When it is said
The Orthodox sing this hymn on St George’s feast day, 23 April. Churches on the old calendar keep the day on 6 May, and Russian churches sing it again in November.
Anyone may pray it at any time to ask his prayers.
Where it comes from
No author known
Who was St George?
George was a Roman soldier who rose to command 1,000 men and became a favourite of the emperor Diocletian. When he heard a sentence passed to wipe out the Christians, he gave his property to the poor and freed his slaves. Then he went to Diocletian, declared that he was a Christian and told him his order was cruel and unjust. He was beheaded at Nicomedia in AD 303.
He went to his death willingly
One hymn of his feast day calls him “George the soldier”. Longing to be with Christ, Who laid down His life for the world, he hurries to die for Him. Zeal for God fills his heart, and he gives himself up of his own accord. Another hymn tells how he brought down the shrines of the idols and confessed Christ as God in the stadium.
In Greek
Ὡς τῶν αἰχμαλώτων ἐλευθερωτής, καὶ τῶν πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστής,
ἀσθενούντων ἰατρός, βασιλέων ὑπέρμαχος,
Τροπαιοφόρε Μεγαλομάρτυς Γεώργιε, πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ,
σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.
From the Menaion for 23 April, on the Digital Chant Stand of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.