•Feast day: November 25
•4th Century
St. Catherine of Alexandria, a revered Christian martyr and scholar, is celebrated for her unwavering faith and intellectual prowess. Born in the early 4th century in Alexandria, Egypt, she was the daughter of a pagan king. Despite being raised in a pagan household, Catherine&#;s journey to Christianity began early in her youth and culminated in her baptism at the age of fourteen. Her extraordinary story continues to inspire believers around the world.
A Scholar of Exceptional Brilliance
Catherine’s intellect was unparalleled. She was well-versed in the arts, sciences, and philosophy of her time. According to tradition, she converted to Christianity after experiencing a profound vision of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, who symbolically betrothed her to Jesus in a mystical marriage. This event solidified her resolve to dedicate her life entirely to Christ, leading her to reject all suitors, including wealthy and powerful men.
The Confrontation with Emperor Maxentius
St. Catherine’s courage was evident when she publicly confronted Emperor Maxentius, urging him to cease persecuting Christians. Maxentius, impress
St. Catherine of Alexandria
Courage Against Maxentius
In the ancient city of Alexandria, a powerful ruler named Maxentius committed terrible acts. Eusebius, a historian, tells us that Maxentius did something very wrong: he forcibly took the wives and daughters of the city's residents. This was a grave injustice and caused much suffering.
However, amidst this dark time, there was a ray of hope in the form of one brave woman. This woman, not only prominent and respected in Alexandria but also a devout Christian, was known for her wealth, noble family, and high status in society. Her most cherished qualities were her modesty and virtue.
Maxentius, attempting to sway her to his will, failed repeatedly against her firm stance. Despite his anger and lust, he could not bring himself to harm her directly. Instead, he chose to punish her through exile and confiscation of her possessions.
The emperor Maxentius, informed about Catherine's ideas and way of life, challenges her. He invites a large number of orators, fifty or according to some accounts, one hundred and fifty, to debate her, hoping to prove the baselessness of her beliefs. However, Catherine, with her eloquent speech an
As a young girl, Catherine always had her nose in a book. If she didn&#;t have her nose in a book, she was asking the wisest men and women of the land all sorts of questions. There were plenty of books and plenty of wise people around, because Catherine lived in the great port city of Alexandria, Egypt—home of the biggest library in the world—and her father was the governor.
It was through some of these books and wise people that Catherine first learned about Christianity. While her studies sparked her curiosity about the Christian faith, it was a vision of the Blessed Mother and the child Jesus that fanned it into a roaring, passionate fire. Catherine began to study the faith with great zeal, proclaiming it to all she met.
When the Roman emperor, Maxentius, began persecuting Christians, Catherine traveled to Rome to rebuke him for his cruelty. At first, Maxentius was merely amused by this beautiful, hot-headed girl (she was only eighteen at the time). He didn&#;t really want to put her in prison or kill her, so he summoned fifty of his greatest philosophers to persuade her to give up her faith. Instead, she persuaded them, one by one, until all fifty had converted to
&#;When the legend becomes fact,&#; asserts a famous John Ford movie, &#;print the legend.&#; But would the patron saint of philosophers agree? Perhaps, if the legend were about herself.
Life
St. Catherine of Alexandria was a devout noblewoman or princess who was so well educated in the liberal arts that by the age of eighteen she surpassed most learned men. Catherine reportedly had a vision in which she married Jesus Christ: according to one account, He appeared as an Infant and placed a ring on her finger. This mystical marriage also foreshadowed Catherine&#;s participation in the sufferings of her Spouse.
Around the year , when the Emperor Maximinus began persecuting Christians, Catherine courageously upbraided him. Marveling at her boldness, Maximinus imprisoned her and summoned fifty philosophers to debate her. Instead of being overwhelmed, Catherine won many of them over to Christ, so much so that they vowed to die a martyr&#;s death. Catherine had a similar effect on the Emperor&#;s wife and on his chief general, both of whom converted to Christianity and were subsequently martyred.
After various attempts to bribe and intimidate her failed, the Emperor sentence
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