● Day of Remembrance orthodox July 17
● Name means: the pearl (Greek)
● Virgin, Martyr, Emergency Helper
● Patroness: of farmers, shepherds, virgins, nurses, girls, childbearers, infertile wives;
fertility; fertility; during difficult births (since, according to legend, she was freed
unharmed from the body of the dragon), facial diseases and wounds; against infertility
● Attributes: small cross, dragon (on the chain), torch, comb
● Born in Antioch in Pisidia, today ruins near Yalvaç, Turkey
● Died around 305
Margaret – in the Eastern Church “Marina” – is a legendary martyr. She is said to have been the
daughter of a pagan priest; her Christian nurse therefore raised her to the faith; the father
rejected his daughter when he noticed this and denounced her to the city prefect. She fled but
was found and put on trial; the judges coveted the pretty defendant, but were rejected by her
and retaliated all the more cruelly. Margaret was scorched with torches and boiled in boiling oil,
but she was unharmed. The people were so impressed by these miracles that the people openly
professed to be the Christian God – but were beheaded immediately as finally Margareta. She is
one of the emergency helpers; with Barbara and Catherine of Alexandria, Margareta is one of
the popular three holy Madln; together with Dorothea they are the four Virgines capitales, the
most important virgins. For farmers, the harvest began earlier on Margaret Day.
