Marinus

Marinus a martyr of the second half of the 3d century, is mentioned by Eusebius in Hist. Eccl. 7:15. According to this authority, Marinus was of a high family, served in the army, and was about to be appointed centurion by Gallienus (266-268) when he was denounced as a Christian by one of his fellow- soldiers. Brought before judge Achaeus, he acknowledged his Christian faith, and was given three hours to recant. During this respite he was taken to church by bishop Theoteknos, who, presenting him a sword with one hand and the Gospel with the other, bade him choose between them. Marinus joyfully chose the latter, returned to the judge, to whom he declared his choice, and was at once executed. A Roman senator, Asterius, who was a witness of the execution, carried away the body upon his own shoulders, laid him out in fine clothes, and buried him (see Acta Sanct. ap. Bolland, t. 1, 3d of March). SEE MARTIN II and III.

Another St. Marinus is commemorated on the 4th of September. He was a native of Dalmatia, and worked on the bridge of Rimini, when his piety attracted the notice of bishop Gaudentius of Brescia, who persuaded him to enter the Church, and made him deacon. Marinus retired on the mountain of Titano, where he erected a hermitage, and died towards the close of the 4th century. According to the legend, the miracles wrotught at his tomb attracted a number of pilgrims to the place, who settled there, and this gave rise to his saintship. Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 9:108; Pierer, Universal-Lexikos, 10:893; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 33,769.