Agios Georgios – Excavated Lithography – Mount Athos

Description

Excavated lithograph with Saint George

Saint George the great martyr and trophy bearer was born in Cappadocia in 275 AD to Christian parents. When his father was martyred for Christ, his mother and ten-year-old George settled in her native Palestine. At the age of 18, George enlisted in the Roman army. He was quickly promoted to higher positions, gaining the title of earl.

Emperor Diocletian, in his attempt to exterminate the Christians, gathers all the officials to undertake the exterminating struggle against them. George, being among them, confesses before the emperor that he is a Christian.

Diocletian was enraged and imprisoned George, subjecting him to a series of tortures. The executioners tied George to a large wheel. As soon as the wheel moved, the sharp irons began to cut his body. Then a voice was heard from heaven saying “Do not be afraid, George, for I am with you” and an angel freed the saint, healing his wounds.

Then they threw George into a pit of lime and water to dissolve his bones. George, however, remained unharmed. Diocletian then ordered that George be fitted with red-hot shoes with iron studs and forced to walk. Saint George was praying and walking without getting hurt.

Next, they whipped George, wounding his whole body. He was still shining like an angel. He was imprisoned again. Then, Saint George saw in his dream Christ announcing to him that he would receive the crown of martyrdom. The next morning, soldiers led George before Diocletian. George once again refused to sacrifice to the idols and Diocletian ordered his beheading.

The faithful servant of Georgios Pasikrates, fulfilling the wish of the saint, received the relic of the great martyr and, together with that of his mother Polychronia, transported it to Lydda in Palestine. From there the Crusaders took them to the West. The Church honors the memory of Saint George on April 23.
In this particular image, the hagiographer monk used the lithography technique, creating a work of unique beauty. Specifically, using a lithographed copy of Byzantine art, the monk crafted this work following the traditional method of artificial aging, as taught in the iconography workshops of the State of Athens. In fact, the artificial aging of the iconography is done by hand, a process to which the monks of Mount Athos give special importance.

Dimensions: 25X17

As the image is handmade and the wood processing is done entirely by hand, there may be slight variations in the dimensions of each image.

Theimage is available upon request.

Origin: Mount Athos