St. Catherine of Alexandria

Saint Catherine of Alexandria is a canonized saint in the Catholic Church who, per Christian tradition, was martyred around 305 in Alexandria, Egypt. Of course, the Church of the first Millennium was undivided. She is also recognized as the Great Martyr and Saint by the Orthodox Church. There are no surviving primary sources attesting to her existence, but the fact that her memory, and the stories about her, have been kept alive - and handed down in the tradition - certainly confirm her existence, and her life of heroic virtue and holiness. The young saint was born around 287 in Alexandria, Egypt. At that time, Alexandria was one of the finest cities in the world, and a center of learning and culture as well as faith.

Christian tradition states she was of noble birth, possibly a princess. As a member of the nobility, she was also educated and was an avid scholar. Around the age of fourteen, she experienced a moving vision of Mary and the infant Jesus, and she decided to become a Christian. Although she was a teenager, she was very intelligent and gifted. When the emperor Maxentius began persecuting Christians, Catherine visited him to denounce his cruelty. Rather than order her execution, Maxentius summoned fifty orators and philosophers to debate her. However, Catherine was moved by the power of the Holy Spirit and spoke eloquently in defense of her faith. Her words were so moving that several of the pagans converted to Christianity and were immediately executed.

Unable to defeat her rhetorically or to intimidate her into giving up her belief, the emperor ordered her to be tortured and imprisoned. Catherine was arrested and scourged. Despite the torture, she did not abandon her faith. Word of her arrest and the power of her faith quickly spread and over 200 people visited her. According to some legends, the emperor's own wife, Valeria Maximilla was converted by Catherine. The emperor eventually executed his own wife over her conversion. However, this is not mentioned in the historical record and may be a legend. It is believed that Maximilla was alive and with her husband at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312, seven years after the death of Catherina.

Following her imprisonment, Maxentius made a final attempt to persuade the beautiful Catherine to abandon her faith by proposing marriage to her. This would have made her a powerful empress. Catherine refused, saying she was married to Jesus Christ and that her virginity was dedicated to him. The emperor angrily ordered her to be executed on a breaking wheel. The breaking wheel is an ancient form of torture where a person's limbs are threaded among the spokes and their bones are shattered by an executioner with a heavy rod. It is a brutal punishment that results in a slow and painful death, normally reserved for the worst criminals. When Catherine was presented before the wheel, she touched it and a miracle occurred that caused the wheel to shatter.

Unable to torture her to death, the emperor simply ordered her beheaded. One account claimed that angels took her body to Mt. Sinai. In the sixth century, the Emperor Justinian ordered a monastery established in her name. The monastery, Saint Catherine's, remains to this day and is one of the oldest in the world. Around the year 800, a legend spread that her body has been found with her hair still growing and a constant stream of oil coming from her body. Nothing exists to this day of her remains, and her very existence has been called into question. Despite these questions, and the possibility that her story may be confused with that of one or more other saints, she is still venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as a Martyr. Many Roman Catholics also venerate her to this day as one of the great virgin saints of the early Church. During the medieval period, St. Catherine was one of the most famous saints of the Church. She has was a popular subject in renaissance art and many paintings from the period are dedicated to her. Catherine is still a very popular Catholic name. The spiked wheel is a popular symbol often associated with St. Catherine.

Liturgical Celebration

The feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria is celebrated on November 25th, during the autumn season when the Church reflects on the themes of harvest and thanksgiving. This feast is celebrated as a memorial in the Roman Catholic Church, recognizing Catherine's importance as a model of intellectual courage and faith. The feast falls during a time when many students are in the midst of their academic year, making it an ideal time to remember Catherine's example of using education and intelligence in the service of God. The feast provides an opportunity to honor Catherine's memory and to reflect on how we can use our God-given talents and abilities to serve others and glorify God. It is also a time to pray for students, scholars, and all those who work in the field of education, asking for Catherine's intercession in helping them to pursue knowledge with wisdom and to use their learning for the good of others.

Traditions and Customs

On the feast day of St. Catherine of Alexandria, many people participate in special prayers and devotions to honor her memory and seek her intercession. Churches, particularly those with connections to educational institutions or academic communities, hold special Masses and services. Many students and scholars gather to pray for wisdom and guidance in their studies, asking for St. Catherine's intercession in helping them to learn with diligence and to use their knowledge for the glory of God. The day is also marked by prayers for all those who work in education, from teachers and professors to librarians and researchers. Many people also take time to reflect on their own intellectual growth and to pray for the grace to use their minds and talents in service to God and others. The feast is also a time to reflect on how we can integrate our faith with our learning and to ensure that our pursuit of knowledge is guided by wisdom and love. Some people also visit libraries or educational institutions in honor of Catherine's dedication to learning and scholarship.

Prayer and Devotion

The feast day is an excellent time to pray for the gift of wisdom and the ability to use our intellect in the service of God. Many people make special petitions for students and scholars, asking for St. Catherine's intercession in helping them to learn with excellence and to use their knowledge for the good of others. The day is also a time to reflect on the importance of education and to pray for the grace to pursue learning with humility and wisdom. St. Catherine's feast day encourages us to remember that our minds are gifts from God and that we should use them to grow in understanding and to serve others. It is also a time to pray for the grace to defend our faith with courage and eloquence, following Catherine's example of intellectual witness. The feast reminds us that true education should lead us closer to God and help us to better understand and serve His creation.