Gradska opstina Palilula

The Serbian Orthodox Church and its believers on this day celebrate the transfer of St. George’s relics from Nicomedia to the city of Lido, in Palestine, where he lost his life in the time of the Emperor Diocletian. This Saint and feast is more famous in the folk as `Djurdjic`. The suffering of this wonderful saint was described on April 23rd. Before his death, Georgije asked from his servant to take his body after death, and transfer him to Palestine, from where his mother was born, and where he had a great estate, which he gave to the poor. The servant did it. In the time of Emperor Constantine, he built a beautiful temple in Lida. Georgije by pious Christians, and when the temple is refreshed, the relics of the saints are transferred to it, and there they are buried. Countless wonders came from the miraculous relics of St. Georgije, the great scholar of Christ.

Djurdjic is one of the most common saints days, and the church mentions him as a fighter for Christianity and great scholar. Saint Georgije was executed in 303. He was a soldier of Christ who refused obedience to the Emperor Diocletian, the great persecutor of Christians, declaring that he was not afraid to die for his faith. He preached the New Testament faith and, according to the tradition, even the emperor succeeded in turning Alexander into a Christian. Both were sentenced to death by cutting off their heads, and the story says that the Empress died before the imperial order was executed. On Orthodox icons and medieval frescoes, St. George is portrayed on a horse wearing a dagger with a cross sword killing a dragon, which is the symbol of pagan faith, while on the icons for the holiday of Djurdjic he is represented as a pedestrian in a standing position with a spear or a sword in his hand. In Orthodox monasteries St. George is the first in line of holy warriors with a shield and a crossed sword. Very respected in our nation and celebrated twice a year – as the holiday of the Renewal of the Temple of the Holy Great Martyr Georgije (Djurdjić) and on May 6, when the day of his death is celebrated (Đurđevdan).