Marinus

Marinus, also known as San Marino in Italian, is a Christian saint traditionally credited as the founder of the community that would eventually grow into the Republic of San Marino. Hagiographical accounts, recorded centuries after his lifetime, place his founding of a chapel and monastery in the year 301 AD.

Life and Historical Context

Tradition holds that Marinus was a stonemason by trade who originated from the island of Arba (modern-day Rab in Croatia). He is said to have fled to the Italian peninsula due to persecution for his Christian beliefs during the Diocletianic Persecution. Known by the single name Marinus, meaning 'of the sea,' he was ordained a deacon by Gaudentius of Rimini. Stories recount an incident where he was falsely accused of being an estranged husband by an insane woman, prompting him to flee to Monte Titano to establish a hermitage and chapel-monastery.

Another version of his life suggests he traveled to Rimini, where he found Christians of formerly high status forced into hard labor for refusing to sacrifice to the gods. He sought to comfort them. In his old age, Marinus withdrew to Mount Titano to live as a hermit. As his reputation for sanctity grew, others joined him, and eventually, a lady from Rimini, the owner of Mount Titano, gifted him the mountain.

Legacy and Veneration

Marinus was canonized as a saint. The State of San Marino originated from the community centered around his monastery. His feast day and memorial day are observed on September 3rd, commemorating the founding of his settlement in 301 AD, which also serves as San Marino's national holiday. He is venerated in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox faiths.

Legend states that Marinus died in the winter of 366 AD, with his last words being "Relinquo vos liberos ab utroque homine" ('I leave you free from both men'). This phrase is interpreted as a declaration of freedom from the oppressive power of both the Emperor and the Papal States, a sentiment that has historically inspired the republic's independence.

Historicity

Historians like William Miller suggest that the accounts of Marinus and the origin of San Marino are a blend of fable and miracle, potentially containing some factual elements. The earliest direct historical evidence of a monastic community in San Marino dates to the 5th or 6th century AD, as recorded by Eugippus. The earliest manuscripts specifically mentioning Marinus and his life date to the 10th century.