Saint-George

Saint-George is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It is located in the district of Nyon.

History

Saint-George is first mentioned in 1153 as Sancti Georgii de Essartinis.

Geography

Saint-George has an area, as of 2009, of 12.32 square kilometers (4.76 sq mi). Of this area, 2.18 km² (0.84 sq mi) or 17.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 9.42 km² (3.64 sq mi) or 76.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.71 km² (0.27 sq mi) or 5.8% is settled (buildings or roads) and 0.02 km² (4.9 acres) or 0.2% is unproductive land.

Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.8%. Out of the forested land, 74.9% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.5% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 8.0% is used for growing crops and 4.8% is pastures and 4.8% is used for alpine pastures.

The municipality was part of the Aubonne District until it was dissolved on 31 August 2006, and Saint-George became part of the new district of Nyon.

Saint George

Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος Georgios; Latin: Georgius; AD 275–281 to 23 April 303), according to legend, was a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a Christian martyr. His parents were Christians of Greek background; his father Gerontius was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother Polychronia was a Christian from Lydda in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina (Palestine). Accounts differ regarding whether George was born in Cappadocia or Syria Palaestina, but agree that he was raised at least partly in Lydda. Saint George became an officer in the Roman army in the Guard of Diocletian, who ordered his death for failing to recant his Christian faith.

In hagiography, Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic Church (Latin and Eastern), Anglican, East Syrian, and Miaphysite Churches. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints, immortalized in the myth of Saint George and the Dragon killing in Beirut, Lebanon. His memorial, Saint George's Day, is traditionally celebrated on the Julian date of 23 April (currently the 6th of May according to the Gregorian Calendar). Many countries, cities, professions and organisations claim Saint George as their patron.

Saint George (icon, 1130)

Saint George (Russian: Святой Георгий) is a Russian Saint George icon created in Veliky Novgorod before the Mongol invasion of Rus' in the 12th century. The main icon of the Yuriev Monastery for a long time, it is kept at the Tretyakov Gallery at the moment.

The date of its creation is unknown, but 1130 was agreed upon as this date is on the back of the icon. However, the back itself was only made in the 19th century. Art critics also state either 1030, which is the foundation year of the Yuriev Monastery, or 1130-1140s to the Yuriev Monastery's consecration ceremony. This theory is supported by art historians Viktor Lazarev, Engelina Smirnova and Natalya Salko. Viktor Lazarev states that its size is suitable for that purpose.

The iconography corresponds to the common since 10th-century Byzantium depiction of Saint George not as a warrior, but as a young martyr.

See also

References