St. Marina the Martyr
Thursday, July 30th, 2009, is the commemoration of St. Marina the Martyr who overcame the Devil. St. Marina was born to noble pagan parents in Antioch. Her mother passed away, so her father sent to her to be raised by a nanny. The nanny played a great role in the life of St. Marina, especially her salvation. The nanny preached to St. Marina about Christ, the faith, and the saints. Through the nanny’s narration of the stories of the martyrs, the Saint longed to lead a similar life, longing to be come a martyr in the Name of Christ. The nanny was responsible for St. Marina’s salvation. Fr. Lazarus, from St. Mina’s Coptic Orthodox Church, made the point in a sermon about St. Marina that you never know how much effect you can have on somebody’s life, asking us to “always preach, and if [we] must, use words.”
Fr. Youhanna Ibrahim started a talk on St. Marina’s life during the vigil nights at St. Marina church by sharing a story. The story narrates that a tiger was born in a forest, but was left there. The tiger found a flock of sheep, so he lived among them, ate like them, and acted according to them. One time, a tiger came to attack the flock, so all the sheep fled except for the tiger. The attacking tiger asked the tiger from the flock about the reasoning of his stay with the sheep. The older tiger took the younger tiger, and showed him how to live, and the tiger started realizing his potential (which he never realized because he was not in the right environment). The tiger was simply a sojourner among the flock. We are sojourners in this world, but we need not forget that our father in heaven is in charge of us; thus, we should never leave our heavenly food to eat the grass like the sheep. St. Marina was a sojourner in this world (much like us), but she realized her origins, and fought the good fight to dwell in heaven.
The Saint went out for a walk one day with her maidens, and they passed by Lopharius Ebrotus, the governor. The governor took a great liking for her, and he sent for her; however, when the guards told her, she said “I am Christian.” Upon finding out, the governor was distressed because he liked her. The governor ordered her to be brought to him by force. He asked her about her name, but her answer was “I am Christian. I believe in the Lord Christ, and my name is Marina.”((From the synexarium)) Fr. Lazarus elaborated on this point: He said that she did directly say her name; rather, she said her faith. In Fr. Lazarus’ terms, St. Marina said “I am Christian. I believe in the Lord Christ, and, by the way, my name is Marina.”
The governor’s promises of marrying St. Marina and honoring her went to vain when she did not heed him. He wondered marvelously at her actions, but he wrathfully ordered her body to be scraped and combed with iron combs; finally, rubbed with salt, vinegar, and lime. She never despaired, but patiently endured. The guards cast her in prison assuming that she would die because she was in an extremely poor condition. The angel of the Lord appeared to her to heal her wounds. She stood up to pray, and her arms were extended in the form of a cross; suddenly, a greatly terrifying serpent appeared in front of her. It swallowed her: her soul almost departed from her. She was scared; however, she prayed while inside the serpent. The serpent split it open, and she went out unharmed.
The morning came, but when the governor saw her well being, he was impressed. He told her that her sorcery was very evident, pleading with her to worship the idols, so he can give her all of what he promised her. She told him that she is Christian, and none of his bribes would work because she did not intend on heeding him in disobeying God’s commandments. Again, the governor’s wrath was aroused; consequently, he demanded that she be squeezed on the squeezing wheel.
After this day’s torture, the soldiers placed her in prison. The Devil appeared to her in a deceptive form telling her that she should obey the governor due to his merciless behavior. Right away, she understood that it was the devil, so she held him by his hair, taking an iron rod to beat him, telling him to stop it. She bound him with the sign of the cross commanding him not to depart until he informs of her deeds to the whole earth. He confessed, "I am the one who makes adultery, stealing, blasphemy, and earthly desires, good and desirable to the human. And if I do not overcome him, I steer sleep and laziness against him, so he will not pray and ask for the forgiveness of his sins." The Saint let him depart.
The next morning the governor again marveled at her unharmed form. He commanded the soldiers to strip her, and throw her in a large container full of melted lead. The Saint asked God to allow this immersion to be her baptism. She went in saying, “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God Amen.” A voice came from heaven saying,"O Marina you have been baptized in the baptismal water." Many, when they saw this, believed; thus, the governor when he saw this, ordered all of them beheaded. Finally, he ordered the beheading of St. Marina’s head.
The executioner took her outside the city. God opened his eyes, and he saw an angel holding a crown of bright light, and he told her. She asked him to give her a few moments, so that she may pray. She extended her arms, prayed fervently, and came back; she asked him to follow his superior’s order. He told her that he could not commit such an action; she replied saying that if he did not do so, he would not have a share in the kingdom of heaven. The executioner declared his faith in Christ, as well.
The Lord manifested many miracles through her body. The prayer that she said before her departure is documented. With God’s grace, it will be posted later.