June 2, 2019

Venerable Marino, known in the world as Baanes

St. Marino, also known as Baanes (Feast Day - June 2)

Baanes was a droungarios* just like his father Nikephoros who was also a droungarios, while his mother Maria was a distinguished woman. He was born in Constantinople and raised in Vize of Thrace.

Even while holding such a high rank in the world, Baanes was a pious and merciful man. Every day after divine services and in the evening before going to sleep he would recite the Psalter in its entirety, and he composed forty canons of supplication to the Ever-Virgin Mother of God.

He went to Kymina, where his brother Symeon lived as a monk, and there he was tonsured a monk with the name Marino. There, having lived a God-pleasing and venerable life, he reposed on June 2nd. His sacred relic was kept at the Monastery of the Panagia in Koroni.

Though the Venerable Marino is not included in the synaxaria of the Church, he is included in the Byzantine Heortologion of Manuel Gedeon.

Notes:

* Droungarios was a military rank of the late Roman Empire, signifying the commander of a formation known as droungos.