"With a voice of rejoicing, and crying out with psalms..."

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
With a voice of rejoicing, and crying out with psalms, let us hymn the Martyr Marina, for she cast down the delusion of the idols, and manfully trampled the enemy underfoot. Therefore, having been perfected, she is taken up into the heavens, wearing a crown upon her head, crying out: O You, my Bridegroom, as the Object of my love and fervor, for You I have given my flesh to the fire. Make me therefore to dwell in Your heavenly mansions unto the ages, in which those who dwell ever rejoice.
-Doxastikon of the Stichera for the Feast of St. Marina the Great Martyr

(source)
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Akathist to St. Marina the Great Martyr

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
Akathist to St. Marina the Great Martyr,
written by Dr. Charalampos Bousias

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone.
She who mindfully abandoned the impiety of her father, and followed the untrodden path of martyrdom out of love for her Bridegroom [Christ] in Heaven, O comely virgin Marina, we praise you who destroyed the enemy, and cry out with fervor: Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

O Marina, perfect and comely martyr and famed sheep of the Chief Shepherd and Word, (3) as His all-praised bride, you reclined your neck unflinchingly in the stadium and were beheaded on behalf of piety, rousing the faithful to cry out to you:
Rejoice, great champion and comely martyr,
Rejoice, greatly-suffering child martyr.
Rejoice, you who were nourished by the love of the Creator,
Rejoice, you who were delivered by the power of the King of all.
Rejoice, for you bore pains in your flesh gently,
Rejoice, for you followed the path of martyrdom.
Rejoice, the chastity of all spiritual champions,
Rejoice, the gladness of youth brave in soul.
Rejoice, greatly-flowing spring of graces,
Rejoice, unending source of wonders.
Rejoice, through whom Pisidia takes boast,
Rejoice, through whom the guile of the serpent is conquered.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

An all-beautiful offspring of Pisidia, O Marina, you saddened your father who was a priest of the idols, as you showed his belief to be utter delusion, and you proceeded towards faith in Christ until martyrdom, reclining your neck to beheading, while crying out to Him: Alleluia.
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
Being founded upon the truth, O Marina, you remained unshaken by the assaults of the deceiving enemy, O Martyr, therefore you trampled upon his wretched attack through your struggle, therefore we cry out to you with fervor:
Rejoice, elite adornment of the youth,
Rejoice, the healer of all those suffering.
Rejoice, you who dispersed the darkness of your father,
Rejoice, you who struggled mightily and radiantly.
Rejoice, sweet fragrance of the love of Christ,
Rejoice, aromatic myrrh-vessel of manly*** martyrdom.
Rejoice, for you received your call to preach of your Bridegroom,
Rejoice, for you delivered from the delusion of the idols.
Rejoice, radiant jewel of youth,
Rejoice, joyous type of struggle.
Rejoice, bold vessel of the youth,
Rejoice, you who freeze the deception of the idols.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

As a tree steadfast in soul, you deposed Olymvrios, who was under the influence of the serpent, and was a faithless ruler, while you gladdened the multitude of the faithful through your godly-wise words and sacred sayings, crying out to the Redeemer: Alleluia.
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
You willingly bore in your flesh the raking and being burnt by torches, O Marina, and you offered to Jesus a holy regiment of Martyrs, who denied delusion and who cry out to you out of fervent faith:
Rejoice, boast of steadfastness,
Rejoice, adornment of piety.
Rejoice, you who shone with the light of Christ,
Rejoice, you who dispersed the darkness of delusion.
Rejoice, very precious dwelling-place of spiritual manliness,
Rejoice, God-chosen boast of the martyric path.
Rejoice, for you were shown to be more steadfast than iron,
Rejoice, for you appeared as the bride of the Lord.
Rejoice, you who endured the raking of your flesh,
Rejoice, shaming of the multitudes of the faithless.
Rejoice, the wound of the soulless idols,
Rejoice, speedy dispeller of the demons.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

Being arrayed in the zeal of martyrdom, O Marina, you wisely put off the garment of fearful nature and manfully proceeded towards steadfast struggles, and the cutting off of your head, as you hastened to Christ, crying out from your depths: Alleluia.

