Georgia marks Saint George Day on November 23. Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II has been delivering a solemn church service since this morning at the Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral.
St. George was born in a Christian family during the late 3rd century. His father was from Cappadocia and served as an officer of the army. His mother was from Lydda, Palestine. She returned to her native city as a widow along with her young son, where she provided her son with a respectable education.
The youth of the Christ's follower apparently followed his father's example in joining the army soon after his coming of age. He proved to be a charismatic soldier and consequently rose quickly through the military ranks of the time. By his late twenties he had gained the titles of tribunus (tribune) and later comes (count), period which St. George had been positioned in Nicomedia as a member of the personal guard attached to Roman Emperor Diocletian (reign 284-305).
In 303, Diocletian issued an edict authorizing the systematic persecution of Christians across the Empire. His caesar Galerius was supposedly responsible for this decision and would continue the persecution during his own reign (305-311).
It's believed that St. George was ordered to take part in the persecution but instead confessed to being a Christian himself and criticized the imperial decision. An enraged Diocletian proceeded in ordering the torture of this apparent traitor and his execution. According to the tradition, after various other tortures, St. George was executed by decapitation in front of Nicomedia's defensive wall on April 23 (May 6), 303.
Georgians call St. George's day Giorgoba. It's a very important day for Georgians, schools and Universities are closed and everyone eats Georgian traditional food, and goes to church.
