According to an old legend she was rejected by her father, a pagan priest. As she had to look after pigs she became the patron saint of country people. The prefect of Antiochia desired her because of her beauty and wanted to make her deny her Christian faith. In prison a dragon appeared to her as a sign of the evil. The cross in her hand and the dragon beside her are meaning that Margareta, by the force of the cross, was able to beat the evil. Variations of her name are Maggie or Madge. Allover in the East she is called Marina. The tradition of Margaret has deep roots in Germany: "Gretchen" in Goethe's drama "Faust" or "Gretel" in a fairy-tale of the brothers of Grimm. The Margarita daisy reminds of the Saint from the East. Her Day of Commemoration was of some importance in the rural life: start of the harvest, liquidation of the rent for tenure and corn. Many churches in all the world have got her name. An English Queen called Margaret is worshiped as a saint. She is the patron of Scotland. In 1397 a queen called Margaret was the first to unite the Scandinavian countries Norway, Denmark and Sweden for the first time.
| Name: | in Greek Margarite: the pearl |
| Day of Commemoration: | July 20th |
| Native Place: | Pisidia (Southern Turkey) |
| Year of Death: | about 307 (beheaded) |
| Distinguishing Feature: | Crown, cross, dragon, kept on a tie |
| Particular Patronage: | Patron of all caring for food, farmers, women's helper in their hour of need patron of the poor. |
Prayer:St. Margaret, our time is full of earthly temptations. Many people lost their orientation and their faith. Request hope and courage for us that we may show the way into a future with meaning to our children. Grant help to young women in their hour of need.