St. Marina the Great Martyr and Christ's Vanquisher of demons (source)

You deposed the ancient enemy who appeared to you as one barren, O Marina, through the power of Christ God, to Whom you gave the beauty of your youth as a dowry, and therefore we cry out to you in joy:
Rejoice, the depth of mighty strength,
Rejoice, the measure of perfection.
Rejoice, rampart of martyrdom founded by God,
Rejoice, utter deposition of the enemy.
Rejoice, unconquerable Martyr, who dashed apart Olymvrios,
Rejoice, all-spotless girl, the sweetness of the pious.
Rejoice, for you endured painful blows,
Rejoice, for you were set afire with torches.
Rejoice, crown of grace plaited with flowers,
Rejoice, stream of healings flowing from God.
Rejoice, healing for the greatly-pained faithful,
Rejoice, great pain to the enemy.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

Divine light shined upon you, O Martyr Marina, transforming your dark and unspeakable [prison], filling you with joy as you beheld your wounds being greatly healed, O chaste one, and therefore you opened your all-sacred lips to cry out to Christ: Alleluia.
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
You trampled upon the strength of Belial the enemy through the power of the Cross, O Marina, and through the sword of your fervent prayers, you speedily cut off the head of his guile, trampling upon him, and rousing all of the faithful to cry out to you:
Rejoice, virgin bearing virtues,
Rejoice, all-glorious champion.
Rejoice, the fellow-dweller with all the Martyrs,
Rejoice, speaker with the Holy Angels.
Rejoice, fervent boast of pious strugglers,
Rejoice, unassailable surrounding wall for mighty young people.
Rejoice, for you rejoice together with the choirs in Heaven,
Rejoice, for you shine upon the minds of those bearing the name of Christ.
Rejoice, fervent refuge of the faithful,
Rejoice, steadfast destroyer of enemies.
Rejoice, protection for pious souls,
Rejoice, lamp full of spiritual boldness.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

Bearing the beauty of virginity, and manliness in soul, you gave your spotless wealth to your Bridegroom Christ, O Marina, and you suffered terrible tortures for Him, ceaselessly changing to Him with a thankful tongue: Alleluia.
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
Shining with love for the Most-high, O Marina, you bore the pain of tortures manfully as one without flesh, and the sharp cutting of your sacred neck with the sword you endured, therefore we magnify you, crying out in worthy manner:
Rejoice, perfect soul of Christ,
Rejoice, icon of radiant virginity.
Rejoice, the divine adornment of the stadium,
Rejoice, the all-spotless lamb of the Lord.
Rejoice, for you were patient out of your fervent reverence,
Rejoice, for you cast down the head of Satan through your faith.
Rejoice, you who in no way spared your flesh,
Rejoice, you who received the cutting of your neck.
Rejoice, jewel of the love of Christ,
Rejoice, boast of His faith.
Rejoice, chaste cypress of Paradise,
Rejoice, pure one, who tramples upon the enemy.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

O Martyr of Christ Marina, you lawfully struggled in the stadium, proclaiming your calling from your Bridegroom, and together with Him, you rejoice in the heavenly mansions, and you ever entreat Him, O one who greatly suffered, on behalf of those who cry out with faith: Alleluia.
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
You bore the deadening of your flesh, O Martyr Marina, through your timely struggles, and through your divine might, you wondrously showed the enemy to be a weakly dog, and you open the mouths of the faithful to cry out to you:
Rejoice, the casting down of the worship of idols,
Rejoice, the deliverer of the ailing.
Rejoice, you who triumphed over the ancient enemy,
Rejoice, you who love to alleviate illnesses.
Rejoice, fruitful vine of the new life in Christ,
Rejoice, support showing athletic virtue.
Rejoice, for you received the crowns of reward for the virgins,
Rejoice, for you show forth the ways of salvation.
Rejoice, support of the faith of Christ,
Rejoice, driving out of the dangers of the enemy.
Rejoice, spring of many kinds of healings,
Rejoice, all-fragrant incense of wonders.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

