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[[Image:Saint_George_raphael.jpg|thumb|200px|George & the Dragon, painted by ''[[Raphael]]'']]'''Saint George'''  was a [[Rome|Roman]] soldier from [[Anatolia]] (now modern-day [[Turkey]]), circa 300 AD, who is venerated as a [[Christian]] [[martyr]].  

[[Image:Saint_George_raphael.jpg|thumb|200px|George & the Dragon, painted by ''[[Raphael]]'']]'''Saint George''' (c. 270 - 23rd April 303) was a [[Rome|Roman]] soldier from [[Anatolia]] (now modern-day [[Turkey]]), circa 300 AD, who is venerated as a [[Christian]] [[martyr]].  

Little is known of his early life, but it is generally held that George was born to a Christian family during the late 3rd century. His father was an officer in the Roman army from Cappadocia while his mother was from Lydia.  After his father's death, George and his mother returned to her home in [[Judea]] (Palestine)<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/george_1.shtml BBC - Religion and Ethics - St. George]</ref> where she provided him with an education.  George followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Roman army, rising through the ranks to become a Tribune by his late twenties and later Comes (count) as part of the Emperor [[Diocletian]]'s personal guard in Nicomedia. Diocletian began a systematic persecution of Christians throughout the Empire. Although George was ordered to participate in the persecution, he confessed to being a Christian himself whereupon Diocletian ordered his torture and execution. George suffered various tortures, including laceration on a wheel of swords, but was eventually executed by decapitation on April 23, 303. He was later honored as a martyr and he is commemorated on the date of his death.<ref>[http://www.britannia.com/history/stgeorge.html Britannia.com - St. George]</ref>

Little is known of his early life, but it is generally held that George was born to a Christian family during the late 3rd century. His father was an officer in the Roman army from Cappadocia while his mother was from Lydia.  After his father's death, George and his mother returned to her home in [[Judea]] (Palestine)<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/george_1.shtml BBC - Religion and Ethics - St. George]</ref> where she provided him with an education.  George followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Roman army, rising through the ranks to become a Tribune by his late twenties and later Comes (count) as part of the Emperor [[Diocletian]]'s personal guard in Nicomedia. Diocletian began a systematic persecution of Christians throughout the Empire. Although George was ordered to participate in the persecution, he confessed to being a Christian himself whereupon Diocletian ordered his torture and execution. George suffered various tortures, including laceration on a wheel of swords, but was eventually executed by decapitation on April 23, 303. He was later honored as a martyr and he is commemorated on the date of his death.<ref>[http://www.britannia.com/history/stgeorge.html Britannia.com - St. George]</ref>