St. Catherine

St. Catherine of Alexandria

By Michelle Munro

St. Catherine was born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt in the beginning of the 4^th century. She was of noble blood and therefore, had access to the best education money could buy. As a little girl Catherine dedicated herself to her studies, becoming proficient in philosophy, history, science, and the poetry of the ancients. This along with her exquisite beauty and family wealth made Catherine a hot commodity among potential suitors.

Unfortunately for these men, Catherine had a strong sense of self-worth and had no intentions of being wed. She declared that she would marry no man unless he echoed her in intelligence, compassion, wealth, and beauty. Fearing her daughter would never find someone that met such strict guidelines, Catherine’s mother requested help from a Christian ascetic who resided on the outskirts of town.

The wise man taught Catherine of Jesus and his teachings. He told her that Christ alone held all the qualities she requested in a man. When asked how she could see Jesus, the ascetic gave Catherine an icon of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ and told her to pray before it asking for such a privilege.

That night Catherine prayed before the icon. She fell into a deep sleep and had a vision of Mary holding the Christ child. Though Mary pleaded with the infant, he refused to look at Catherine saying she was ignorant and unworthy. He instructed her to return to the ascetic and to follow the instructions she would receive.

Catherine returned the next day. She told the ascetic of her dream and begged him to educate her in the Christian faith. Soon after she was baptized. The night following the baptism, she again dreamt of the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus. This time he gave Catherine his blessing and deemed her worthy of being his bride. He placed a ring on her finger, which was said to still be there when she awoke.

When Catherine was eighteen the Emperor Maximinus, a fierce persecutor of Christians, commanded that a festival be held to honor the pagan gods he worshipped at which numerous animals were sacrificed. Upset by the spectacle, Catherine presented herself to the Emperor and publicly scolded him for his brutality and worship of false gods. Amazed by the young woman’s impudence and unable to compete with her intelligence, the Emperor ordered Catherine detained in his palace. He then summoned fifty scholars to convince her to abandon Christianity. By the time the debate ended, several of the scholars confessed they had been won over by Catherine’s reasoning. They declared themselves Christians and were immediately burned to death. Furious and embarrassed, the Emperor ordered Catherine be flogged and imprisoned.

Soon after, the Emperor left for military inspections. Unbeknownst to him, the Empress had become fascinated by Catherine. Eager to meet the maiden, she and the head of the troops began to visit Catherine in the dungeon. After a few meetings they both converted to Christianity and were baptized. When the Emperor returned and learned of his wife’s actions, he ordered her and the guard killed.

He then offered to make Catherine empress if she would renounce her faith and worship his gods. When she refused, Catherine was sentenced to death on a spiked wheel; however, when she was fastened to the wheel, the bonds miraculously loosened and the wheel fell apart. Its spikes were sent flying, killing some onlookers. His anger pushed to its limit, the Emperor ordered Catherine beheaded. It is said that when the deed was done that milk, not blood, flowed from the wound.

According to legend, angels carried Catherine’s body to Mt. Sinai. Her bones were later discovered by monks and there in 527 AD a church and monastery were built in her honor. St. Catherine’s Monastery still functions today. It houses St. Catherine’s sarcophagi as well as a large collection of early Christian works second only to the Vatican.

St. Catherine was as influential in death as she was in life. She is the patron saint of young women, philosophers, preachers, wheelwrights, and millers. She is ranked as one of the “Fourteen Holy Helpers”, is said to have appeared to Joan of Arc and, along with St. Margaret, was divinely appointed Joan’s advisor. A feast day in her honor is celebrated on November 25.

Michelle Munro is an aspiring writer. She enjoys reading, writing, basketball, and outdoor activities, as well as spending time with her husband and two children.