The Miracle of George about the Serpent: the spiritual meaning of the legend of the victory of the Great Martyr George over the dragon

The image of St. George became a symbol of the victory of good over evil and faith over paganism. The legend of his duel with the serpent, described in the life of the Great martyr, has become the most recognizable image of this saint and is reflected in iconography, heraldry and literature. The plot of "George's Miracle of the Serpent" was used in Ancient Russia on coins, seals, princely and royal symbols, and today it adorns the coat of arms of the Russian capital. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

George's Miracle of the Serpent: where did the legend come from

According to the saint's life, the legendary event took place in the vicinity of the city of Beirut near the Lebanese Mountains, although some sources mention the fictional city of Lasia or Gebal in the Palestinian land. A terrible snake settled in the lake near the city, which attacked people and animals, terrifying all residents. The city was ruled by a pagan king, merciless to Christians, who suggested that the people make a list of townspeople and take turns giving their children to the monster.

When the lot fell on the king's daughter, the father dressed her in purple and fine linen, decorated her with gold and precious stones, and ordered her to be taken to the serpent. At this moment, St. George appeared, who, according to Slavic tradition, performed this miracle after his martyrdom, although Greek sources describe the event as a lifetime event. When the warrior saw the crying princess, he asked about the cause of her grief and promised to save the girl from a terrible fate.

Making the sign of the cross over himself and calling upon the Lord with the words "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," George rushed on a white horse towards the serpent, brandishing his spear. With a strong blow to the larynx, the saint struck the monster and pinned it to the ground, while the horse trampled the snake underfoot. In some versions of the story, the serpent was defeated only by the power of the saint's prayer, without physical impact. Then George ordered the princess to tie the snake with a belt and lead him into the city like a humble dog.

The people were amazed by the return of the princess alive and unharmed, and when they saw the snake, they began to run away in horror. The saint addressed the inhabitants with the words: "Do not be afraid! If you believe in Christ, in whom I believe, you will now see your salvation." After George beheaded the serpent with a sword, and the corpse was taken out of the city and burned, all the inhabitants believed in Christ — according to various sources, from 25 to 240 thousand people were baptized, and a church was built in the city in honor of the Virgin.

What does the icon of St. George with the serpent mean?

The plot of "George's Miracle of the Serpent" has a symbolic meaning, which explains the popularity of this image in Christian culture since the 14th century. The rescued royal daughter represents the Church, and the serpent that eats children symbolizes paganism or the devil himself — the "ancient serpent" mentioned in the Revelation of John the Theologian. Thus, St. George, who kills the monster, saves the Orthodox Church and the entire Orthodox people from spiritual destruction.

The icons depict St. George riding a white horse, striking a serpent with a spear, which symbolizes several important aspects of faith. Firstly, it is the victory of faith over sin, as the snake is traditionally associated with the devil and temptation. Secondly, the image demonstrates courage and spiritual strength — George, despite the deadly threat, engages in battle with the monster. Thirdly, a miracle is performed through prayer and with God's help, which emphasizes the role of God's intercession.

The iconographic image of the snake-fighting horseman symbolized not only the miraculous savior of the Church, but also a warrior, a defender of the people. In Western European tradition, it is believed that prayers to St. George help to get rid of venomous snakes and contagious diseases. A distinctive feature of Russian icons is that George strikes the dragon with a spear not in the eye, as in Western painting, but in the mouth. In iconography, this plot is presented as a mystical battle between good and evil, where George's rule over the enemy looks like something eternal and predetermined from above.

The composition of the icon includes several mandatory elements:

• St. George on a white horse in silver armor and an azure robe

• A spear with an eight-pointed cross at the top, piercing a snake

• The blessing right hand of Christ or an angel with a crown over the head of the saint

• A city depicted as a tower or fortress

• The princess with the belt that binds the serpent

St. George the Victorious on the coat of arms of Moscow: the history of the symbol

St. George's connection with Moscow goes back to the history of the founding of the city. The founder of the capital, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, bore the name of St. George (Yuri is the Russian form of the name George) and considered him his heavenly patron saint. The prince built many churches dedicated to this saint and used his image on his seals. Since the time of Dmitry Donskoy, George the Victorious has been officially considered the patron saint of Moscow, remembering the founding prince of the city.

The image of a horseman striking a snake with a spear has appeared in Moscow heraldry since the turn of the 14th—15th centuries. During the reign of Ivan III, the image of the snake rider was finally established as the coat of arms of the Moscow Principality. Peter I was the first to officially name the horseman on the Moscow coat of arms St. George in the 1710s, although up to that point the horseman was depicted as a secular warrior in a caftan with a crown or hat on his head.

The first official coat of arms of the city of Moscow was approved on December 20, 1781 by decree of Catherine II. The description read: "St. George on horseback against the same as in the middle of the National Emblem, in a red field, striking a black serpent with a spear." In 1856, the coat of arms was significantly changed on the instructions of Tsar Nicholas I as part of the heraldic reform: the horseman was turned in the other direction according to the rules of Western European heraldry, the cloak turned from yellow to azure, and the dragon turned from black to gold with green wings.

On February 23, 1883, the coat of arms of Moscow was approved as an element of the Great State Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire. The official description read: "On the eagle's chest is the coat of arms of Moscow: in a scarlet shield with gold edges, the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George in silver armor and a lapis lazuli cap, on a silver horse covered with crimson cloth with gold fringes, striking a golden dragon with green wings, a golden spear with an eight-pointed cross on top."

After the October Revolution, the ancient coat of arms of Moscow lost its official significance, and in 1924 a new Soviet coat of arms was approved with the image of the obelisk of the Constitution. The historical coat of arms was officially returned to Moscow on November 23, 1993. The modern description of the coat of arms reads: "The coat of arms of the city of Moscow is an image on a dark red heraldic shield of a horseman turned to the right of the viewer - St. George the Victorious in silver armor and a blue robe, on a silver horse, striking a black Serpent with a golden spear." The Day of the Coat of Arms and Flag of Moscow is celebrated in the capital on May 6, the memorial day of St. George the Victorious.

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