"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims,
abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,"
(1 Pet 2:11)
its fruit."
(Mat 12:33)
St.
Marina’s father was a very wealthy man in money and virtues. He married a lady
of his kind; they had a daughter named Mariam.
Shortly after Mariam’s mother passed away leaving her
in the care of her father who rejected all suggestions of re-marriage and
devoted his attention to the care and religious up-bringing of his daughter.
Mariam was
reared in an entirely spiritual environment, the home was a place solely for
prayers for both father and daughter.
When
Mariam reached the age of marriage her father called her
and explained that the only reason behind his not joining the order was his
commitment to her up- bringing.
He
told her that he wanted her to marry the man whom The Lord would choose for her
so that he could realize his wish to go to the wilderness.
Mariam
refused to let her father go on his own. At that time there were no convent for
women, so she shaved her hair and wore garments of men, when the father
realized his daughter’s determination, he gave all his wealth to the poor, took
his daughter with him to the monastery and changed her name to “Marina”. They
continued in their worship encouraging each other for ten years after which the
father passed away happily knowing that his daughter would join the row of
saints.
St. Marina
continued in her spiritual life until she passed away without anyone knowing
that she was a woman.
