Saint Catherine of Alexandria…
Catherine of Alexandria
http://www.catholic-forum.com/Saints/stc01011.jpg
Also known as Katherine of
Alexandria Memorial 25 November; removed from the calendar and
cultus suppressed in
1969 Profile Apocryphal. Nobility. Learned in science and oratory.
Converted to
Christianity after receiving a vision. When she was 18 years old, during the persecution of Maximus, she offered to debate the
pagan philosophers. Many were
converted by her arguments, and immediately
martyred. Maximus had her
scourged and
imprisoned. The empress and the leader of Maximus’ army were amazed by the stories, went to see Catherine in prison.
They converted and were
martyred. Maximus ordered her broken on the wheel, but she touched it and the wheel was destroyed. She was
beheaded, and her body whisked away by angels.
Immensely popular during the Middle Ages, there were many
chapels and churches devoted to her throughout western Europe, and she was reported as one of the divine advisors to Saint
Joan of Arc. Her reputation for learning and wisdom led to her patronage of
libaries,
librarians,
teachers, archivists, and anyone associated with wisdom or
teaching. Her debating skill and persuasive language has led to her patronage of
lawyers. And her
torture on the wheel led to those who work with them asking for her intercession. One of the
Fourteen Holy Helpers.
While there may well have been a noble, educated, virginal lady who swayed
pagans with her rhetoric during the persecutions, the accretion of legend, romance and poetry has long since buried the real Catherine.
Died beheaded c.
305 in
Alexandria,
Egypt Canonized Pre-Congregation Name Meaning pure one (= Catherine)
. They’ve got Lafayette, Indiana, but no Lafayette, Louisiana.