Saint Marina as known in the East ‘the very great martyr Marina’, or ‘Margaret as she appeared in the west was born in Antioch-Pisidia, Asia Minor. Her parents were pagans; the father, Aedisius, was a priest who worshiped idols under Diocletian, the vicious Roman emperor. Her mother died when she was five years old. She was sent away from home by a busy father to live as a shepherdess with a Christian family, who raised her until she reached fourteen. She became a devout Christian.

St. Marina was a beauty, when she reached fifteen years old. Once the Roman governor of Antioch, Olybrius, saw her he was marveled and tried to seduce her. He wanted to marry her or take her as a slave. Marina refused all the seductions and the threats. She proclaimed her Christianity. When she insisted, he in revenge brought her to trial, charging her as Christian. She was cast in prison and tortured in many cruel ways. She was terribly tested by the Devil, who appeared to her as a dragon and swallowed her: but the cross depicted on her hand irritated the dragon. The Devil could bear neither the cross nor her fervent prayers. She overcame the dragon that emitted her safely. She continued to fight demons, and vicious kinds of tortures with strong faith and resiliency.

When the governor and the executioners gave up, slaying her in many both by fire and by water; the only result they had was the conversion of thousands of the spectators. Admired her courage, and were influenced by her faith in Christ, they joined her in martyrdom. The sword beheaded her. It was said that the executioners immediately fell dead also. Soon the fame and the miracles attributed to Marina spread allover Europe, and continued throughout the middle Ages. Her relics were stolen, but brought back, and translated to Venice. A relic (  her hand ) of St. Marina is in a famous church in Egypt, exhibited on her feast, and shown without decay. She is considered one of the famous Fourteen Holy Helpers. Her voice was one of the ‘voices’ that spoke to St. Joan of Arc. She became matron of childbirth.

INSPIRATIONAL EVENT:   On trial, Marina was asked, “What is your nationality?” She answered: “I am a Nazarene”. The governor asked, “What is your name? Your tribe?” She answered, “My name is Marina from the tribe of Jesus Christ.” Then the governor asked, “Who is your God?” She answered, “ My God is the Creator of heaven and earth.” The governor asked, “Then, you believe in Jesus Christ whom the Jews crucified?” Marina answered, “I call upon His Holy Name, though I am not worthy. I have faith that He will save me from your atheism”.