St. George’s Day

The traditional St. George’s Mass was celebrated on 28 April in the Cathedral of The Theresa Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt, which is dedicated to St. George.

A delegation of the Lazarus Union took part, together with our friends from the Radetzky Order and the Austria Humanitas Corps.

The solemn Mass was celebrated by the Deputy Dean of the Radetzky Order, Military Dean Siegfried Lochner, M.A.

The church was built around the year 1440. In 1479 The Knightly Order of St. George moved its headquarters to Wiener Neustadt, after which the church adopted St. George as its Patron Saint.

The church was completely destroyed by bombing in March 1945, but reconstruction was completed in 1951. Since 1987 it has been the seat of the Military Bishop.

The statue of St George on the High Altar is a Milanese bronzework from the time of Emperor Frederick III. During the turmoil of the post-war period, the statue was stolen in 1948 and broken up into 14 parts. After much effort, the pieces were retrieved and the statue re-assembled.

The great Holy martyr George is the Patron Saint of knights and soldiers and is a source of help when in distress – for help in abuse and other severe cases, in spiritual struggles, and in the danger and misery of war.

His symbol is the Cross of St. George (a red cross on white background). Other Holy attributes with which the Saint is associated are the dragon, the lance and his presentation as a knight on horseback.

Historical information about him is uncertain. He was possibly born in the second half of the 3rd Century inCappadocia. It is believed that he was a senior officer in the Roman army.

Many legends have grown up around his name. The most famous is probably his role as Dragon Slayer: the legend – there are many versions – is that he saved a princess from an evil dragon. The veneration of St. George starts in the 4th Century in the form of the dragon slayer. In the 12th Century he first appears as the embodiment of of religious valour.

In the sermon, he was presented as a model in the fight for the faith.

The secular part of the feast day ended with a joint lunch with our comrades and a friendly exchange of ideas.