The Holy New Martyr George of New Ephesus
The Holy New Martyr George was born in New Ephesus in Asia Minor about 1756. 1798 found him aged some forty years, married, and the father of children, but such a dedicated wine-bibber that he was daily found wallowing in drunkenness. In July of that year, under the effects of the daily binge, being neither compelled nor urged by anyone, he presented himself before the cadi, that is, the Turkish judge, and renounced his faith in Christ. But coming to from his drunkenness before they could circumcise him, and filled with sorrow at what he had done, he slipped off to Samos.
But when the Christians of New Ephesus wished to build a new church, the Turks could not bear it, and claimed that the Christians had killed George because he had embraced Islam, and became so riled up against them that the Christians feared a massacre; compelled by which fear, they revealed that George was in Samos. So he was brought back to New Ephesus by the Turks and forcibly circumcised. Then, to honor him and guide him in the right way, they made him a warden in the mosque. George, however, had changed his faith, but not his ways, but even added to them, so that he well nigh turned the mosque into a tavern. After ten months of this, he suddenly disappeared, and in repentance, lived now at Samos, now at Patmos, sorrowing over his iniquity.
In 1801, he appeared in New Ephesus, in mourning, compunction, and repentance. He came and stood for a time at the sycamore tree where Saint Polydorus had been martyred seven years before; and when an old friend met him, and saw that his feet were swollen, he explained that they had been beaten with innumerable strokes when he had appeared before the judge in the place he had been before returning to New Ephesus. Having waited to be taken by the Turks as an apostate, he finally presented himself before the judge of his own accord on April 3, and renounced Islam and professed himself a Christian. He was cast into prison and what he suffered the following two days is not known. But he was brought out again on April 5, Friday, and the judge spoke to him with feigned kindness, saying, “Listen, son, repent: and then go wherever you like, and be whatever you like, Turk, Christian, or whatever you desire.”
To this the Martyr said, “I am a Christian, and my Faith is what I desire.”
After further questioning, the judge, in a desperate attempt to avoid the shame of being unable to overcome his courage, tried to give him a way of escape by asking him, “Which is more, ninety or a hundred?” as if he were not in his right mind.
But when the Saint resisted this and all other attempts to adulterate his confession of faith, he was taken to beheading. On the way, a Turk named Osman stopped them and said, “Wait, men, what are you about to do?” Then he said to George, “Have pity on your life, man. Just say, ‘I have sinned,’ then get up and go live as you like.”
The Martyr answered, “I am a Christian, my name is George, and I don’t want your advice.”
The headsman said, “Do you repent?”
George said, “I am a Christian.”
The headsman: “Bow your head.”
George bowed his head, his face beaming with joy. And they beheaded him, it being Friday, the third hour of the day, that is, about 9 a.m. As the day waned, many, both Christians and Turks, saw the Saint’s holy relics shining like lightning with a marvellous light, as when a mirror reflects the sunlight. When the judge heard of this, he had his relics taken away, and they were buried near those of Saint Polydorus.
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