Holy Great Martyr Marina

Life

A native of Antioch in Pisidia, of pagan parents. Only in her twelfth year did Marina hear of the Lord Jesus Christ: how He was incarnate of the Most Pure Virgin, how He wrought many miracles, accepted death on the Cross, and gloriously arose. Her young heart was inflamed with love for the Lord, and she vowed never to marry, and further desired with all her soul to suffer for Christ and to be baptized in the blood of martyrdom. Her father came to despise her because of her faith and did not consider her his daughter. The imperial governor, Olybrius, learning from Marina that she was a Christian, first desired her to be his wife. And when Marina refused, he ordered her to bow down to the idols, to which Saint Marina answered: "I will not bow down, nor will I offer sacrifice to lifeless and dead idols, who neither know themselves nor know whether we honor or dishonor them; I will not give them that honor which belongs only to my Creator." Then Olybrius subjected her to cruel tortures, and all wounded and bloody, cast her into the dungeon. In the dungeon Marina prayed to God, and after her prayer the devil first appeared to her in the form of a terrible serpent, which opened its mouth over her head. But when she made the sign of the Cross, the serpent burst and vanished. Then a heavenly light shone upon her, and it seemed to her that the walls of the dungeon vanished together with the roof, and a cross appeared, radiant and lofty, and atop the cross a white dove, from which came a voice: "Rejoice, O Marina, rational dove of Christ, daughter of the heavenly Zion, for the day of thy joy is at hand." And Marina was healed by the power of God of all her wounds and pains. The senseless judge tortured her the next day with fire and with water, but Marina endured all as though in another's body. At last he sentenced her to beheading by the sword. Before her death the Lord Jesus Himself appeared to her with angels. She was beheaded in the time of Emperor Diocletian, but in soul and in power she remained alive in heaven and on earth. One hand of Saint Marina is preserved in the Monastery of Vatopedi on the Holy Mountain. In Albania, moreover, on Mount Langa above Lake Ohrid, there stands the Monastery of Saint Marina with a portion of her wonder-working relics. Numerous miracles have occurred and continue to occur in this monastery, witnessed not only by Christians but also by Muslims. So great is the reverence the Turks hold toward this holy place that they have never wished to touch either the holy things or the property of this monastery. For a time, a Turk served as the guardian of this monastery.

From the Hymn of Praise

Holy Marina prayed to the Lord,And with warm tears she strengthened her prayer:"Lord Jesus, my God and my Savior,Thou dost help everyone who trusts in Thee.