St. Marina

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the Saints Module in first grade is to teach students about saints that were heroic. While all saints were heroic in nature, these specific saints demonstrate particular bravery through their trials and tribulations. In this lesson, we will discuss St. Marina of Antioch, who overcame the devil.

INTRODUCTION - 2 Minutes

This month we are talking about heroic saints. To remind you, heroic saints are those who were brave and were guided by their strong faith in God. Today, we will learn about a Saint who was so brave because of her faith, that she was able to overcome the devil Literally

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse: Then I called upon the name of the Lord: "O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul" (Psalm 116:4)

LIFE OF THE SAINT - 10 Minutes

(The story below may be summarized for the students. Presentation with story summary is attached below.)

St. Marina the martyr was born in a city called Antioch. Her parents were pagan, which means that they were not Christian, but worshipped idols. When she was young, her mother passed away, and her father sent her to be raised by a nanny. The nanny who was Christian taught Marina many Christian virtues, not just by words but also by actions. She lived the true faith in Jesus Christ. At the age of fifteen, Marina's father died. Marina grew to be a courageous Christian girl.

One day, St. Marina went out with a few maidens, and on her way, she passed by the governor, who admired her beauty very much when he saw her. He ordered some soldiers that she be brought to him. While she was being taken to him, she told the soldiers that she was Christian. The soldiers told the governor about her beliefs and he was very upset when he heard that she was Christian. He was determined to convince her to marry him and to give up her faith in Christ.

When she refused both, she was placed in prison and tortured. Every time the governor tried to have her tortured, she would be healed and come out singing praises. While she was in prison, the devil tried many times to scare her. He appeared as a dragon and tried to swallow her, but she made the sign of the cross and the dragon was torn apart and vanished. Then, he appeared to her and right away she recognized him, grabbed him, and bound him with the sign of the cross

The governor continued to torture St. Marina. He brought a large vessel of water to try to drown her, but when she saw the water, she asked God to make it as a baptism for her. She went in three times and said "In the name of the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen." A dove appeared and a voice from heaven said to her ""O Marina you have been baptized in the baptismal water." St. Marina was very happy and those who were present heard what happened and believed in God. The governor then ordered St. Marina to be killed, so she received the crown of martyrdom. May the prayers and the supplications of this great martyr St. Marina be with us all. Amen

DISCUSSION - 5 minutes

Review:

Where was St. Marina born? (Antioch)
Who taught St. Marina about Christianity? (Her Nanny)
What did the governor try to get St. Marina to do? (Marry him and give up her faith)
What happened while St. Marina was in prison? (The devil tried to scare her)
How did she defeat the devil? (Using the sign of the cross)

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

When we face any difficult situations, we should rely on Christ and the power of the sign of the cross. The devil may try to harm us spiritually in different ways, either by tempting us to do something bad, or by making us lazy. However, we can overcome all of these tricks, just like St. Marina overcame the devil by prayer and the sign of the cross.

Remind the children that they should make the sign of the cross using three fingers together (thumb, index, and middle finger), which represents the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Option 1: Cross and string craft

Materials Needed

Two popsicle sticks per child,
Various colored yarn or embroidery thread
Tape or glue

Instructions

Using one or various color of string, have the children place two popsicle sticks over each other in the form of a cross
Using a small amount of glue or tape, temporarily secure the beginning of the string to the center of the cross
Wrap the string diagonally around the corners of the cross to bind the two sticks together
Students may keep wrapping or use different colors to cover the wood as they prefer (see sample image below)

Option 2: Coloring Sheet

Please see attached

PARENTS CORNER

Today, we learned about St. Marina and her strong faith. Remind your children to always make the sign of the cross, especially when they are scared. Also, remind the children to make the sign of the cross in the four corners of their room before going to sleep.