The Feast of Saint George the great martyr and trophy-bearer in Acre at the Greek Orthodox Eparchy of Ptolemais

From the General Secretariat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Saturday, April 27th/May 10th, 2025, the Feast of Saint George the Great Martyr and Trophy-Bearer was celebrated by transference in the Holy Metropolis of Acre—Ptolemais in northern [Israel].

This Feast commenced with the reception of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, by the Scout Corps. The celebration continued with the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Chuch of the Metropolis, concelebrated by their Eminences, Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, Metropolitan Isychios of Capitolias, and Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, together with priests from the surrounding regions of Acre and Galilee, as well as Hieromonks of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood, including Archimandrite Meletios and Archimandrite Christodoulos. The choir of Acre, founded and trained by the late Hegumen Archimandrite Philotheos, chanted the hymns. Present were the President of the Municipal Council of Acre–Ptolemais, Mr. Fuad Brek, and the Ambassador of Greece to [Israel], Mrs. Maria Solomou, along with a devout congregation from the city of Acre and its environs. The Patriarchal Representative of Acre–Ptolemais, Archimandrite Silouanos, hosted the event.

To this assembly, His Beatitude preached the divine word before the Holy Communion as follows:

“Lo, the springtime of grace hath shone forth; the Resurrection of Christ hath enlightened all. Now is this radiant and festal day also made bright by the martyr George. Come, all ye faithful, adorned in light, let us keep Feast in gladness and godly joy” (Matins, Kathisma 1).

Beloved brethren in Christ,
Pious Christians,

The unwaning light of the Resurrection of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ hath gathered us all on this solemn day, that we might celebrate in a Paschal spirit the memory of the Holy Great Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer, here in your historic city of Acre.

Saint George stands distinguished among the great cloud of witnesses that compass us about (cf. Hebrews 12:1), for by his martyr’s blood he became a partaker in the passion of Christ, which is without suffering, and at the same time a victor over the delusion of the enemy, that is, the devil. For, as the blessed Paul saith, George looked with his bodily eyes upon the invisible God and with much endurance awaited His help: “For he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27).

The faith of George in the truth, the light, and the way of salvation that is in Christ was strengthened by the exhortations of Paul to his disciple Timothy: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us…” (2 Timothy 1:7–9).

The victorious martyr George endured suffering, as Zigavenos remarks, “in being subjected to maltreatment” by the cruel persecutor of Christians, the Roman Emperor Diocletian. In other words, the valiant George, who from his forefathers honoured Christ and now boldly confessed Him, suffered many forms of torture, being made manifest in every way as a Trophy-Bearer. Through his contests and miracles, he led many to the knowledge of the truth in Christ, and in the year 296, he was beheaded at the command of Diocletian.

His sacred relic, as his Synaxarion relates, was brought by his servant to Lydda, the town of his mother’s birth, and was laid in the magnificent church there built in his name, which stands to this day.

The radiant personality of Saint George became known throughout the entire world, wherefore his hymnographer exclaims: “All the tribes of the nations now praise, bless, and hymn thee, and with one voice cry aloud: Rejoice, O Saviour, the joy of the faithful; rejoice thou also, noble boast of the athletes, O George, wondrous among the saints!”(Matins, Ode 9, Troparion 2)…

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This news was originally published on the website of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, click here to read more.