Saint Marinus
Saint Marinus (born c. 3rd century AD in Rab (Arbe), Dalmatia; died c. 366 AD on Mount Titano, San Marino) was a Dalmatian stonemason and Christian hermit who became the founder of the Republic of San Marino — the world's oldest and smallest surviving republic. He fled persecution, settled on Mount Titano in central Italy, built an oratory, and gathered a small community around him. He is the patron saint of San Marino and the namesake of the republic. His feast day is September 3.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Marinus
| Saint Marinus | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 03 |
| Profession | Stonemason; Christian hermit; founder of the community that became San Marino |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; San Marino; early Christian monasticism; Dalmatian saints; hermits |
| Patronage | San Marino; the Republic of San Marino; stonemasons; masons and craftsmen; the city and republic of San Marino; political freedom and small republics |
| Attributes | Mount Titano (often shown in his hand as a small rocky peak); stonemason's tools; hermit's habit; palm of martyrdom (in some representations though he was not martyred); the Three Towers of San Marino |
| Birthplace | Rab (Arbe), Dalmatia (modern Croatia) |
| Death Place | Mount Titano, San Marino |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; he died as a hermit on Mount Titano, approximately 366 AD; he had spent his final decades in solitude and prayer, building the oratory that grew into the Republic of San Marino |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica di San Marino (Basilica del Santo), San Marino City — his relics in an urn on the high altar; UNESCO World Heritage Site; principal pilgrimage site of San Marino |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Rite); September 3; national feast in San Marino |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar |
Biography
Marinus was born on the island of Rab (Arbe) off the Dalmatian coast, in what is now Croatia. According to the traditional account, he was a stonemason who came to the Italian peninsula with a companion named Leo to work on the rebuilding of the walls of Rimini under Emperor Diocletian (reigned 284–305 AD).
When persecution of Christians intensified, Marinus fled into the Apennine hills. He eventually settled as a hermit on Mount Titano, a dramatic rocky peak in the Apennines, approximately 70 km southwest of Rimini. There he built a small church and hermitage and gathered a small community of followers around him.
Before his death — traditionally dated to September 3, 366 AD — he reportedly said to his followers: "I leave you free from both men," meaning free from both papal and imperial authority. The small community he left behind eventually grew into the City of San Marino and then the Republic of San Marino — the world's oldest and smallest surviving republic.
His relics are enshrined in the Basilica di San Marino on Mount Titano, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Rab (Arbe), Dalmatia (modern Croatia)
Death location: Mount Titano, San Marino
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Marinus have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Marinus, Martyr - March 3rd (and Saint Astyrius, Martyr) | Under 5 minutes | Saint of the Day |
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Basilica di San Marino, San Marino City — his relics; principal shrine; UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Feast day
September 3 (national day of San Marino)
Veneration
Saint Marinus is the patron and namesake of the Republic of San Marino and of the city of San Marino. His feast day, September 3, is the national day of the republic. He is venerated as the founder of the world's oldest surviving republic.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.