One of the main buildings in historic Riga is the House of the Black Heads. It was originally built in the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Black Heads, a guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners, and foreigners in Riga. The Brotherhood of Black Heads was named after Saint Maurice, a Christian martyr who was depicted as a black African in medieval art. This building has a very beautiful facade adorned with statues of various figures, among them Saint George slaying the dragon, whose feast we celebrate today.
Saint George slaying the dragon on the facade of the House of Black Heads in Riga.
Saint George, believed to have been a Roman soldier of Greek origin from Cappadocia and an officer in the Guard of Diocletian, is best known for this mythic tale, which is set in a town called Silene in Libya.
According to the legend, Silene was plagued by a dragon living in a nearby lake. The beast terrorized the town and poisoned the countryside. To appease the dragon, the townspeople fed it two sheep every day. When they ran out of sheep, they resorted to sacrificing their children, chosen by lottery. One day, the lot fell on the king’s daughter. Despite the king’s pleas for her life, she was dressed as a bride and sent out to the lake.
Just then, Saint George rode past the lake. The princess tried to send him away to save him from the dragon, but he vowed to remain. When the dragon emerged, Saint George made the sign of the cross, charged it on horseback, and thrust his lance into the beast’s flesh, seriously wounding it.
He then used the princess’s girdle to leash the dragon and led it back to Silene. Saint George offered to kill the dragon if the people would agree to become Christians and be baptized. The king and his people accepted the offer, and Saint George slayed the dragon. Following the dragon’s death, the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. A church was built on the site where the dragon died, featuring a spring that healed the sick.
Over time, Saint George became a symbol of good conquering evil and a patron saint of many countries and cities across Europe and the Middle East. His story is celebrated on Saint George’s Day, April 23, in various Christian churches.
The House of the Black Heads in Riga.