Great Martyr St. Marina of Antioch

Don't be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they don't sow, they don't reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds! Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height? If then you aren't able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.

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	Great Martyr St. Marina of Antioch

St. Marina's father was a pagan in the third century, and her mother died giving birth. Her foster mother taught her about Jesus Christ. The faith took root in Marina, and she vowed to remain a virgin and to one day become a martyr. For this, her father despised her and the pagan ruler of the land, admiring her purity, wanted her for his wife. She refused, and when he demanded that she sacrifice to idols, she responded that his gods were dead, did not breathe, and were unaware of honour or dishonour.

She was beaten and bloodied by rods, with thorns, and imprisoned. Then she was suspended, and her sides raked with iron nails. She prayed and to her it was as if another person were being tortured. Again imprisoned, the devil tried to frighten her three times. Once as a dragon he attempted to devour her, holding half of her body in his mouth. Praying, she made the sign of the cross and the beast was torn apart and vanished.

Again, he appeared as a man, black as night. She seized his hair and beat him with a hammer until he left her sight. Again, he grabbed her and threatened to kill her if she would not stop praying. She whipped him, and finally a light appeared from Heaven from a cross. A white dove told her to rejoice for she had vanquished the enemy, and she was completely healed.

The next day, when she would not admit that the pagan gods had healed her, she was burned with torches and then they attempted to drown her in a cauldron. When she prayed, an earthquake hit and a dove landed on her head with a crown in its beak. A voice said receive from the right hand of the most high this heavenly crown. All heard this voice, and they feared and many believed. Before she was beheaded, she taught those close by and prayed. Then another earthquake knocked all the people to the ground. Again, she heard a voice to take courage, and she forced the executioner to behead her. Her relics are now in a church in Athens, Greece, and her hand is at the monastery of Vatopedi on Mt. Athos.

Miracles by her Holy Relics have been witnessed by Christians as well as Moslems.

Source: http://www.orthodoxchristian.info

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