Saint George (died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier in the Roman army. His parents were Christians of Greek origin. His father, Gerontius, was a Cappadocian serving in the Roman army. His mother, Polychronia, was a Christian from the city of Lod in Palestine. Saint George was a soldier of Cappadocian Greek and Palestinian origins, member of the Praetorian Guard for Roman emperor Diocletian, who was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith. He became one of the most venerated saints and megalomartyrs in Christianity, and he has been especially venerated as a military saint since the Crusades.
In hagiography, as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and one of the most prominent military saints, he is immortalized in the legend of Saint George and the Dragon. His memorial, Saint George's Day, is traditionally celebrated on 23 April. England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Catalonia and Aragon in Spain, Moscow in Russia, and several other states, regions, cities, universities, professions and organizations claim George as their patron. The bones of Saint George are buried in the Church of Saint George, Lod, Israel.
The general attributes of sculpture of St. George: Clothed as a crusader in plate armour or mail, often bearing a lance tipped by a cross, riding a white horse, often slaying a dragon
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Svatý Jirí (starocesky Jurí) byl podle krestanské hagiografie rímský voják pocházející z Anatolie, dnešního Turecka, který byl uctíván jako mucedník. Východní církve jej oznacují jako megalomartyra, arcimucedníka. Je jedním ze ctrnácti svatých pomocníku. Je zvecnen v „legende o sv. Jirí a draku“, kde je vylícen jako drakobijce. Svatý Jirí je patronem Anglie, Cerné Hory, Etiopie, Gruzie, Kanady, Katalánska, Recka, Srbska, mest Barcelony, Bejrútu, Freiburgu, Istanbulu, Janova, Londýna, Lublane, Moskvy, Vysokého Mýta, ostrovu Gozo a Skyros, a také mnoha profesí, organizací a nemocných lidí.
Ve vetšine zemí se svátek svatého Jirí slaví 23. dubna. V ceských zemích, na Slovensku a v Polsku se svátek svatého Jirí slaví až 24. dubna, protože na 23. dubna pripadá den umucení svatého Vojtecha, a tak se svátek svatého Jirí posunul o den pozdeji. Sv. Jirí je patronem skautu.
Obecné atributy vyobrazení sv. Jirí: voják na bílém koni bojující s drakem