"O Glorious Marina, once betrothed to the Logos, you relinquished all worldly concerns and brilliantly gave struggle as a virginal beauty. You soundly trounced the invisible enemy who appeared to you, O Champion, and you are now the world’s wellspring of healing grace."

St. Marina lived during the reign of Claudius II (268-270), and was the only daughter of a pagan priest. Her mother had died while giving birth to her, so her father had no choice but to entrust her to the care of another woman who, unknown to him, happened to be a Christian. Marina grew in faith and love for Christ; when she was a teenager, her father finally learned she was a Christian and disowned her. At the age of 18, the prefect of Olymbrios saw her walking to church and began to fall in love—he made several attempts to court her, but she was too dedicated to her faith to marry a pagan and was already married, in her heart, to our Lord. After this rejection, his love began to turn to hate. As expected, eventually she had to pay the price for her devotion. She was arrested and tried for treason. It is said that during the time of her captivity, she was questioned as to her true name, homeland and faith, and replied: “My name is Marina; I am the offspring of the Pisidia; I call upon the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ.” Imprisonment, whippings and other tortures followed. In 270, St. Marina was beheaded for her faith. May the holy and true story of her life inspire us all to faith, devotion and courage in the Lord!

One of the most important realities we can share with our children is that it is not always easy to be a Christian. As the Roman authorities did to St. Marina, we will often be questioned on who we are and what we believe. During these tense moments, our children often don’t know how to respond (this is difficult enough for adults to manage!); they get scared, nervous, and worry that they won’t fit in. Read them the story of St. Marina and discuss it with them, reminding them that even though it is difficult, we need to remain faithful and loyal to God—imagine how difficult it was for her to face up to the government of her time, when she was only a teenager! It wasn’t easy, and she sacrificed everything, but her reward was greater than anything we could ever imagine: eternal life with our sweet Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Defending our faith in a sound, intelligent and loving way should become a healthy habit for your children and family. And the simple, but vital, story of St. Marina can help along the way!