Saint Catherine of Alexandria
“I am the descendant of the illustrious King Costos. My name is Catherine. I studied languages, explored all the science of philosophers and poets. But I understood: these are just vanities! So I followed my Lord Jesus Christ.
I will only marry my God!” From The Passion of Saint Catherine
Patron saint of philosophers and young girls to be married, Saint Catherine of Alexandria is one of the most famous martyrs of the first centuries. She is said to have been born into a noble family in Alexandria in the 3rd century. Jacques de Voragine tells us in the Golden Legend that having received a very good education, she quickly rose to the level of the greatest poets and philosophers of her time. After her conversion, Saint Catherine tirelessly sought to prove the existence of the Lord and His greatness. She chose to become the spouse of Christ and to love only Him. Her devotion, her faith, and her love, unwavering, even in times of trial, are an example to follow for every Christian.
Life of Saint Catherine, “the Bride of Christ”
The Conversion of Saint Catherine
Catherine, erudite, of rare beauty, and vain, declares, before her conversion, that she will only marry a young man superior to her in intelligence, beauty, and social status. Her mother, secretly Christian and saddened by her daughter's attitude, sends her to a Christian hermit so that she may encounter the Lord. The ascetic gives her an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, recommending her to be patient: she would soon meet the one who would become her husband.
The following night, the Mother of the Lord appeared to her, with her Son. He turned away from Catherine, telling her she was neither beautiful, nor intelligent, nor of noble condition because she was not baptized in Christ. The next day, Catherine converted to Christianity and requested baptism. And, according to legend, Christ appeared to her again, looking at her tenderly, giving her a ring, a symbol of their mystical union. From then on, Saint Catherine devoted her life to the Savior. H3 The martyrdom of Saint Catherine In 313, circus games were held in honor of the Eastern Emperor, Maxentius, staying in Alexandria, during which Christians were to perish by burning. Catherine, strengthened by the Love of God, presented herself before the Emperor, declared herself a Christian, and demonstrated all the errors of paganism to him. Maxentius then organized a debate, pitting the Saint against the fifty best philosophers of the Empire.
Faced with the arguments of the young woman, the scholars had to acknowledge their ignorance, and they all converted to Christianity. Furious, the Emperor condemned them all to be burned alive. The philosophers received what is called “the Baptism of Blood.” Maxentius then proposed to Catherine to come to his palace and become his wife. She refused. He then had her stripped, flogged, and thrown into prison without food. Later, the Empress came to visit the Saint, accompanied by the chief of the guard. What was their astonishment to see the cell filled with light, with angels caring for Catherine’s wounds, and a dove feeding her! The two visitors as well as 200 soldiers of the guard immediately converted to the Christian faith. After about fifteen days and seeing his prisoner in perfect health, Maxentius had four wheels fitted with iron spikes built to torture her. However, it was not God's will. The wheels broke. Witnessing this, the Empress accused her husband of cruelty and proclaimed herself a Christian, supported by the entire guard. Maxentius had them all beheaded. Finally, refusing once again to become the Emperor's wife, Catherine was also sentenced to decapitation. Her body, according to legend, carried away by angels to Mount Sinai, was found intact in the 8th century by the monks of the convent erected on the Mount. Today, the convent bears her name and the Saint is prayed to there.
Discover other early Christian martyrs: Saint Margaret of Antioch, Saint Agatha, Saint Lucy, Saint Barbara, and more.
Praying with Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Prayer of Saint Catherine
“Jesus, benevolent king, I thank you for having strengthened my steps on the rock and guided my way. Now extend these hands that were nailed to the cross for me and receive my life that I sacrifice for you and for the glory of your name. Remember, Lord, that we are mere flesh and blood, and do not allow the faults I committed in ignorance to be held against me in your judgment, but may the blood I will shed for you purify the stains of my soul. Also, ensure that the body of your bride, torn for you, does not remain in the hands of these pagans, but is hidden from their sight. May your Providence, who created the hearts of men, deign to look upon with mercy, from the heights of your holy temple, this people surrounding me. Lead them, Lord, towards the light of your knowledge. I implore you, Jesus, that all those who remember my death and call upon me, whether at the moment of their passing or in any other need, feel the effects of your mercy.”
Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Two Prayers to Invoke Saint Catherine
“Holy virgin and martyr Catherine, your steadfastness is glorious and heroic, but above all gifts is the beauty of your virginity. Pray for us near the throne of God where you triumph now: that we may renounce the world and its temptations and that we may reconcile with God with a contrite heart. We wish to follow your example of virtue; may your angelic purity be our preferred virtue. You have convinced the learned that true wisdom comes from above and that the desire for salvation must take precedence; through your intercession, enlighten, we pray, the youth on the path to true knowledge and stand firmly by their side so they never stray into the darkness of unbelief, through the misuse of divine grace, and that they do not shatter their precious spiritual energies through carelessness, on the reefs of pride and opulence. Amen.”
Prayer taken from the book Day by Day with the Souls in Purgatory, Parvis.
"“our prayer has been heard,
woman endowed with divine intelligence: for those who invoke your name with faith,
O venerable saint, the Sovereign Master delivers them
from temptations and all kinds of evils
of the soul and body, and grants them salvation.
Therefore, Catherine, full of joy,
We proclaim you blessed. Amen.”
Continue your prayer to Saint Catherine with Hozana
- Saint Catherine devoted herself entirely to God, going so far as to give her life to Him. Take the time to put Christ back at the heart of your day.
- Pray to with the saints to pass on your love for Christ and your trust!
