This Great and wonderful athlete of Christ was the son of a wealthy and high-ranking Cappadocian family. George having lost his father at the age of ten, his mother Polychronia, who had become a Christian without her husband's knowledge, returned to Palestine, her homeland, and brought up her son in the evangelical virtues. Handsome, intelligent, and refined in manner, George embarked on a military career at the age of eighteen. He pleased his superiors and was quickly promoted to the rank of Tribune in the Imperial guard, and then, it would appear, to that of Prefect. Returning to Cappadocia after a victorious campaign and passing through the region of Attalia in Pamphylia, he freed the king's daughter, who had been left at the mercy of a dangerous dragon, and killed the beast with a divine strength that he was given by his faith. Marveling at this demonstration of the strength given by Christ to His faithful ones against the forces of evil, the local pagans were all converted to Christianity.

Before His departure to the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ said to the Apostles: "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2-3). The Savior prayed to the Father, "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me," (John 17:24). And the Apostles express the desire to depart and to be with Christ (Phil. 1:23), knowing that they have "a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1).

The Resurrection of Christ is "the foundation and the crown of ourT Orthodox Christian Faith." The Resurrection of Christ is the first and most important, great truth, with the proclamation of which the most Holy Apostles began their preaching of the Gospel after the descent of the Holy Spirit. Just as by the death of Christ on the Cross our Redemption was accomplished, so by His Resurrection "eternal life was given to us." Therefore, the Resurrection of Christ is the object of the Church's constant triumph, its unceasing rejoicing, which reaches its summit in the Feast of the Holy Christian Pascha--"today all creation is glad and rejoices, for Christ has Risen" (Canon of Pascha, Canticle 9).

(Greek: Διακαινήμος Εβδομάς) is the name used by the Eastern Orthodox Church for the period of seven days beginning on Pascha and continuing up to (but not including) the following Sunday, which is known as Saint Thomas Sunday. The entire Bright Week is fast free.

"Behold your son... behold your mother."

3. And He, having committed His mother to John, said, "Behold your Son" (John 19:26). O the honor! With what honor did He honor the disciple! When He Himself was now departing, He committed her to the Disciple to take care of. For since it was likely that, being His mother, she would grieve, and require protection, He with reason entrusted her to the beloved. To him, He says, "Behold your mother" (John 19:27). This He said, knitting them together in charity; which the Disciple understanding, took her to his own home. But why made He no mention of any other woman, although another stood there?