Saint George was a native of Iberia. He was the nephew of Saint John and the cousin of Saint Euthymius. He was born in 1014 to pious parents, Jacob and Maria. At the age of seven, he was sent to a monastery, where he became acquainted from an early age with the ascetic way of life and the liturgical traditions of the Church.
After being tonsured a monk, he travelled to Palestine, where he venerated the Holy Land and sought a charismatic elder who could instruct him the principles of monastic life.
He spent three years under the guidance of the hermit George, after which he returned to Mount Athos and began translating the Holy Scriptures. As abbot of the Monastery of Iviron, he took care of the church, transferred the relics of Saint Euthymius, as well as of other saints, and laboured for the spiritual growth of his brotherhood. Emperor Constantine Monomachus supported him in the restoration of the katholikon.
Saint George also served as spiritual father to Queen Maria, the mother of King Bagrat III, and took part in ecclesiastical affairs, defending the independence of Iberia. His translations of sacred texts benefited many monasteries and made him a revered spiritual teacher.
After many years of travelling, he returned once more to Mount Athos, where he continued his translations of the holy texts. He fell asleep in peace, leaving behind a great spiritual legacy.
