life of saint marina
Life of Saint Marina
Marina was born in Qlamoun North Lebanon sometime in the fifth century. Her father was a pious man. Her mother died while Marina was very young. This has made her father renounce the world and leave for the Monastery of Qannoubine in the Holy Valley; accompanying him was his daughter, whom he dressed like a man. It is said that her parents names were Ibrahim and Baddoura or and Eugene and Theodora. It is also said that when her father became a monk he left her in the care of her caretaker and after a few years he returned to see her, at which time she insisted on going wherever he went. In any event, father and daughter entered into monkshood with the daughter still pretending to be a man. As a monk she was known by the name Marinos.
Although young, Marina occupied herself with the practice of monastic virtues with utmost spirit and minuteness. She was silent and reticent with bowed head and eyes concealed the features of her face and eyes with a hood.
One day she was sent to a neighboring town on a mission for the Monastery. He was obliged to spend the night at the house of a friend of the monks named Paphnotius.
Paphnotius had a young girl who had fallen into adultery and was found pregnant. Upon finding out, her father was enraged and demanded the name of the perpetrator. His daughter told him that Marinos the Monk had raped her the night he spent in their house. Her father went straight to the Monastery and told the Superior, who was surprised for he knew that Marinos is pious and pure. The Superior called Marina and scolded her, but Marina said nothing to defend herself and did not reveal that she was a woman. Consequently, the Superior was very perplexed and considered Marina's silence to be an admission of guilt. He then sentenced Marina to dismissal and to be thrown outside the Monastery.
Marina resigned herself to the will of God and stayed at the door of the Monastery praying and living off the leftovers of the monks' food. Her
Marina was born in Qlamoun North Lebanon sometime in the fifth century. Her father was a pious man. Her mother died while Marina was very young. This has made her father renounce the world and leave for the Monastery of Qannoubine in the Holy Valley; accompanying him was his daughter, whom he dressed like a man. It is said that her parents names were Ibrahim and Baddoura or and Eugene and Theodora. It is also said that when her father became a monk he left her in the care of her caretaker and after a few years he returned to see her, at which time she insisted on going wherever he went. In any event, father and daughter entered into monkshood with the daughter still pretending to be a man. As a monk she was known by the name Marinos.
Although young, Marina occupied herself with the practice of monastic virtues with utmost spirit and minuteness. She was silent and reticent with bowed head and eyes concealed the features of her face and eyes with a hood.
One day she was sent to a neighboring town on a mission for the Monastery. He was obliged to spend the night at the house of a friend of the monks named Paphnotius.
Paphnotius had a young girl who had fallen into adultery and was found pregnant. Upon finding out, her father was enraged and demanded the name of the perpetrator. His daughter told him that Marinos the Monk had raped her the night he spent in their house. Her father went straight to the Monastery and told the Superior, who was surprised for he knew that Marinos is pious and pure. The Superior called Marina and scolded her, but Marina said nothing to defend herself and did not reveal that she was a woman. Consequently, the Superior was very perplexed and considered Marina's silence to be an admission of guilt. He then sentenced Marina to dismissal and to be thrown outside the Monastery.
Marina resigned herself to the will of God and stayed at the door of the Monastery praying and living off the leftovers of the monks' food. Her