Saint Athanasius
Coptic Orthodox Church
Saint Marina the virgin was born in Bithynia, a city in Asia Minor
bordering the
Black Sea, in the eight century to pious Christian parents. Her mother
Sarah died when
she was a baby, and her father Eugenius, having been left a widower, retired
into a
monastery and became a monk. After a time he became much oppressed by the
memory
of his little daughter, Marina, whom he had left in the care of a relative,
and having
represented to his abbot that the child was a boy, named Marinus, he
obtained his
permission to bring "him" to live in the monastery. Here she was dressed as
a boy, and
passed as such, and lived with her father. Eugenius always advised his
daughter to be
careful and not to tell anyone about her real sex. He also instructed her
in living a devout
life and to be on guard to the devil's traps. He always told her that by
Christ's grace she
will overcome the wicked one, only by prayer, fasting, and humility, that
she must avoid
sweet praise from people, and in the time of trouble to remember that our
Savior Himself
suffered and died on the cross in order to save us sinners. In a short
time, she was loved
by everyone and the monks called her the beardless brother.
When Marinus was seventeen, her father died. She continued to live as a monk and was often employed to do the least chores on account on her poor health, but she did everything they asked her to do without one word of complaint. Very often she had to drive a cart down to the harbor to fetch goods for the monastery. From time to time it was necessary to spend the night at an inn by the dock. One day the innkeeper's daughter was found to be pregnant, and when her father pressed her to disclose the name of the father, she lied and accused the handsome and attractive Marinus to be her seducer.
Immediately the girl's father went to the monastery and, full of rage, protested to the abbot the gross behavior of his monk. The abbot, shocked by the news, accused Marinus with the charge, and "he" would not deny it; whereupon "he" was dismissed from the monastery and lived as a beggar by its gates bearing the shame of "his" false accusation. But God in His infinite mercy looked at the humility of His saint, and sent His divine comfort to soothe the soul of the innocent.
And when the innkeeper's daughter had weaned her boy, she brought him to Marinus and contemptuously told "him" to look after his child. So Marinus suffered in silence, looking after the boy and bearing "his" shame in the face of all who passed. After five years, the abbot, at the intercession of the monks, who were impressed by this example of patience and humiliation, re-admitted Marinus and the boy to the monastery. But the abbot imposed on "him" severe penance and all the lowest services of the house.
Marinus used to double "his" work, saying, "Now you have to work harder, for you got a son that you must support." But not long after, Marinus died. When the brethren came to prepare the body for burial, Marina's sex was discovered.
The abbot was overcome with remorse at the injustice which he has unwittingly committed and with admiration for the heroism of the woman. Marina was buried with respect and lamentation, and the girl who had falsely accused her became possessed and was released only by confessing her sin and calling upon Marina for her intercession in Heaven.
In the church of the Virgin Mary in Old Cairo which is called "El Adra-El- Moghitha" which is translated "The Virgin of Perpetual Help" there are three large hexagon tubes reputed to contain the uncorrupted body of Saint Marina the nun. In 1981 Pope Shenouda the Third appointed a committee of twelve prominent Copts, clergy and laity, on a fact-finding mission to determine the identity of the saints who are preserved in these three tubes. In one of the tubes, they found a woman's body without the head. In the second tube they found the woman's head with long hair and folded bangs. Also in the same tube the relics of a 1423 A.D. Martyr called Michael Mina El-Tookhe. In the third tube, they found the body of yet another woman in her fifties. Amazingly the three bodies are intact and in a very good condition to the point that the eyes, teeth, and skin are perfectly preserved and without any decomposition.
According to the oldest person in the church who was a Head Deacon ('Mu-aalim') since 1932, the body of the young lady was buried in the wall of the church, and was discovered by a foreigner in 1924 or 1925. When he pulled the body, his arms became paralyzed, but Pope Cyril VI prayed on him and he was healed. Then the body was placed in the hexagon tube and was called the body of Saint Marina without attempting to find legitimate proof. However, some of the congregation of that church assert that few centuries ago some merchants brought the body of Saint Marina the Virgin from Italy to Amir Theodore El-Shateby convent, which is not far from the church.
May the prayer and supplication of Saint Marina the Virgin be with us all.
Amen.
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