A strange spring of all kinds of wonders, and a fountain of healings, you are seen to be, O Marina, working together with your Bridegroom Who is sacred and the One desired. We cry out to Him loudly, Who makes those lacking music to be composers, as we cry out to you, O Great Martyr: Alleluia.
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr, and Christ's Vanquisher of the demons (source)

  
You have been numbered with the heavenly ranks, O Marina, for you passed through the great sea of life, with Christ being the guide towards peace in soul, and rejoicing, you ever entreat Him on behalf of those who cry out to you with faith:
Rejoice, the giver of healings,
Rejoice, the destroyer of demons.
Rejoice, the first champion in the stadium of martyrdom,
Rejoice, partaker of heavenly rejoicing.
Rejoice, for you despised the prime of youth,
Rejoice, for you offered your head as a gift to Christ.
Rejoice, the speedy protection of those who hymn you,
Rejoice, the guide of your entreaters towards the heavens.
Rejoice, you who shame the boldness of the enemy,
Rejoice, you who were raised through the power of Christ.
Rejoice, breath and helping hand for the youth,
Rejoice, wound of the faithless tyrants.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

With fervor in your nous, O Marina, you were directed towards Christ your pure Savior from childhood, and you speedily spat upon the vanity of the idols and the delusion of your father, as you shown with the light of Christ, to Whom you cry out unflinchingly: Alleluia.

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
As a fragrant and beautiful divine rose, you sprouted from a terrible and foul-smelling root, filling all the faithful with the breeze of your spiritual graces, O all-chaste Marina, and with the joy of your manliness, therefore we cry out:
Rejoice, you who struggled gloriously,
Rejoice, you who were rightly glorified.
Rejoice, fragrant vessel of springtime,
Rejoice, light-bearing Queen of graces.
Rejoice, for you endured the cutting of your head,
Rejoice, for you dyed the stole of your soul in your blood.
Rejoice, most delicious apple of goodness,
Rejoice, unemptying abyss of perfection.
Rejoice, you who emphatically loved Christ,
Rejoice, hypostasis of His love.
Rejoice, shame of the enemy that hates Christ,
Rejoice, victory of the choir of champions.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

You were adorned with the crown of incorruption as a steadfast Martyr and virgin, and you join pasture with the choirs of the Angels, in the bridal chamber above, in which, O all-praised one, you entreat the Lord on behalf of those who piously cry out: Alleluia.

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
You are a surrounding wall for the chaste youth and a precious protection, O joyous Marina, the comeliness of steadfast women and the sacred type of champions. Keep under your protection those who entreat you and who cry out in faith:
Rejoice, Queen of graces,
Rejoice, depth of healings.
Rejoice, God-inscribed statue of truth,
Rejoice, you who are the longed for piety founded in God.
Rejoice, foundation of famed women champions strengthened by God,
Rejoice, mighty bravery of athletes.
Rejoice, for you endured unbearable beatings,
Rejoice, for you trample upon the frost of the enemy.
Rejoice, you who dwell in the court of unwaning light,
Rejoice, nourishment for the whole world.
Rejoice, steady ray of Christ,
Rejoice, spring of boldness and well-being.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

We place the crowns of our hymns upon you for your struggles, O Marina, to the heavenly glory of your sacred Bridegroom, Christ God, Whose might we praise, we who are upon the earth, singing sweet songs and crying out with fervent voices: Alleluia.

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

   
You shine upon all creation with the rays of your virtues, and with the radiance of your beautiful youth, O comely and chaste Martyr Marina, and your soul was set aflame with the divine, therefore all who praise your memory cry out with faith:
Rejoice, creation of the love of the Lord,
Rejoice, sword against the delusion of the enemy.
Rejoice, example of the perfect truth,
Rejoice, adornment of the spotless way.
Rejoice, priceless emerald of spiritual beauty,
Rejoice, many-colored sapphire of athletic virtue.
Rejoice, you who bury the unclean spirits,
Rejoice, deliverance from incurable illnesses.
Rejoice, mighty strength of the faithful given by God,
Rejoice, ever-flowing spring of wonders.
Rejoice, container bestowing joy,
Rejoice, beautiful trophy of manliness.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

Rejoice, O Martyr Marina, for you counted the fire of tortures as nourishment, and the cutting off of your head as a cause for joy, as you proceeded to the heavenly mansions to meet your Bridegroom, crying out to Him: Alleluia.

