Anba George

Saint George of Assiut was an Egyptian bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Early life Born to a Christian family, at the end of the Fatimid era in Talkha. His father was working as a trader, and one time when he was returning from a business trip in France his wife gave birth to a child. She named him George after a bishop in France at the time. When George was a young man, he went to "Šihēt" (Wadi El Natrun now) to become a monk in Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great. At the time, the Crusades broke out and Egypt was under the rule of the governor Shirkuh.

Martyrdom On Sunday the army stormed the city of Assiut from its north, where the Bishop's residence and monastery are until today (Monastery of St. George, Assiut). He was arrested and tortured and then beheaded, being martyred in the name of Christ with 5000 men, women and children.