Whenever we see a painting, an icon, or a statue with a man dressed as a Roma soldier, very often young and handsome, but at times also a grown up, mature and middle-aged, on a horse, with a sword or lance in one hand, in the act of killing a ferocious dragon, we immediately know that this is Saint George, a martyr of the third century, patron saint of Aragon, Bulgaria, Catalonia, Egypt, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, India, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Rumania, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine, and of many cities, among them Barcelona, Beirut, Ferrara, Genoa, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, and Hal Qormi (in Malta) and Rabat (Victoria in Gozo). He is also the Patron Saint of the Boy Scouts Movement. And we Maltese have an outline of the Saint killing the dragon in the George Cross which stands in the upper corner, in the white hoist of our national flag, as well.

The dragon was a monster which we used to believe in and were afraid of in our tender childhood. The figure of Saint George killing the frightening monster used to be a pleasing deed; at least there is someone with great courage who dares face and kill such a cruel monster!

But as we grew up, especially with the help of books and encyclopaedias, and today with the help of the T.V. and the internet, even young children have learnt that the awful dragon does not exist.

 Then, what is the association of Saint George with a dragon which does not exist, in the ever popular story of the Saint’s life?

 

Metaphor

We adults, and students who are above 11/12 years of age, know that the story is a metaphor: Saint George is the Saint who, in his times – the third century – had fought to eradicate heresy, eradicate the adoration of idols, and stop the persecution of Christians. All of these are metaphorised by the dragon. In other words, the dragon represents all the negative actions that were being taken against Christians and the Faith in Jesus Christ, in one God.

In the story of Saint George and the killing of the dragon, a young woman threatened to be eaten by the monster is also involved. This young woman is another metaphor too; she represents Faith, and the Church (with a capital letter). Hence, the story recounts, in a metaphoric way, the story of Saint George, fighting heresy and the persecution of Christians (the dragon), to save Faith, the Church, Christians (the young woman).

 

A book for children

Cornelia Mary Blinsky, a teacher in Secondary Schools in Canada, who had also been involved in pastoral work in two Catholic parishes in Ontario, likes teaching Christian Faith to children by means of stories, drama, and songs. With this aim, among other works, she also wrote and published a story about Saint George, the dragon, and the saint’s martyrdom.

                The narrative is simple and without any specific details.

                George was a Roman Tribune in the army of Emperor Diocletian (A.D. 284 to 305). He was also a Christian who wore a cross around his neck but which he used to hide beneath his clothes.

                One day he saw a little crowd gathered around a column affixed to which was an edict. Diocletian had issued a proclamation declaring an official persecution of Christians – which eventually resulted in the Empire’s last, largest, and bloodiest.

No sooner had George learnt about this edict than he began to worry and prayed God to illuminate him what he should do. There and then he was lost in a vision … a sort of a dream.

It is in this dream that we encounter the figurative, metaphoric fight of George against the dragon to save the young woman held as its slave and threatened with death. The story represents victory over evil.

When the vision comes to an end, George goes and faces Emperor Diocletian. He declares his Faith and discloses the fact that he was a Christian. The emperor tries to persuade George to change his faith. But George resists and persuades others to convert to Christianity. Diocletian then orders that George be decapitated … he dies a Martyr for his Faith and Christ.

Theresa Blandon – a book illustrator – designed beautiful colourful pictures to illustrate Blinsky’s story. Together – story and illustrations – were published in a book: The Saint who Fought the Dragon.

 

A book with the story in Maltese

With the permission of the Pauline Sisters of Boston, in the USA, and their publishing house ‘Pauline Kids’, this story of Saint George, had been translated into Maltese by young Francesco Pio Attard, a Gozitan author who has already established himself as a translator and, together with the illustrations of Blandon, was published in the book: Il-Qaddis li ssielet mad-Dragun – L-istorja ta’ San Gorg, Malta, 2012; pp. 28; ISBN: 978-99932-7-403-2. This book was published with the collaboration between Klabb Kotba Maltin and Saint George’s Basilica in Victoria, Gozo.

                The book is beautiful and attractive! It provides relatively good and entertaining reading in Maltese. It is intended to help in a better understanding of the story and life of the saint. It also helps spread the devotion towards Saint George, and foster Faith in the Christian reader.

The book – made up of 28 colourful pages, with a hard cover – costs 6 Euro, and may be bought from Saint George’s Basilica in Victoria, Gozo, from Klabb Kotba Maltin in Straight Street, in Valletta, or from leading bookshops in Malta and Gozo. One may also send 6 Euro – together with his name, surname, telephone number, and home address – to Francesco Pio Attard, c/o Saint George’s Basilica, Victoria, Gozo.