The Martyr Marina was born in Pisidia of Cilicia, Southern Asia Minor, and was the only daughter of a pagan priest. On being orphaned by her mother upon her birth, she was handed over to a nanny who instructed her in the Faith of Christ.
When she was fifteen years old, the imperial governor, seeing her great beauty, desired her for his wife. Upon learning that she was a Christian he tried to dissuade her by flatteries, and by threats of torture. Marina frankly replied to the man "Have no vain hope for me, O governor, that I might cower before any number of torments. Nothing will separate me from Christ - neither affliction, famine, fire, sword, nor any other harsh tribulation - not even a violent and very painful death. Think not that you will entice me the honors, gold or other wealth, because all these things are perishable and temporal.
The soul, by the grace of God, is immortal and desires eternity."
Because of this she endured bonds, imprisonment, and many whippings. The angered and frustrated governor ordered her hanged on the wheel, and then cast her in prison, assuming she would die. The angel of the Lord came to her, and healed her. Then 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." She realized that he was the Devil. Straightway she caught the hair of his head, and she took an iron rod and started to beat him, saying, "Stop it O Satan." Then she bound him with the sign of the cross, not to depart from before her until he told her all about what he does to the human race. When she pressed him, he told her, "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."Here in is the powerlessness of the Devil.
Only if we give the Devil power over us, through the temptations of the flesh, does he have influence. But if we ignore his trappings, he tries to cast doubt into our prayer efforts. Faith and doubt are exact opposites.
The martyr was finally beheaded in the year 270 A.D. Her body is presently located in the church of the Lady the Virgin Mary in Haret El-Roum, Cairo, Egypt. Saint Marina is especially invoked for deliverance from demonic possession.May her prayers and intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
When she was fifteen years old, the imperial governor, seeing her great beauty, desired her for his wife. Upon learning that she was a Christian he tried to dissuade her by flatteries, and by threats of torture. Marina frankly replied to the man "Have no vain hope for me, O governor, that I might cower before any number of torments. Nothing will separate me from Christ - neither affliction, famine, fire, sword, nor any other harsh tribulation - not even a violent and very painful death. Think not that you will entice me the honors, gold or other wealth, because all these things are perishable and temporal.
The soul, by the grace of God, is immortal and desires eternity."
Because of this she endured bonds, imprisonment, and many whippings. The angered and frustrated governor ordered her hanged on the wheel, and then cast her in prison, assuming she would die. The angel of the Lord came to her, and healed her. Then 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." She realized that he was the Devil. Straightway she caught the hair of his head, and she took an iron rod and started to beat him, saying, "Stop it O Satan." Then she bound him with the sign of the cross, not to depart from before her until he told her all about what he does to the human race. When she pressed him, he told her, "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."Here in is the powerlessness of the Devil.
Only if we give the Devil power over us, through the temptations of the flesh, does he have influence. But if we ignore his trappings, he tries to cast doubt into our prayer efforts. Faith and doubt are exact opposites.
The martyr was finally beheaded in the year 270 A.D. Her body is presently located in the church of the Lady the Virgin Mary in Haret El-Roum, Cairo, Egypt. Saint Marina is especially invoked for deliverance from demonic possession.May her prayers and intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
Apolytikion
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.
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
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.
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.
2 comments:
Bless you my friend for sharing this. I love you.
Ha! I love the way she has the devil firmly gripped by his horn.
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