylene while on a quest for adventure. When he arrived in the town, he was told that it was held hostage by a fierce dragon. In order to keep the dragon at bay, the townspeople had to feed it two sheep every day. However, the dragon had soon exhausted the town's supply of sheep, and was instead being given young maidens. These sacrificial virgins were chosen at random, and Saint George happened upon the town just as the king's daughter was chosen to be eaten by the monster. She was on her way to do her duty to her town, but Saint George saved her en route and slew the beast. After his great victory, he converted the entire town to Christianity. While this legend is a heroic and fun tale to tell, it is more likely that Saint George was martyred during the time of Emperor Diocletian. Either way, he was a great hero of the Christian faith. Saint George is the patron saint of many things, including knights, soldiers, and chivalry.

Reflection

In the Bible, dragons are often a symbolic representation of evil or the devil. So, in the legend of Saint George, the dragon is the devil, who terrorizes the town with evil, until Saint George comes and conquers evil. Saint George is an example of the powers that every Christian possesses. We all have the ability to overcome and utterly defeat evil.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, please help me to face evil courageously and allow my faith in you to make me a powerful force against it.