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
Having been enriched with your prayers as with gold, O Marina, we entreat the Giver-of-life that we be granted good things, though we are dead of good deeds, O child Martyr, chaste and full of faith and shining with light, and we cry out these things from our depths:
Rejoice, pillar of godly piety,
Rejoice, gate leading to God.
Rejoice, greatly-fragrant pasture of Christ,
Rejoice, juicy apple of His flower.
Rejoice, golden diadem of steadfast youth,
Rejoice, all-precious one lifted up by the Savior of souls.
Rejoice, the speedy protection of those who honor you,
Rejoice, healing from dangers for those who hymn you.
Rejoice, all-radiant light of struggle,
Rejoice, sheltered forest of manliness.
Rejoice, canon of steadfastness for those in dangers,
Rejoice, mystical verdant tree.
Rejoice, O all-spotless Martyr.

O Martyr of the Lord who suffered greatly, adornment of spiritual youth (3), unflinchingly entreat your Bridegroom that we be granted dual health [of soul and body], as the ranks of virgins praise you, and all cry out in reverence: Alleluia.
  
And again the Kontakion.
  
(source)
  
***Note: The author of the akathist, like many other hymnographers, praises the "manliness" of St. Marina. This does not minimize the attributes of her female gender, but means to praise her steadfastness and endurance of terrible martyrdom more than many men on behalf of her love for Christ.
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Homily on St. Marina by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  
Excerpts from a Homily on St. Marina by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes, Bishop of Florina: "Christ honored the woman"
Today is a feast, the feast of St. Marina. The churches built in her name celebrate, as do the women who bear her name.

We are honoring a woman. But also the New Testament continuously speaks of women. The Gospel reading today speaks of the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:24-34), who was healed by Christ. The Apostle Paul says that between woman and man there is no difference in worth, men and women are equal, for whatever rights the man has, the same does a woman. "There is neither man nor woman", he says, "for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians e3:28). These words we should say more simply to make it clear.

I don't know how much men love Christ, but women must love Him even more. If men love Him once, women should love Him thousands of times. Why? There is a specific reason.

Do you know what woman was before Christ? Man did with her whatever he wished. He locked her inside and didn't let her go out. The children that she gave birth she had no say over, but the man did. If he wanted, he would just kill them. She herself was so poorly treated that he kept her like an animal. He kept her like an adornment until he threw her out. He took another one, and another, and another... as many as he wanted. Thus woman was truly unhappy. In some places this still occurs. In India, for example, where they don't believe in Christ, the woman has no worth. Did her husband die? They were required to bury her with him. She couldn't be allowed  to live, and they would bury her near her husband in the same grave.

This was the state of the woman. When did it change? Who honored her? Only Christ.

How did Christ honor the woman?

First, with her "side". The Holy Scriptures say that there is no difference in honor. Man was created by God from the dust (Genesis 2:7), but woman was not created from dust, but from the man. He took a piece of his body, to show that she is yoked with the man. But the piece that he took was neither the head, nor the feet. It wasn't from the head so that she would not think that she should rule over the man. Neither was it from the feet, so that she might not think that she is a slave to be trampled upon by the man. He took a piece from his side, which covers his heart, to show that the woman must be beside him, next to him, supporting the man throughout the whole of life, in both joy and sorrow.

Secondly, Christ honored woman with His incarnation. As God He could have chosen not to have been born of a woman. He could have been like the first man, Adam, for not even the Angels are born of a woman. He could have come into the world by some other way. However, He was born of a woman, the Most-Holy Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary. Why? In order to honor the woman. He was born of a virgin, in order to honor virginity. He was born of one betrothed in order to honor marriage.

Therefore Christ honored the woman. And because of this reason exactly, the women were with Him until the end, such as the Myrrhbearing women, St. Mary Magdalene and the others. And the greatest honor that He gave is that, after the Resurrection, the first "Christ is risen" was not heard by men. No, the woman was the first to receive this joyful news.

