According to tradition, George of Lydda (c. 280-303) was born into a Christian family in Cappadocia. The Golden Legend tells of a swamp in the Libyan town of Silene, where a terrible dragon lived. To appease it, the inhabitants offered it two sheeps a day, and later a sheep and a young man chosen by lot. The spell had just fallen on the king's daughter, when George arrived on horseback and attacked the dragon, piercing it with his spear.
Saint George was an officer in the Roman army. When Emperor Diocletian issued the edict of persecution against Christians in 303, George tore up the document in front of him and professed his faith in Christ. For this, he suffered terrible torture before finally being beheaded.
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