George El Mozahem facts for kids

Saint George El Mozahem (Coptic: ⲅⲉⲱⲣⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲡⲓⲍⲟϩⲉⲙ) was a Coptic Orthodox martyr and saint. He lived from 940 to June 26, 969. A martyr is someone who dies for their beliefs, and a saint is a very holy person.

Early Life and Faith

George El Mozahem was born in Talkha, Egypt. His mother, Mary, was Christian, and his father, Jumaa Al Atawy, was Muslim. George was raised following his father's religion until he was about twelve years old.

Discovering Christianity

Even though he was raised Muslim, George often went to church with his mother. He became very interested in the Christian faith. One day, he told his mother he wanted to receive the Eucharist. This is a special Christian ceremony. His mother explained that he first needed to be baptized.

George also asked to taste the blessed bread called Eulogia (also known as Qorban). This bread is not part of the Eucharist, but it is blessed. He found it tasted very sweet. He wondered how amazing the taste of the actual Eucharist bread, called the Offering, would be if this simple blessed bread was so good.

His Baptism

George wanted to be baptized right away. However, priests were afraid to baptize him. This was because he was leaving Islam, which was very dangerous at that time. So, George decided to baptize himself. He did this by dipping himself in water three times.

Later, he married a Christian woman. When he told her about his self-baptism, she said it might not be the proper way. So, they both traveled to a city called Samanoud. There, George was properly baptized by a priest. He was given the Christian name George because it was the feast day of Saint George.

Path to Sainthood

After his baptism, George felt a strong calling to serve God. He thought about becoming a monk, which means living a quiet, religious life away from others. But he heard a voice that told him not to go to a monastery. Instead, the voice encouraged him to seek martyrdom. This meant being ready to die for his faith.

Arrest and Miracle

George was later arrested because he had left Islam. This was seen as a serious crime. He was sentenced to be burned. But something amazing happened: he survived the fire without any harm! The local governor was very impressed by this miracle. He even considered letting George go free.

However, the people were very angry and demanded that George be punished. They even threatened the governor. After this, George was executed.

After His Death

After George's death, his wife was able to get his body. Some Muslims tried to burn his body, but it would not catch fire. His followers believe this was another miracle, showing God's protection. Saint George El Mozahem is remembered as a brave martyr who stood firm in his faith.