Thus did Christ honor the woman. Because of this, women loved Him greatly. One of those was St. Marina, whom we are celebrating today. Who was St. Marina? She was a beautiful and wealthy 15-16 year old girl. She could have found the finest husband. And a potential husband approached her, who had houses, fields and power. But she told him that she preferred Christ above men. And she remained faithful to Him until death.

This, therefore, is what the Apostle is speaking of: there is no difference between woman and man, they are one. And this is what was ordained by Christ, this is what our holy Church teaches.

Let's leave the past for the time being, my beloved, and let's come to today. Do we see woman today as Christ speaks of her, being equal to man? I doubt it.

Where do you want to go? To Athens, to Paris, to New York, to other great cities? There the opposite occurs. There, woman, not one of beauty but of corruption, exercises authority over man. You see a wise university professor or a general who strikes fear in the hearts of the world, and is overcome by a harlot. I'm not speaking of a specific person, I'm speaking generally. If you read history, you will see that many times corrupted women seized strong men by the nose and led them astray like the pied piper. Such women are the tools of the devil...

However, let's leave the big cities and return to the villages, there chaste women, are [unfortunately, sometimes] slaves of men. I had visited many villages as a preacher and I will offer some examples of what I saw.

Once, when I entered a village, I saw a man riding on a horse like a ruler, while behind him was walking his wife, overburdened on her back with wood and with a child in her arms...

Slavery of women, my beloved, and objects of terrible exploitation, either in marriage or outside of marriage. In marriage, regardless of how precious and hard working a woman might be, if she didn't have a good dowry, she couldn't be married off. But the corrupted and inglorious world doesn't even think about marriage. In a thousand satanic ways, such as the terribly "beauty pageants", the woman is prepared and her flesh is sold off like a butcher hangs his meat in the window.*** We have spoken against this, we have struggled against this, and because of this they called us crazy. But one prophecy says: When you see a woman walking naked outside, then the end of the world is coming.

Christ honored the woman, and the Church has shown forth holy women like St. Marina. And today's feast teaches women and men that we should all live with purity and honor.

+Bishop Avgoustinos
From a recorded homily in the Church of St. Marina, Florina, 7/17/1973
(amateur translation of excerpts of text from: source)
  
***Note: One wonders what the Bishop would have said about the terrible and tragic spread of abuse and exploitation of women, from internet pornography to human trafficking to women being abused by men in positions of power, many orders of magnitude worse than he is describing. May our Lord and His Mother deliver all women from such evil, and may His Saints, like St. Marina, both protect and heal those who suffer, and serve as an example of purity and sacrifice of body and soul for Christ!
  

St. Marina the Great Martyr (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

"You the noetic swallow, and uncorrupted lamb..."

St. Marina the Great Martyr with scenes from her life and martyrdom (source)

  
You the noetic swallow, and uncorrupted lamb, and golden shining dove, were winged through your martyrdom, and flew to God to ever rest with Him, Whom we praise.
-from the Matins Canon to St. Marina
  
(source)
  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

The Prayer of St. Marina, before being beheaded for Christ

St. Marina the Great Martyr - Commemorated July 17 (source)

 
The Prayer of St. Marina, before being beheaded for Christ (amateur translation)
"O Beginningless, Immortal, Timeless, Incomprehensible and Unimaginable Lord, the God of all and Creator of all creation, the Foreseer and Savior of all, as I have hoped in You, I thank You, that You have brought me to this hour, as I approach the crown of Your righteousness.

I hymn and bless Your uncountable compassion and philanthropy, as You desired to number me with Your chosen servants. Look down, now, upon me the lowly one, O God and Master, Lord of mercy, Ruler of all and All-powerful One, hearken to my prayer, and fulfill my entreaties in praise.

To the honor and glory of Your all-holy and worshipped name, grant remission of sins for all those who desire to build a church in the name of Your servant, or who serve in them with prayer, or who write of the struggle of my martyrdom, and to those who read it with faith, remembering the name of Your servant, and make them to bear fruit through Your power. I ask that for those who embrace this dwelling-place of my body, where I suffered martyrdom for Your love, grant forgiveness of sins according to the measure of their faith, and do not let any hand of damnation approach them, nor hunger, nor plague, nor any other danger of soul or body.

