The Lance of St George is a protective amulet designed in the likeness of the weapon that appears in one of Christianity’s most famous legends. The form is drawn from the long, cross-tipped lance of the mounted saint, depicted in Eastern and Western iconography as piercing the mouth of the dragon. In this piece, that force is rendered as a shaft of flame. The fire rises from below, drawn from the breath of the serpent. The charm takes its shape from this moment of reversal, when destruction is turned back on itself through the intervention of a consecrated weapon.
Saint George has long been honored as a militant saint. Across Orthodox, Catholic, and folk traditions, he is invoked for protection, strength, and decisive action in the face of danger. These amulets were created in that spirit and are intended as protective objects for those facing conflict, envy, or obstacles demanding a clear and forceful response.
I am extremely excited to be collaborating with my good friend Sfinga of With Cunning and Command on this release. When I was initially working on the lances, I had the thought to reach out to her, based on our mutual love of Saint George, to see if she would be interested in a joint release. In a lovely moment of synchronicity, I was thrilled to learn she was also working on something centered on his lance. As a result, this release combines dual empowerment through both Catholic and Orthodox folk practice and devotion.
At the center of the lance sits a garnet, a martial stone long associated with courage and protection. The garnets were washed with holy water and prayed over on his Catholic feast day, then kept with a Saint George relic medal until they were set into the lances. Beneath the stone lies a hidden load of Saint George powder, ritually gathered and prepared by Sfinga. The powder was created on Saint George’s Orthodox feast, known as Đurđevdan in her native Serbian. It was made from herbs traditionally harvested on his day for vigor, stamina, potency, and protection, united under the image of his spear to seek out, identify, and neutralize the evil eye.
Sfinga is also releasing a set of truly potent charm bags that combine this powder with a Saint Vitus powder and an anti–evil eye powder to anticipate, nullify, and deflect three traditional sources of the eye: jealousy, awe or admiration, and spite. You can read more about her working and purchase a charm bag at her site linked above.
The legend of Saint George has many forms. The earliest texts describe the martyrdom of a Roman soldier under Diocletian. The dragon episode appears later, first in an eleventh-century Georgian account, then spreading into the Orthodox and Latin worlds. By the time of the Crusades, the story of the princess, the dragon, and the lance had become central to his veneration.
In Orthodox iconography, George is shown on horseback, driving the lance directly into the dragon’s open jaw. This gesture echoes the rider in Revelation who goes forth conquering, and the Archangel Michael who casts down the dragon in heaven. The lance in these images is both a martial tool and a vector of divine power. The dragon is a figure of the adversary: pagan, demonic, or chaotic. The maiden becomes a representation of the Church, or of the soul. The lance brings deliverance through intervention.
No relic of the original lance survives, but its image endures. In the Latin West, the weapon was given the name Ascalon and adopted as a symbol by Crusaders and military orders. In Georgia it became a national emblem, appearing on royal seals. In Coptic and Ethiopian art, George and his lance remain central devotional images to this day. The weapon’s appearance varies, but its action remains constant. It strikes with precision into the mouth of what threatens to consume.
Each piece was hand-sculpted in wax and cast into solid sterling silver. It may be carried or worn as an object of devotion and protection. The piece measures approximately 2.35″ tall and comes on your choice of black satin cord or oxidized sterling silver chain, along with a copy of the prayer card pictured above on cardstock.
Only 7 are available.
Further Reading
- The Golden Legend, Jacobus de Voragine
- Castiñeiras, Crossing Cultural Boundaries: Saint George in the Eastern Mediterranean
- Obitel-Minsk, The Symbolism and Iconography of Saint George and the Dragon