Two colorful icons border the entrance into St. George’s Church. To the left is St. George the Great Martyr, the patron Saint of our congregation. St. George was a Christian officer in the Roman army in approximately the fourth century. For his refusal to renounce Christ, St. George endured many terrible tortures and was finally put to death as a martyr for Christ. While it is doubtful that St. George ever slayed a dragon, the icon is symbolic of the fact that St. George “fought the good fight” against sin and evil (symbolized by the dragon) and received the reward of a martyr’s crown in heaven.
To the right of the doors we see a dove, which is the symbol of the Holy Spirit Who is the Giver of Life and is the “Spirit” which moves the Church. The angel sounding the trumpet reminds us of the Second Coming of Christ which will be announced by the sound of the trumpet. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) He reminds us to always be ready for that day so that it will not come like a “thief in the night”. Prayer is one way to prepare for that day, and this is symbolized by the angel holding the censer. The censer is symbolic of our prayers rising up to God like the sweet fragrance of incense. (Psalm 141)
