SAINT CATHERINE OF ALEXANDRIA
Her principal symbol is the spiked wheel, which has become known as the Catherine wheel, and her feast day is celebrated on the 25th of November.
(2nd of Kiahk in the Coptic Calendar)
Early Life
St. Catherine of Alexandria, also known as the “Great Martyr,” was born around the year 287 AD into a noble and wealthy pagan family in Alexandria, Egypt. She was exceptionally intelligent, well-educated in philosophy, rhetoric, science, and literature, and was admired for both her wisdom and beauty.
Even as a young woman, she sought truth beyond earthly wisdom and came to know Christ, dedicating her life completely to Him. Through baptism, she received not only spiritual enlightenment but also courage to defend the Christian faith.
Icon of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, with scenes from her martyrdom
Confrontation with the Emperor
During the reign of Emperor Maxentius, fierce persecutions broke out against Christians. At only eighteen years old, St. Catherine boldly confronted the emperor for his cruelty and refusal to recognize the one true God.
The emperor, astonished by her knowledge and eloquence, summoned fifty of the best pagan philosophers and orators to debate with her. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Catherine’s words confounded them, and many were converted to Christianity - ultimately accepting martyrdom for their new faith.
Martyrdom
Enraged, Maxentius ordered St. Catherine to be tortured. She was condemned to die on a spiked breaking wheel, but by divine intervention, the instrument shattered at her touch. Finally, she was beheaded, giving her life as a martyr for Christ at the age of 18.
Angels carried her body to Mount Sinai, where, in the 6th century, the Eastern Emperor Justinian established Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai, the church being built between 548 and 565 in Saint Catherine, Egypt, on the Sinai peninsula. Saint Catherine’s Monastery survives, a famous repository of early Christian art, architecture and illuminated manuscripts that is still open to visiting scholars.
Legacy
St. Catherine is honored as one of the great martyrs of the Church. She is remembered for her courage, purity, wisdom, and unwavering faith in Christ. She remains a powerful intercessor and a shining example of living boldly for the truth of the Gospel.
Her life calls us to seek wisdom in Christ, to remain steadfast in faith, and to courageously witness the love of our Lord Jesus Christ to the world.