Showing posts with label Feast Day of St. George. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Feast Day of St. George. Show all posts

November 23 - Saint George's Day in Georgia

Posted on November 23, 2019

I read that Saint George is viewed as so important in the nation of Georgia, a majority of the churches in that country were built in his honor.

St. George Church at the Gelati Monastery,
in Georgia.
 
And that St. George is considered the patron saint of the nation.

And that St. George appears in Georgia's emblem / coat of arms.

And that Giorgi, which derives from the name "George," is the most popular name for boys and men in the nation!

One of Georgia's more famous Giorgis is footballer
Giorgi 
Chakvetadze, considered a rising star in 2019.

(Apparently, the name of the country of Georgia did not come from the saint, even though the rumor that it did has been around for centuries.)

I read that every day a feast dedicated to St. George is served somewhere in Georgia.


St. George is supposed to have died on April 23, and most people who celebrate St. George's Day do so on April 23; however, others celebrate on January 25, April 24, May 6, and November 23. 

I read that St. George's Day is celebrated in Georgia twice a year: on the anniversary of the saint's death, May 6 (which is April 23 on the Julian calendar), and on the anniversary of the saint's torture, November 23 (Nov. 10 on the Julian calendar). There are festive church services and feasting, and people have the day off from work and school. 

St. George lived during the late Third and early Fourth Century; he was a Greek man who served as a soldier in the Roman Empire. He was tortured and eventually killed for refusing to give up his Christian beliefs. 

By the way, the beast at the bottom of this photo is the dragon that St. George is supposed to have slain.






July 21 - Feast Day of St. George in Malta

Posted on July 21, 2019

Where is Malta?

This European nation is made up of three inhabited islands and a number of smaller, uninhabited islands. (And islets or, let's be honest, large rocks!) The archipelago of islands are in the Mediterranean Sea, located between Italy and Africa.



It's one of the world's smallest nations, but it is very densely populated and also a beacon to tourists. Its location has historically been of strategic importance for navies and for merchants.

Today people on the Maltese island of Gozo celebrate St. George's Feast Day with traditional horse races and a brass band. 

Check out some of the things that make Gozo, and Malta, special:

One of Gozo's most famous features, the beautiful Azure Window was a natural limestone arch... .



...Until it collapsed in 2017!

Some photographers managed to catch photos of the arch
slowly falling apart.

Here is what the area looks like now. Notice, the rocks and water are still beautiful - not AS special as the arch, of course, but still lovely in the bright sunlight...


...And the part that fell into the sea has become a great spot for divers to explore!


Some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world are located in Gozo and the other islands of Malta.





This looks like just another natural arch...



...until you realize that this one allowed the formation of what is called the Inland Sea. How delightful!



And here is another natural "window"! (It's not called an "arch" because it isn't a curving arc - it's much more shaped like a window, isn't it?)

Hmm...given the fact that other formations have recently
collapsed, I don't think I would walk on top of it!!