Saint Marina
Saint Marina (born c. 3rd century AD in Antioch, Syria; died c. 3rd–4th century AD) was a Christian virgin and martyr venerated in the Eastern Church as Marina and in the Western Church as Margaret of Antioch. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers — a group of saints venerated collectively for their powerful intercession — and is among the most universally honored virgin martyrs of antiquity. Her feast day is July 17 in the Byzantine Rite and July 20 in the Roman Rite (suppressed in 1969 but retained in many local calendars).
Stored in Cargo: Saint Marina
| Saint Marina | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | July 17 (Byzantine Rite) / July 20 (Roman Rite, traditional) |
| Profession | Virgin martyr; daughter of a pagan priest |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church; Anglican Church; universal Christian veneration; Fourteen Holy Helpers; Antioch; early Christian martyrs |
| Patronage | Women in childbirth; kidney disease; those dying alone; women; peasants; those falsely accused; escape from imprisonment; England; many places throughout Europe; patron of several hundred churches worldwide |
| Attributes | Dragon (bursting beneath her feet or underfoot); palm of martyrdom; crown; white garment; cross; sword (beheading); Antioch |
| Birthplace | Antioch, Syria (traditionally) |
| Death Place | Antioch, Syria (traditionally) |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; beheaded after surviving multiple tortures including being swallowed by a dragon (from which she burst unharmed by making the Sign of the Cross); the dragon legend is understood symbolically as a victory over the devil |
| Primary Shrine | Relics venerated at multiple sites; San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome; Venice (a significant portion of her relics); Antioch broadly; no single primary shrine |
| Liturgical Class | Feast (Byzantine); July 20 in traditional Roman calendar; removed from universal calendar in 1969 but retained in many local and traditional calendars |
| Historic Class | Feast (July 20) in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Marina (known in the West as Margaret of Antioch) was a virgin martyr of the early Church, traditionally placed in the era of the great persecutions (3rd–4th centuries). Her historical existence cannot be independently verified, and her Acts are considered largely legendary. Nevertheless, her cult is one of the oldest and most universal in Christendom.
According to her Acts, she was the daughter of a pagan priest of Antioch. She secretly became a Christian. When her father discovered her conversion, he disowned her. She was raised by a Christian woman. At the time of a general persecution, she was arrested and brought before the prefect Olybrius. When he proposed to take her as his wife and she declared herself a Christian, he had her subjected to severe tortures.
The most famous episode of her legend is the dragon: the devil appeared to her in the form of a dragon and swallowed her whole. She made the Sign of the Cross and the dragon burst apart, releasing her unharmed. She subsequently survived further tortures and converted thousands of onlookers by her miraculous endurance. She was finally beheaded.
Her feast is July 17 in the Byzantine Rite and July 20 in the traditional Roman calendar.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Antioch, Syria (traditionally)
Death location: Antioch, Syria (traditionally)
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Marina have been added to the database yet.
Media
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
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No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome — relics venerated.
- Multiple hundreds of medieval churches in England were dedicated to her (as Saint Margaret of Antioch).
Feast day
July 17 (Byzantine Rite) / July 20 (traditional Roman Rite)
Veneration
Saint Marina is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and among the most universally honored virgin martyrs of Christendom. She was one of the voices that spoke to Saint Joan of Arc. Over 200 medieval English churches were dedicated to her. Her dragon legend is among the most famous images in Christian hagiography.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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