The saint who is venerated by both Catholics and the Orthodox

SOURCE: Catholic Herald

St Catherine of Alexandria, also known as St Catherine of the Wheel, was the daughter of Alexandria’s King Costus and Queen Sabinella, according to her hagiography. Born c 282, she converted at 14 after seeing a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary giving her to Christ in mystical marriage.

An exceptional student in the arts and sciences, she announced that she would only marry someone “who surpassed her in beauty, intelligence, wealth, and dignity”, which was taken as a reference to Christ. In any case, no decent enough men were available on earth and she remained a virgin.

She is said to have brought hundreds to the faith, and even tried to convince the Emperor Maxentius to stop persecuting Christians and worshiping false idols. The emperor arranged for the best pagan philosophers to debate her. She even convinced some of them to embrace Christianity. As a result, they were put to death.

Catherine apparently converted Maxentius’s wife, who of course was then killed. She had been among 200 people who came to visit Catherine when she was imprisoned. Refusing to recant after various tortures, she was condemned to be broken on the wheel and then beheaded.

Catherine is venerated by both the Orthodox and Catholics. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers who Catholics turn to for intercession. But she is, historically, an unlikely figure, and her feast day was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, only for it to be restored in 2002 as an optional memorial. Unlike most saints of the period, Catherine cannot be identified with any historical figure and her earliest biographies come 500 years later. One possibility is that she is based on a woman written about by the chronicler Eusebius in 320: a young Christian put to death because she had refused to become his mistress.

Her tradition was certainly established by the sixth century, when Emperor Justinian established St Catherine’s Monastery in Mount Sinai. Today the monastery is a rich source of Christian art and architecture, including the most precious Coptic icons.

St Catherine’s cult become a major part of Christianity in the medieval period, and among the many western European shrines to Catherine were those at Canterbury and Westminster. The patron saint of learning, she was the inspiration for St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, founded on her feast day in 1473 to further the study of theology and philosophy.

12/7/2013

See also
“In Christ a man receives more than he lost in Adam” “In Christ a man receives more than he lost in Adam”
A Conversation with Archbishop Damian of Sinai and Pharan
“In Christ a man receives more than he lost in Adam” “In Christ a man receives more than he lost in Adam”
A Conversation with Archbishop Damian of Sinai and Pharan
Deacon Vladimir Vasilik
But then let us think about what kind of purity a man must acquire in order to enter into this Kingdom. Let us not put off our salvation till later, nor hope that we will be purified before death or even at the time of death, or that we will land in “purgatory,” as the Catholics mistakenly think. For those who say, “Later,” it will never come. Therefore let us be concerned about our salvation now, while it is still possible to say, “Now.”
Holy Great Martyr Catherine Holy Great Martyr Catherine
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
Holy Great Martyr Catherine Holy Great Martyr Catherine
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
And to her also occurred what we read today in the Gospel passage appointed for her commemoration day; about what will happen when the end of time approaches: There will be wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, people will rise up against people, nations against nations; hatred will possess thousands of people…
Relics of Great Martyr Catherine brought to Moscow, prayers throughout the night Relics of Great Martyr Catherine brought to Moscow, prayers throughout the night Relics of Great Martyr Catherine brought to Moscow, prayers throughout the night Relics of Great Martyr Catherine brought to Moscow, prayers throughout the night
On December 1, with the blessing of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, a reliquary with a piece of the relics of Great Martyr Catherine arrived at Vnukovo airport, Moscow.
Comments
reader basil12/7/2013 11:36 pm
what is a catholic article doing on a russian orthodox site?remember the great schism.we orthodox honor st catherine.catholics do not.
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