St Marina the Martyr
On the 23rd day of the Coptic month Abib we celebrate the departure of St. Marina of Antioch.
Marina was born to a wealthy family of pagans in the city of Antioch. She was raised with no knowledge of Christ in her life. Yet at a young age Marina’s parents passed away and she went to live with a nanny, who was a practicing Christian. Each and every night Marina would hear the stories of how ordinary people became martyrs for Jesus Christ. The nanny spoke with such reverence for these “saints” that Marina was inspired and yearned to taste the sweet mercy of the Lord. Though men were drawn to her beauty, she was drawn to a life with God.
And it came to pass that one day Marina was indeed tested and tempted by the Devil’s snares. The governor of Antioch, a rich and powerful man who was accustomed to getting what he wanted, fancied Marina and desired her. But when his soldiers came to her, she told them that she belonged to Jesus Christ. When the governor heard this, he was distressed for he lusted after her with blinding passion. So he had her brought to him by force and offered her to worship his false gods and to forsake the One True God. But she refused.
He demanded to know how she, at such a young age, could defy him for she was only fifteen. To which she replied, “I am Christian. I believe in the Lord Christ, and my name is Marina.”
He made many promises, including marriage, but she still did not bend to his will. She cursed the idols he worshipped and insulted him calling him a fool. He became enraged. He ordered her body to be scraped with hot iron combs, and then rubbed with vinegar, salt and lime. From his selfish and greedy view, if he could not have her then no one will have her. The governor only saw her outwardly beauty. God cares not for the beauty of the ever-dying flesh – but for the eternal growth of our spirit inside.
And through this spirit, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, she endured with patience.
Disgusted by their futility, the governor ordered her to be tossed into prison. Thinking she would die from the wounds they had created. But the Lord God sent an angel to heal all her wounds.
While she was standing up praying, giving thanks to the Lord with her hands extended in the form of a cross, a huge and terrifying serpent came forth. When she saw it she was frightened and her whole body trembled. The serpent swallowed her up, and her soul almost departed from her. She made the sign of the cross and prayed while she was in the belly of the serpent. It split open and fell on the ground dead. Marina was unharmed.
The next morning, the governor ordered her to be brought before him assuming she was dead. When he saw that she was alive and well, he marveled at her trickery. “Your sorcery has become evident today, so listen to me. Worship our gods and much good would be for you, and I will give you all that I have promised you.” To the unbelieving governor, Marina’s healing was the act of sorcery – for that is all he knew. Marina looked at him and at the worthless idols with contempt and proclaimed, “I worship the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the God of heavens and earth, and whatever you wish to do with me, do, for I will not give into your will.”
Again, angered and frustrated, the governor ordered her hanged on a squeezing wheel, to squeeze the life out of her. And again cast her in prison, assuming she would die. The angel of the Lord came to her, and healed her yet again.
In the midst of her praying and giving thanks to God, the Devil appeared to her and said, “O Marina, if you obey the governor that would be for your good for he is merciless, and he wishes to erase your name from the face of the earth.” Realizing that this vile creature was the Devil, she caught the hair of his head, took an iron rod and beat him. “Stop it O Satan!” She proclaimed. She then bound him with the sign of the cross. The wretched beast...