On April 23rd, the universal Church celebrates with great joy the feast of St George. Besides being a saint of the early times of the Church St George has many devotees around the world. His life story as well as his cult are really a source of inspiration for all those who want to take Christian life seriously.
His name, George, which in the Greek language means “farmer,” already says a lot about the spirit with which he was imbued. Born around the year 280 in Cappadocia, George grew within a Christian family that cultivated Christian life. I would imagine George’s family living on the same lines given to us by St Pope John Paul II in his apostolic exhortation on the role of the Christian family in the modern world, Familiaris Consortio, where he writes:
For this reason the Synod expressly recognized the useful contribution made by such associations of spirituality, formation and apostolate. It will be their task to foster among the faithful a lively sense of solidarity, to favor a manner of living inspired by the Gospel and by the faith of the Church, to form consciences according to Christian values and not according to the standards of public opinion; to stimulate people to perform works of charity for one another and for others with a spirit of openness which will make Christian families into a true source of light and a wholesome leaven for other families (no.72).