And all those who desire to celebrate, glorifying with faith and seeking Your salvation and mercy through me, grant to them Your good things in this world, and to go forth pleasing You, and make them worthy of Your heavenly Kingdom, for You are the only Good One and Lover-of-man, and the Giver of Good things, unto the ages. Amen.
(source)
 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

A Great Miracle, and the Life of St. Marina

Icon of St. Marina the Great Martyr - Feastday July 17th (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)

Great Miracle of St. Marina

"A few years ago [in 2000], a family from Lemessos, Cyprus, named Vassiliou received the following miracle. In Greece they are well known from the televised requests they made in order to find a donor for their young boy Andrea, who suffered from leukemia. The donor was indeed found and the parents began preparing for their trip to Texas, U.S.A where the bone marrow transplant was going to be performed. Meanwhile, they also prayed and begged Jesus Christ to save their boy. Before they left for the U.S.A the parents heard of St. Marina's miracles and they called the monastery of St. Marina located on the island of Andros in Greece to ask for her blessing. The Elder of the monastery, Archimandrite Fr. Cyprianos promised that he would pray to St. Marina. He also wished the parents for St. Marina to be with Andrea in the operating room, to help him. With Elder Cyprianos' blessing and with strong faith that St. Marina would help indeed, the Vassiliou family went to the U.S.A.

After the necessary pre-operation tests that Andrea had to undergo, he was taken to the operating room. A short time before the operation was to begin, a woman came to see the surgeon who would be operating on Andrea. She said that she was Andrea's doctor and asked to be allowed to observe the operation. The conversation that ensued proved that the woman was indeed a doctor. However, the surgeon replied that 'outside' doctors were not permitted to be present in the operating room and that his medical teams' policy was that no doctor other than those on the team be involved in such delicate operations. The persistence of the woman however, convinced the surgeon to allow her in the operating room. But before, he asked her to leave her coordinates [credentials] at the administration desk. The unknown doctor did as told and then entered the operating room with the surgeon. During the operation, she gave several directions regarding the progress of the procedure. The operation went well and in the end the surgeon thanked the woman and exited the operating room.

Andrea's parents immediately went to inquire about the outcome of the surgery and the surgeon replied that all had gone very well, adding that he could not understand why they had brought Andrea to him when they had such a fine doctor. The parents were surprised and responded that they had not brought any doctor with them. The surgeon insisted, however. He also told them that when he came out of the operating room Andrea's doctor had remained there for a little longer with the rest of the operating team and therefore, she would probably still be around. He recommended that they look for her. The search, however, proved pointless, as the 'woman doctor' was nowhere around. The Vassiliou couple then concluded that it must have been a doctor from Greece or Cyprus who had decided to travel to the U.S.A and contribute to the delicate operation. They expressed the wish to know who she was so that they may be able to thank her, and at the surgeon's recommendation they then went to the administration desk to ask for her coordinates.

It was with utter surprise that they read that the unknown woman had signed with the name "Marina from Andros". Tears of gratefulness and joy filled their eyes as they recalled that the Elder at the monastery had said to them that he wished Andrea to have St. Marina in the operating room to help him. Andrea's parents shared with the media their joy both for the successful operation and Andrea's recovered health and for the miracle they received. The Vassiliou family made the vow that the entire family will be present at the saint's monastery every year on the saint's feast day (July 17) and Elder Cyprianos reports that the family has been making the annual trip from Lemessos to Andros every summer to thank Saint Marina for saving Andrea.

Miracles performed by the saints have never ceased to take place in the Orthodox Church. With these miracles, may our Lord Jesus Christ help us build our faith." (taken from: http://www.deathtotheworld.com/lot/lives/stmarina/stmarina.html)
   

News story from "Ethnos ths Kyriakis - 7/16/2006 (taken from: http://www.pigizois.net/thaumata/thauma_agias_marinas.htm)

   

The Life of St. Marina

"The Holy Great Martyr Marina was born in Asia Minor, in the city of Antioch of Pisidia (southern Asia Minor), into the family of a pagan priest. In infancy she lost her mother, and her father gave her into the care of a nursemaid, who raised Marina in the Orthodox Faith. Upon learning that his daughter had become a Christian, the father angrily disowned her. During the time of the persecution against Christians under the emperor Diocletian (284-305), when she was fifteen years old, St Marina was arrested and locked up in prison. With firm trust in the will of God and His help, the young prisoner prepared for her impending fate.

