Καλλιτεχνικός Σύλλογος Δημοτικής Μουσικής Δόμνα Σαμίου

St. George, the most revered saint of the Eastern Church is the saint-fighter against evil and injustice, protector and liberator, hero of good and hope.

N.G. Politis has argued that both the religious narrative and the song echo the ancient myth of Perseus and Andromeda, which had survived as a folk narrative in Cappadocia, where both the song and the worship of the saint probably originated.

Photo: Saint George. Mobile icon painted by Angelos, late 15th century, Benaki Museum, inv. no. 28129.

O sainted George and honoured master, rider of the grey horse,
accoutred with a trusty sword and with a golden lance,
it is my wish to compliment your glory and the prowess
with which you slayed the monstrous beast, the huge and fearsome lion;
at large about our neighbourhoud its lair was in a deep well,
and it was fed with human prey both morn and evening.

All the lyrics of the song and related comments on page Song of Saint George)

See also the Cappadocian version of the song St. George and the Dragon by Katerina Papadopoulou based on the original recording of 1930 by Melpo Merlier, founder of the “Music Folklore Archive” of the “Centre for Asia Minor Studies” and The Song of Saint George, the version from Propontis, Asia Minor.