Location:Probably Vaucelles - Date:Shortly before 1250 (incorporated in the first 'Passionaire français') (BHL 3373) (Perrot, 1992: 20, 180-189) - Commission: /

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Life of S. Georgius of Cappadocia (+ approx 300), also called George the Great. He was a Greek officer from Lydda or Nicomedië, who was martyred for his public defense of Christianity. He protested openly against the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian by ignoring an imperial edict that was directed against the Christians. For this he was repeatedly tortured and eventually killed by decapitation. Georgius mainly acquired fame for his encounter with the dragon. According to legend, there lived a monstrous dragon in the swamps of Silene or Asia which was kept outside the city walls by feeding him two sheep a day. However, when the city was struggling with a deficit of cattle, just one sheep and a child was sacrificed to tame the beast. One day it was the daughter of the king. She was left outside the ramparts, where Georgius found the child crying and learned the cause of her grief, when suddenly the dragon emerged and rose out of the swamp. He attacked the animal with sword and lance, killed it and rescued the princess.

Brussel/Bruxelles, Koninklijke Bibliotheek/Bibliothèque Royale
Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France

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