The governor Olymbrios, charmed with the beautiful girl, tried to persuade her to renounce the Christian Faith and become his wife. But the saint, unswayed, refused his offers. [When Marina rejected that he ordered her to bow down before the idols and to that St. Marina replied: "I will not bow down nor offer sacrifice to the breathless and dead idols who do not recognize themselves nor do they know that we honor or dishonor them. I will not give them that honor which belongs only to my Creator."] The vexed governor gave the holy martyr over to torture. Having beaten her fiercely, they fastened the saint with nails to a board and tore at her body with tridents. The governor himself, unable to bear the horror of these tortures, hid his face in his hands. But the holy martyr remained unyielding.

[While in prison Marina prayed to God and, after prayer, the devil appeared to her under the guise of a horrible serpent which entwined itself around her head. When she made the sign of the cross the serpent burst and vanished. Then she was engulfed with a heavenly light and it seemed to her that the walls of the prison vanished together with the roof and a radiant and towering cross appeared and atop the cross a white dove, from which a voice came saying: "Rejoice Marina, rational [discerning] dove of Christ, daughter of Zion in the highest, for your day of rejoicing has arrived." Marina was healed from all her wounds and pains by the power of God.]

St. Marina defeating the devil in prison (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1359/s1359010.jpg)

   

They stripped her and tied her to a tree, then burned the martyr with fire. Barely alive, the martyr prayed: "Lord, You have granted me to go through fire for Your Name, grant me also to go through the water of holy Baptism."

Hearing the word "water", the governor gave orders to drown the saint in a large cauldron. The martyr besought the Lord that this manner of execution should become for her holy Baptism. When they plunged her into the water, there suddenly shone a light, and a snow-white dove came down from Heaven, bearing in its beak a golden crown. The fetters put upon St Marina came apart by themselves. The martyr stood up in the fount of Baptism glorifying the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. St Marina emerged from the fount completely healed, without any trace of burns. Amazed at this miracle, the people glorified the True God, and many came to believe. This brought the governor into a rage, and he gave orders to kill anyone who might confess the Name of Christ. 15,000 Christians perished there, and the holy Martyr Marina was beheaded. The sufferings of the Great Martyr Marina were described by an eyewitness of the event, named Theotimos.

The Martyrdom of St. Marina the Great Martyr (http://vogdanos.com/2008/07/02/%cf%83%ce%ac%cf%81%cf%84%ce%b7/)

  

Up until the taking of Constantinople by Western crusaders in the year 1204, the relics of the Great Martyr Marina were in the Panteponteia monastery. According to other sources, they were located in Antioch until the year 908 and from there transferred to Italy. Now they are in Athens, in a church dedicated to the holy Virgin Martyr. Her venerable hand was transferred to Mount Athos, to the Vatopedi monastery."

(taken from: http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102042, quotes in brackets taken from: http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/prolog.htm)

   

Miraculous icon of St. Marina at her monastery, Andros, Greece (taken from: http://clubs.pathfinder.gr/phoni/810531?zoom=2&album=241640)
   

Apolytikion of St. Marina the Great Martyr in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
O Glorious Marina, once betrothed to the Logos, you relinquished all worldly concerns and brilliantly gave struggle as a virginal beauty. You soundly trounced the invisible enemy who appeared to you, O Champion, and you are now the world's wellspring of healing grace.

Kontakion in the Third Tone
Adorned with the beauty of Purity, O Virgin; crowned with the stigmata of martyrdom; stained with the blood of your struggles; and brilliantly radiant with healing wonders, piously, O Marina, you received the trophy of victory for your struggles.
(taken from: http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=131)
   

Icon of St. Marina the Great Martyr, with scenes from her life (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1359/s1359007.jpg)

   

May Christ our God have mercy on us and save us, through the intercessions of the Holy Theotokos, Saint Marina the Great-martyr, and all the saints! Amen!