Saint George is one of the most beloved saints of the Eastern Church. In particular, the people of Cappadocia, his homeland, had recourse to him for help and assistance from very early on and his honour and fame spread throughout the world.

The achievements of the saint didn’t remain only in the Lives of the Saints and hymns, but were adopted by the folk muse and made into a song. ‘The Song of Saint George’ tells of the slaying of the dragon and the rescue of the princess. The most widely-accepted interpretation of the myth is that the dragon represents the devil, which is defeated by the faith of the saint [cf. Ephesians, 6, 17].

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Ελληνικά (Καππαδοκική διάλεκτος, Φαρασιώτικα)

Αγιώρ’ Αγιώρ’ αφέντη μου                                           Saint George, Saint George, my lord

Αγιώρ’ Αγιώρ’ αφέντη μου κι αφέντη καβαλάρη         St. George, St. George, my lord and knight
Αρματωμένε με σπαθί και με χρυσό κοντάρι                Armed with sword and golden spear
Άγγελος είσαι στη θωριά, κι άγιος στη θεότη               An angel in looks and saint in devotion
Παρακαλώ σε βόηθα μας, άγιε στρατιώτη                    I beg you, holy soldier, save us
Από το άγριο θεριό, το δράκοντα μεγάλο                      From the wild beast, the great dragon
Που δεν αφήνει άνθρωπο κάθε πρωΐ και άλλο            Which every morning takes someone.
Ερίξανε τα μπουλετιά1 σε μια βασιλοπούλα                 The lot’s now fallen on a princess
Οπού την είχε η μάνα της μία και ακριβούλα                Her mother’s only, precious child

Σήκω Αγιώρ’ αφέντη μου, και το νερό αφρίζει ‘            Arise Saint George, the water’s frothing
και δράκος τα δοντάκια του για μένα τ’ ακονίζει          And the dragon’s sharpening his teeth’.
Σηκώθηκεν κι Αγιώργιος σαν παραλογισμένος             Saint George arose, irate, and speared
Μια κονταριά το χτύπησεν σαν που ήταν μαθημένος  It, as to the manner born.
Μια κονταριά το χτύπησεν, το πήρε μες στο στόμα      A thrust he made, into its mouth,
Και παρευτύς το ξάπλωσε χάμω στη γης στο χώμα       And straightway laid it low.

Γεώργιο με λέγουνε κι απ’ την Καππαδοκία                   ‘My name is George, from Cappadocia,
Κι αν θες να κάνεις χάρισμα, χτίσε μιαν εκκλησία         And out of thanks, build a chapel.
Βάλε δεξιά την Παναγιά, ζερβά έναν καβαλάρη             Our Lady on the right and on the left
Αρματωμένο με σπαθί και με χρυσό κοντάρι                  A knight with sword and golden spear’.

 

According to the title, the song is not only from Cappadocia, but is in the dialect of Farasa, the village where Saint Paisios was born WJL.

Source: pemptousia.com

 


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