Akathist To Saint George The Victory-Bearer: Full Canonical Text In English, Troparion, Prayer For Soldiers And How To Read It (Complete Guide) • Akathist, Prayers

The Akathist to the Holy Great Martyr and Trophy-Bearer George is one of the oldest and most beloved hymns of praise to the soldier-martyr whom the Church calls the “Victory-Bearer.” Below you will find the complete canonical text of the Akathist in English (13 kontakia and 12 ikoi), the troparion and kontakion of the feast, the prayer to the saint, his life according to Church tradition, and practical guidance on when and how to read the Akathist. [1][2][3]

Who was Saint George the Victory-Bearer?

Saint George was a Christian martyr of the early fourth century, executed during the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. The earliest reference to a nobly born young man who died in Nicomedia in 303 comes from Eusebius of Caesarea (around 322), which places the saint on historical, and not merely legendary, ground. [4]

According to Church tradition, he was born in Cappadocia (Asia Minor) to devout Christian parents. After his father died a martyr, his mother moved with her son to Palestine, to the city of Lydda, where she owned an estate. George entered military service and, through intelligence, courage and valour, became a tribune and a commander under Diocletian while still young. [5][6]

When the persecution of Christians began, the saint distributed his property to the poor, freed his slaves and openly confessed Christ before the emperor. Tradition records that when an official repeated Pilate’s question, “What is truth?”, George answered: “The Truth is Christ Himself, Whom you persecute”; and to promises of earthly glory he replied: “Nothing and no one will weaken my faith.” [5]

After prolonged tortures — the wheel, being cast into a pit of quicklime, poisoning — he was beheaded on 23 April (6 May, New Style) in the year 303 at Nicomedia; he was not yet thirty. His body was taken to Lydda, and under the Emperor Constantine the Great a church was built there in honour of the Great Martyr, where his relics were placed. [5][6][7]

Why “Victory-Bearer,” and why the spear and the dragon?

Victory-Bearer (Trophy-Bearer) — for the unbreakable steadfastness of his faith under torture, and for the victory of the spirit over death, not for military conquests. [4][5]
The miracle of the dragon — the most famous posthumous account: the saint on a white horse pierces the dragon’s jaws with his spear, rescues the princess and converts an entire city. Iconographically it signifies the victory of Good over Evil. [4][5]
The spread of his veneration — in the fourth century in Palestine (Lydda holds one of the probable burial sites), then in Syria, Egypt, Greece, Georgia, the Balkans and Kyivan Rus; universal recognition of the saint is dated to around the year 900. [4]
Patron of soldiers — among the warrior saints, Saint George holds the foremost place as the embodiment of military valour, courage and manliness. He is also the patron of the city of Lviv in Ukraine. [4][8]

What an Akathist is and how it is built

The word “akathist” comes from the Greek Ο Ακάθιστος Ύμνος: “a” is a negation and “kathizo” means “I sit.” Literally it is the “unseated hymn” — a hymn sung or read standing, as a mark of special reverence toward the one addressed. [9][10]

The first and archetypal hymn of the genre was the Great Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos, most likely composed around the year 626 (in the reign of the Emperor Heraclius) after the miraculous deliverance of Constantinople from an enemy siege. Later akathists to the Lord, to the saints and to wonderworking icons were composed on its model. [9][11]

The classical structure never changes: [9][10]

13 kontakia — short hymns, each of which (except the thirteenth) ends with “Alleluia”;
12 ikoi — extended hymns with a series of salutations called chairetismoi, each beginning with “Rejoice”;
a refrain — in our case: “Rejoice, Saint George, great trophy-bearer!”;
Kontakion 13 is read three times, after which Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1 are repeated.

Troparion and Kontakion to the Holy Great Martyr George

Before the Akathist it is customary to read the troparion and kontakion of the feast (23 April / 6 May): [12]

Troparion, Tone 4:
As the deliverer of captives and defender of the poor, physician of the sick and champion of the faithful, O Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion, Tone 4:
Cultivated by God, thou wast shown to be a most honourable husbandman of piety, gathering for thyself the sheaves of virtue; for having sown in tears, thou reapest with joy; and having suffered unto blood, thou didst receive Christ, and by thy prayers, O holy one, thou grantest to all forgiveness of transgressions.

Akathist to the Holy Great Martyr and Trophy-Bearer George — full text

The text below follows the established English liturgical translation, which corresponds to the classical Church Slavonic akathist beginning “Vzbrannomu voevode i Pobedonostsu Georgiyu…” [1][2][3]

Kontakion 1

To thee, O Champion leader and trophy-bearer, O Saint George, do we offer a hymn of praise, as to our intercessor and speedy helper; and do thou, O holy Great Martyr, as one who hath boldness before the Lord, deliver us from dangers of all kinds, that we may cry to thee:
Rejoice, Saint George, great trophy-bearer!

Ikos 1

The Creator of angels and Maker of all creation, having revealed thee to His Church as a champion of the faith and an unvanquished passion-bearer for the faith, inspireth us to lift up praises to thee for the ascetic labours of thy sufferings, Saint George, in this manner:

Rejoice, thou who didst love to the end Jesus, the Son of God!
Rejoice, thou who didst lay down thy life with love for His Name!
Rejoice, confessor called forth by God!
Rejoice, spiritual athlete glorified by the Grace of God!
Rejoice, thou who dwellest with the angels!
Rejoice, thou who art the equal of the prophets!