23 April: Feast of St George of England…
Comment:
As with all Feast Day threads, feel free to discuss relevant issues, post favourite prayers, hymns, edifying stories and jokes of the “good clean fun” variety. Seeing the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in the above video should move us to pray for the restoration of the Catholic religion in England – where there is any sign of devotion to Our Lady, there is much hope. St George of England, pray for us!
Happy Feast – especially to our English bloggers and readers. Enjoy!
Comments (11)
In the Byzantine Tradition, this is how we celebrate his feast as well as the Friday after the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women (courtesy Royal Doors):
The Holy and Glorious Great-Martyr, Victory-bearer and Wonderworker George
All-night Vigil Feast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 8
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
O honourable myrrh-bearers,* you followed Christ’s footsteps during his earthly life,* serving Him with eager hearts.* You would not leave Him even when He died.* Driven by compassion,* you came to His tomb bringing myrrh mixed with tears.* Therefore, we bless your holy memory.
Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
The holy choir of women* yearned to see the Life who lay dead in the tomb.* They came in the night and heard from the angels:* Christ is risen as He said.* Go with haste and tell His disciples:* Cast sorrow away from your souls.* Instead of tears, receive inexpressible joy.
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Today we rejoice in your memory, O myrrh-bearers.* We glorify the most gracious Lord who glorified you.* Never cease to intercede for us, O blessed ones,* that we may attain to eternal glory,* and that we may inherit the splendour of the saints;* for you have boldness before Him.
In Tone 4
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Having gathered together today,* we praise you, O George, as a valiant martyr.* You kept the faith and completed the course* and received from God the crown of victory.* Entreat Him to deliver from tribulations and corruption* those who faithfully observe your precious memory.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Drawing hope from your firmness of mind, O glorious one,* you willingly persevered to martyrdom like a lion.* Scorning the body as something that would wither,* you were wisely concerned with your incorruptible soul.* Covered with wounds by various forms of torture, O George,* like gold you were purified sevenfold.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
You suffered martyrdom in behalf of the Saviour, O glorious one,* by a death similar to his voluntary death.* You reign gloriously with Him,* clothed with the resplendent purple robes of your blood,* and you are adorned with the sceptre of your sufferings.* O great-martyr George,* you are resplendent in your crown of victory* throughout all generations.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
With faith as your armour and with grace as your shield,* with the cross as your spear, you waged war.* You were invincible in facing the foes, O George.* Like a mighty warrior, you destroyed the camps of the demons.* Now you are dancing joyfully with the angels.* Indeed you defend, sanctify, and save the faithful who invoke you.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
We recognize you as a very bright star,* a sun shining in the firmament of the heavens,* a very precious pearl sparkling more than a gem.* O George the conqueror, we glorify you* as a son of the day and a courageous martyr.* We commemorate you as a defender of the faithful in tribulations.
In Tone 6
Glory…
You were true to your name, O warrior George,* for you took the cross of Christ upon your shoulders.* You ploughed well the land made barren by the deceits of the devil;* you rooted out the weeds of idol worship* arid planted the vine of the true faith.* Therefore, your healing overflows to the faithful throughout the whole world,* and you have shown yourself to be the righteous gardener of the Trinity.* Pray for peace in the world and salvation for our souls.
O Holy and Glorious Great-Martyr, Victory-bearer and Wonderworker George, pray to God for England and us sinners!
Happy Feast Day!
Margaret USA,
Interesting to see the way the De Profundis is intoned in the prayer you have posted above.
In the 1962 Latin missal the collect reads: O God, Who dost gladden us by the merits and intercession of blessed George, Thy Martyr, mercifully grant that we, who ask for Thy blessings through him, may obtain them by the gift of Thy grace…”
Amen to that!
And a very happy Feast Day to you, as well.
Happy Feast of St George everyone!
That’s a really nice song in the video.
Happy Feast of St George.
I have a joke about England.
Q Why is England the wettest country?
A Because the queen has reigned there for years!
Josephine,
LOL! I found one although it’s really corny.
What is the longest word in the English language? ‘Smiles’. Because there is a mile between its first and last letters.
Happy Feast of Saint George everyone.
The link below is about the life and martyrdom of Saint George, I love reading about the saints.
https://www.facebook.com/TheFatimaCenter/posts/10157634017221442
Theresa Rose,
I love reading about the saints as well. I have to be honest, though I didn’t realise that St George was actually a martyr until I read it in Margaret USA’s post at the top.
Happy Feast day to everyone at CT.
Thats the first av ever read that about St George as i actually thought that it was really all a Fable .( so to speak ) What a great Testimony he gave of which He knew without a doubt He would be Executed. The Story of His Martyrdom above sort of hints at that other great Saint St Thomas More who stood alone against Henry 8th. St George also stood alone before the Emperor and knew what his fate would be. Were i to be so brave ( i personally doubt it ) but our God works in strange ways and has brought me thus far. He has Never Abandoned Me and i hope and pray that i a Sinner will Never Abandon Him. Also I know thanks to Never wanting MY Catholic Faith Watered Down that my Yes is Yes and my No is No. Thanks for Posting that great Testimony to who i now know is a Great Saint.
Faith of our Fathers,
I think it’s because of the story of the dragon that people might think St George didn’t exist and he was just a legend. It’s good to learn about the saints, I always have loved reading their life stories.
Happy Feast to one and all at Catholic Truth!
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this feast day thread – time to close to comments, now.
Gratitude to all who popped in with Feast day greetings, information and jokes (which did make me smile!)
God bless. .
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