Saint Marina

The humble religious remained for three years at the gate of the monastery, accepting the penance that was imposed upon him, sleeping on the bare earth, fasting, weeping, and beseeching the solitaries who entered and exited to implore divine mercy for him, and asking them for a little bread when he was in extreme necessity. Soon, even more penance was required. The innkeeper's daughter, having given birth to a son, sent him, as soon as he was weaned, to Brother Marinus, saying to him: "Here is your child, feed him as best you can." Marinus accepted him as if he were his own, gave him all his care without ever murmuring, and nourished him for two years with the fruit of his alms.

After this time, the brothers, being moved with compassion, came to find the abbot, begging him to receive Marinus into the community and saying to him: "My father, forgive our brother and receive him; it has been five years that he has slept on the ground and done penance, exposed to all the insults of the weather, to the reproaches and contempt of passersby. Receive him then in mercy, as Our Lord Jesus Christ commands." The abbot, overcome by their entreaties, finally allowed him to return, and when he saw him prostrate at his feet: "I grant you pardon," he said, "in consideration of your father who was a holy man. But as your fault is enormous, the penance must be proportionate. That is why I ask you to sweep the whole house alone, to bring the necessary water, to clean the brothers' shoes, and to serve them all."

Marinus accepted the penance with a great heart and fulfilled it with courage. But the burden was certainly beyond his strength, already worn out by so many privations and austerities. He succumbed to it and died after a few days of illness. The brothers having reported his death to the abbot, he said to them: "See what was the magnitude of his crime, since God did not even leave him time to do penance! Do not fail, however, out of charity, to bury him, and bury him far from the monastery."

While they were carrying out this order, what was their surprise to discover that it was not a brother, but a holy sister who had lived among them. They all began to cry out, beating their breasts: "How could she have suffered so many hardships, so much mistreatment, so much contempt, when with a single word she could have spared herself from it?" They all ran in tears to the abbot to tell him this news.

The abbot, having rushed to the mortal remains of t he Sai L'abbé Superior of the monastery who condemns and subsequently rehabilitates Marina. nt, fell down in grief, and, striking his head against the ground, he cried out: "Servant of God, I conjure you by Jesus Christ, do not accuse me of the pains I made you suffer; you know that I did it out of ignorance."

You had not revealed your secret to me, alas! I did not have enough light to distinguish the purity of your actions." He then ordered that the holy body be buried in the monastery's oratory. The wicked girl who h ad defamed Saint La méchante fille Woman who falsely accused Marine of having seduced her. Marina, having learned what was happening, fell into fits of fury, and the demon took hold of her. Fortunately, she was taken to the monastery, where, having confessed her crime with tears, she was delivered on the seventh day by the intercession of the Saint. The monasteries that were located in the vicinity, and the inhabitants who were in the surrounding area, having learned of this miracle, came with the cross and lit candles to honor the tomb of the Blessed one. They blessed God by singing hymns and canticles, and glorified Him for having thus sanctified His servant through extraordinary graces, and for having manifested her holiness through miracles.

Saint Marina Sainte Marine Virgin of Bithynia who lived in a monastery disguised as a man. died around the year 750. In 1230, her relics were transported from Constantinople Constantinople City where the saint exercised his ministry and patriarchate. to Venic Venise Final location of the transfer of relics in 1200. e, where they are kept in a church bearing her name. The Church of Venice celebrates this translation on July 17.

This Saint was the patron of a parish in P aris, Paris Place of birth, ministry, and death of the saint. whose church still stands; however, it is used for secular purposes. Relics were kept there; one rib of the Saint remains: it is now kept in the metropolitan church of Paris.

Saint Marina is depicted with a small child at her side; we have provided the explanation for this characteristic in her Life. Sometimes she is painted as a hermit, probably because of the years of humiliation she spent outside her monastery, the victim of an infamous slander. Beside her, one sometimes sees a possessed woman; it is her slanderer who could only find her deliverance near her. Finally, she is often painted in men's clothing, to recall the disguise under which she managed to enter her father's monastery.

Abbé Caillet.