About San Marino:
San Marino is the world’s oldest constitutional republic, founded in 301 AD and still independent today. It is a landlocked microstate within Italy, with a population of just under 34,000. It is the third-smallest country in Europe after Vatican City and Monaco, covering an area of 23.64 square miles (61.19 square kilometers)..roughly the size of Jacksonville, Florida.
San Marino was founded by Marinus, whom tradition says was a stonemason by trade who came from the island of Arba (today Rab), on the other side of the Adriatic Sea…..part of the Roman Empire at the time, now modern-day Croatia. He was fleeing persecution for his Christian beliefs under the persecution of Diocletian. Known only by the single name Marinus (of the sea), there are several versions of his story. Regardless of which is true, he traveled to the town of Rimini, which was being re-built. Many Christians were there and he sought to comfort them and to alleviate their sufferings, so far as was in his power.
In his old age Marinus withdrew to a hermitage and decided to seclude himself on Mount Titano, living the life of a hermit in holy contemplation. As his reputation for sanctity grew, others started to follow him there, until finally a lady from Rimini and the owner of Mount Titano decided to gift him the mountain. The official date for the founding of San Marino is September 3, 301 AD. It became a Republic in 600 AD, was recognized by the Papacy in 1631, and became a member of the United Nations in 1992.
Marinus was canonized as a saint. We celebrate the Feast day of Saint Marinus on September 3, marking the founding of San Marino.
Despite its small size, you will find many churches here in San Marino:
The Basilica of San Marino.
Address: Piazzale Domus Plebis, 47890 Città di San Marino, San Marino
Tel: +378 0549 992420
Visit the official website of the Basilica of San Marino in San Marino.
Other Catholic Churches in San Marino:
Church of Our Lady of Consolation (Santuario della Beata Vergine della Consolazione)
Modernistic, built in 1964.
Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle (Chiesa di Sant’Andrea)
Church of Saint Francis (Chiesa di San Francesco)
Church of Saint Paul the Apostle (Chiesa di San Paolo apostolo)
Church of Saint Peter (Chiesa di San Pietro)
Traveling to San Marino:
You reach San Marino through Rimini, Italy. There is a train station in Rimini and from there you can catch a bus or take a taxi.