On 17th July the Bulgarian
Orthodox Church honours Saint Matina – the Great Martyr. On the occasion of
today's holiday His Eminence Yoan (John) the Bishop of Varna and Veliki Preslav
served water blessing ceremony for health and wellbeing of the medical
personnel and the patients at St. Marina University Hospital. The water ritual
was served at the chapel of the hospital, which will be open throughout the whole
day.Saint Marina was a daughter of a pagan priest in Antioch in the 3rd century. Still a child, Marina was brought up and
taught in idolatry by her father. Nevertheless, she decided to adopt
Christianity and to be baptized.Her first persecutor was her father
himself. The Governor of the eastern Roman provinces Olymbrois subjected her to
severe torture when she was 16 years old since she refused to give up her
faith. Olymbrois tried to drown Marina, throwing her into the water with a
stone tied around her neck. Then she once again began to pray to be
baptized, and all of a sudden the chains around her neck broke, and a
mysterious light illuminated the maid. The Martyr stood in the water and chanted
praise songs. After that she was sentenced to death by beheading.People say that the Saint visits the
dreams of those who believe in her powers, prophesying and advising on what
should be done to save people from sickness and misfortune. In Bulgarian folk
beliefs, Saint Marina is honoured as the patron of water and marriage.In
Strandzha, the Rhodope Mountains and along the Struma River the Saint is known
as the Vanquisher of Serpents and a Healer of those bitten by them.It is
believed that the present day is one of the days known as Goreshtnitsi (the”Hot
Days”), which start from 15th July.
