About Mar Gewargis
Mar Gewargis the Triumphed Martyr
It is uncertain when Mar Gewargis was born, however, historians believe that he was born around the year 280 A.D. His death date is estimated to be April 23 303 A.D.
Mar Gewargis was born to a famous and wealthy Roman officer and a Greek lady native to Lydda. Both parents were Christians from noble families and Mar Gewargis (Georgios in Greek) was raised to follow their faith. The Emperor, Diocletians, brought Mar Gewargis’ father to include him in his retinue in Nicomedia, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. He left his home, and eventually passed away, leaving his son to be raised by his mother. She did her duty well, and raised her child on Christian principles.
When Mar Gewargis was seventeen years old, he entered the army. One day, the Emperor Diocletians saw him on his horse, high in stature, glorious, with sharp eyes. He approached him. Mar Gewargis was very noble and polite. The emperor loved him and put him in the Royal Guard. There was no one amongst the Roman commanding knights more handsome and enthusiastic than the Christian knight Mar Gewargis. By his late 20’s, Mar Gewargis became a Tribunus and served as an imperial guard for the Emperor at Nicomedia.
On February 24, 303 A.D., Diocletian, who hated Christians, announced that every Christian the army passed would be arrested and every soldier should offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods. Mar Gewargis refused to abide by the order and told Diocletian, who was angry but greatly valued his friendship with Mar Gewargis’ father, so he kept the matter between them. When Mar Gewargis announced his beliefs before his peers, Diocletian was unable to keep the news to himself.
In an effort to save Mar Gewargis, Diocletian attempted to convert him to believe in the Roman gods, offered him land, money and slaves in exchange for offering a sacrifice to the Roman gods, and made several other offers that Mar Gewargis refused.
Finally, after exhausting all other options, Diocletian ordered Mar Gewargis’ execution. In preparation for his death, Mar Gewargis gave his money to the poor and was sent for several torture sessions. He was lacerated on a wheel of swords and required resuscitation three times, but still Mar Gewargis did not turn from God.
On April 23, 303 A.D., Mar Gewargis was decapitated before Nicomedia’s outer wall. Mar Gewargis knelt, fixed his eyes to heaven, and prayed. He bent his head in front of the swordsman and received, with reverence to his faith, the fall of the sword. His innocent young soul flew to the heavenly valleys, to join the soldiers of Christ the King. His body was sent to Lydda for burial, where other Christians went to honor Mar Gewargis as a martyr.
Saint Mar Gewargis and the Dragon
During Mar Gewargis’ time, there was a dragon that made its nest at a spring that provided water to Silene, (modern-day Lcyrene, Libya)
The people were unable to collect water and so they attempted to remove the dragon from its nest on several occasions. The people offered the dragon a sheep each day to lure it away from the spring, but once the sheep was gone, the dragon always returned. In their distress, the townspeople decided that sending the dragon a maiden would be far more effective that a sheep. They drew straws to choose the victim, and this continued until one day the princess’ straw was drawn.
The monarch begged for his daughter to be spared, but the people would not have it. She was offered to the dragon, but before she could be devoured, Mar Gewargis appeared. He faced the dragon, protected himself with the sign of the Cross, and slayed the beast. After he saved the town, the citizens abandoned their paganism and were all converted to Christianity, following in his footsteps.
The meaning of the story is that Mar Gewargis (Christ) fought the dragon and defeated him (devil) with the sword (Word of God) to save the princess (the Church) and bring water (life) to the people.
Interesting Facts
- Saint Mar Gewargis stands out among other saints and legends because he is known and revered by both Christians of the East and West and Muslims.
- The feast of Saint Mar Gewargis is celebrated on April 24, but if it falls before Easter, it is celebrated Easter Monday.
- The Assyrian Church of the East celebrates Mar Gewargis’ feast on two days each year – April 24 as is expected as well as the first Monday of November (most likely to commemorate the consecration of a cathedral that was dedicated to him).
Originally, the church structure we now know as Mar Gewargis Cathedral was built in 1926, and it was called the 16th Church of Christ. In 1979, the late, His Holiness, Mar Dinkha commissioned our ACOE committee to search for a new church building. He had given the committee specific instructions on the type, size, style of church to look for. The committee then found the building we use today. Upon his return from Iran, the church was consecrated in 1981. The church was named “Mar Gewargis” or St. George. It became the Diocese Cathedral and a hub for all Assyrian religious ceremonies. Many parishioners got married, baptized their children, and even given last rites at this glorious church.
Mar Gewargis Church has a great significance for most Assyrians living in the Chicagoland area. It remains the Diocese Cathedral and a powerful symbol of faith in our Assyrian community.
Fr. George Sulaiman was born in Baghdad in 1973 and raised in Duhok, Iraq. He came from a very religious family with several priests on both sides. Fr. Sulaiman attended his church’s summer school since he was 10 years old, where he learned the basics of liturgy and to read the Assyrian language. In October of 1988, he was one of the first to join the seminary of the Assyrian church in Baghdad, established by His Holiness Mar Gewargis Slewaa III, the Archbishop of Iraq at the time. He continued to study the Assyrian Language, the church liturgy and theology in the seminary and went on to be one of the first Assyrian Seminarians who joined Babel College of Philosophy and Theology in Baghdad.