Have you ever heard of a saint so humble that she accepted punishment for a sin she didn’t commit—and still raised the child born of that accusation?
Meet Saint Marina the Monk, a woman who disguised herself as a man to follow Christ—and whose story continues to inspire Catholics centuries later!
Marina was born in 5th century Lebanon to well-off Catholic parents. When her mother died, her father Eugenius decided to enter monastic life and find a husband for his daughter. But Marina, unwilling to be separated from the call to consecrated life, shaved her head, donned men’s clothing and joined the monastery alongside her father under the name “Marinos.”
Years into her hidden life, Marina was falsely accused of fathering a child after a night’s lodging at an inn. The truth? A soldier had seduced the innkeeper’s daughter and convinced her to blame the young monk. Marina, rather than revealing her secret or defending her innocence, simply bowed her head and accepted the blame.
She was expelled from the monastery, took in the child, and lived in silence and prayer outside its walls. Years later, she was re-admitted—but only under harsh conditions. Through it all, she never revealed her identity, choosing to suffer in silence rather than scandalize the community or selfishly exonerate herself.
Only in death was her secret discovered. When the monks prepared her body for burial, they learned the truth: Marinos was actually Marina. The abbot and her brothers wept in sorrow, repentance and awe. Pious tradition tells that some even experienced miracles in her presence.
Why would she do this? Why endure injustice without protest?
Saint Marina believed, like Christ, that “When evil was spoken against him, he did not speak evil. When he suffered, he did not threaten. He handed himself over to him who judged him unjustly.” (1 Peter 2:23). She bore her false accusation with heroic humility, and her patient silence bore immense spiritual fruit in repentance, healing and conversion.
Through her quiet suffering, Saint Marina showed radical obedience, total humility, and the mysterious ways God’s grace is made manifest. May we, too, accept our trials with the peace and patience of Saint Marina the Monk.
Saint Marina, pray for us! 🙏
Photo credit: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
