Military saint in the context of "Saint George"

Theodore Stratelates (Ancient Greek: Ἅγιος Θεόδωρος ὁ Στρατηλάτης, transl. 'the General' or 'Military Commander'; Coptic: ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲑⲉⲟⲇⲱⲣⲟⲥ), also known as Theodore of Heraclea (Ancient Greek: Θεόδωρος Ἡρακλείας; AD 281–319), was a martyr and warrior saint in the Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches.

There is much confusion as to whether he and St. Theodore of Amasea were the same person, as the stories about their lives later diverged into two separate traditions.

Saint Theodore (Άγιος Θεοδώρος), distinguished as Theodore of Amasea, Theodore the Recruit (Θεοδώρος ό Τήρων), and by other names, is a Christian saint and Great Martyr, particularly revered in the Eastern Orthodox Churches but also honored in Roman Catholicism and Oriental Orthodoxy. According to legend, he was a legionary in the Roman army who suffered martyrdom by immolation at Amasea in Galatian Pontus (modern Amasya, Turkey) during the Great Persecution under Diocletian in the early 4th century. Venerated by the late 4th century, he became a prominent warrior saint during the Middle Ages, attracted a great deal of additional legends including accounts of battle against dragons, and was often confused with (or was the original source of) the similar Theodore Stratelates of Heraclea.

Sergius (or Serge) and Bacchus (Greek: Σέργιος & Βάκχος; Classical Syriac: ܣܪܓܝܤ ܘܒܟܘܤ, romanized: Sargīs wa Bākūs; Arabic: سركيس و باخوس, romanized: Sarkīs wa Bākhūs, also called Arabic: سرجيس و باكوس, romanized: Sarjīs wa Bākūs) were fourth-century Syrian Christian soldiers revered as martyrs and military saints by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Their feast day is 7 October.

According to their hagiography, Sergius and Bacchus were military officers in the army of the Roman Emperor Galerius and were held high in his favor until they were exposed as secret Christians. They were then severely humiliated and punished, forced to wear both feminine and commoner garments, with Bacchus dying during torture to his feet, and Sergius eventually decapitated.

In heraldry, Saint George's Cross (also known as the Cross of Saint George) is a red cross on a white background, which, from the Late Middle Ages, has been associated with Saint George, a military saint who is often depicted as a crusader.

Associated with the Crusades, the red-on-white cross has its origins in the 10th century. Perhaps as early as that time, it was used as the ensign of the Republic of Genoa.The symbol was later adopted by the Swabian League in the pre-Reformation Holy Roman Empire. George became recognized as the patron saint of England in the fourteenth century, replacing St. Edmund the Martyr.