Saint Marinus of Rab

At that time, the city of Ri mini, Rimini Italian city where the saint worked and preached. in Italy, having been destroyed, when the question arose of rebuilding it, Saint Marinus and Saint Leo, hoping to make a considerable profit there, traveled thither with many others from their country; but they were greatly astonished to find there a multitude of Christians of high birth who had been condemned to this work, and to whom the overseers of the works gave tasks that exceeded their strength; and as they could not finish them, they were broken with blows from sticks and ox-hide whips. This cruelty moved our Saints to help them pull stones from the quarries, to carry the heavy burdens with which they were loaded, and to render them a thousand other good services; they even bought a beast of burden to relieve them in the transport of materials that they were forced to carry in baskets on their shoulders. After three years of this exercise of charity, which did not prevent them from working at their trade for their subsistence, and to continue their alms, Saint Leo retired to Mount Feltro, where, since then mont Feltro Place of retreat for Saint Leo. , an episcopal city has been built which bears his name, Leopolis or San Leone.

As for Saint Marinus, he remained in Rimini until the construction was completed, continuing to assist the faithful in every way possible. Despite his great fatigue, he did not fail to faithfully perform his prayers and ordinary devotions, and to afflict his body with long fasts and other austerities little compatible with such stubborn work. But, when the city was entirely rebuilt, the Holy Spirit filled him so abundantly with His light and the gift of speech that he began to preach the faith to draw the idolaters to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. His preaching was not without fruit: he had the happiness of converting several pagans, and even some priests of the idols, who abandoned this impious and sacrilegious practice to profess Christianity. The devil could not endure this happy success; here is the means he employed to thwart it: A woman from Dalmatia maintained that Saint Marinus was her husband and that he should take her to live with him. Her effrontery went so far as to summon him before the judge for this, and at the same time to accuse him of being a Christian. The man of God feared neither death nor torments; but, fearing that the prefect, out of aversion to his religion, would force him to live with this wicked woman, who was nothing to him, he fled secretly to Mount Titan, to which he gave his name, and he remained hidden there for a whole year, in a cave, w ithout see mont Titan The saint's eremitic retreat. ing anyone, and in complete separation from all men on earth.

His life in this cavern was admirable: he took only roots and wild herbs that he found in the vicinity, with water that dripped from the rock; and he took these only after None, to observe a continual fast. His sleep was so short that it did not deserve to be called rest: what rest could he take on a stone which, far from relieving his body, tormented it further with its hardness? He observed to the letter what Our Lord recommends in the Gospel: to pray always and never cease; for he was either chanting psalms or applied to the contemplation of divine truths. The evil spirit, unable to endure such great holiness, often made all sorts of wild beasts appear around his door, which let out frightful cries and howls; but the Saint, arming himself with the sign of the cross, remained intrepid, and by his constancy compelled this enemy of men to leave the battlefield. After a year, he was discovered by cowherds who made him known in the city. The woman who had already brought a lawsuit against him came to find him to reiterate her pursuits; but, as she was acting only through the operation of the demon by whom she was possessed, the Saint, having made the salutary sign of the cross over her, and having happily delivered her from such a pernicious guest, sent her away fully converted.

His reputation spread throughout the country, and many came to find him to receive from his charity or instruction in their ignorance, or relief in their sorrows. He brought about great conversions: a patrician, who wanted to drive him from his cave, having been immediately punished for it with paralysis, he healed his body and soul, making him embrace the faith along with fifty-three people of his household. The Bishop of Rimini (Italy, legation of Forlì), moved by so many wonders, called him to the city and conferred upon him the Order of deacon, so that he could solemnly baptize those he attracted to the Christian religion. He also made Saint L eo a prie saint Léo Companion of Saint Marinus, stonemason and founder of San Leo. st. Saint Marinus then returned to his cave, where he continued his exercises until his death, which occurred around the year 307.

His body was buried in his own cell, which he had converted into an oratory. Since then, a city called San Marino has been built on this site; it is only five miles away from San Leone. It is the capital of a small republic, which is called the Republic of San Marino, within the St ates of the Saint-Marin Dalmatian stonemason who became a deacon and the eponymous founder of San Marino. Church.

The relics of Saint Marinus are venerated there with great devotion in a church served by an archpriest, a chapel master, and ten priests. This Saint is also honored in Pavia, in Rimini, and in several other dioce Pavie City in Italy, seat of the saint's bishopric and place where his relics are preserved. ses of Italy.

As for the cave where he lived so holily, it is named Pænitentia Sancti Marini: "The penance of Saint Marinus."

Saint Marinus is represented: 1° Having near him the chisel and tools proper to a stonemason; 2° condemning a bear, which had devoured his donkey, to continue the services of that animal which, probably, helped him transport construction materials.

Acta Sanctorum; Petr us de Natalibu Acta Sanctorum Hagiographic collection cited as a source. s.