Saint Katherine the Great Martyr
13 Saint Catherine
November 25
Born in Egypt of rich and noble parents,
St. Catherine was distinguished for her
beauty, sharp mind, broad education -
both in ancient Greek and Christian litera -
ture - her eloquence, courage and faith.
During the great persecutions, St. Cath -
erine was brought to the Eparch of Alex -
andria. Enchanted by her beauty, the
Eparch used every means to persuade or
force Catherine to deny her faith: public
discussions with pagan orators, promises,
treats, tortures.
Catherine defeated the pagan champions
through the shartp sword of her spirit, re -
mained steadfast in her faith during her
cruel tortures, and finally received the
crown of martyrdom as the bride of Christ
(about 310 A.D.).
Her remains were transferred to Mt.
Sinai where Emperor Justinian (6th cen -
tury) built the Monastery of St. Catherine
whch is one of the most famous ancient
shrines of our Church.
What has true value is not the beauty of
the body, but the beauty of the soul -
faith, virtue, and goodness.
"The all-blessed bride of Christ let us extol
in song, Katherine the divine and protectress
of Sinai, the assistance and helper of all
of us; for she muzzled brilliantly, the ungodly
clever men, by the power of the Spirit. And now
crowned as Martyr, she pleads great mercy for
all of us.
(Plagal of the 1st Tone)"
- Apolytikion of Saint Katherine the Great
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.
In the 7th century, Tillemont wrote that it would be hard
to find a saint more famous than St Catherine. St Catherine
was brought up in a rich and very pius Christian family
which were decendents from royal families. One day
St Catherine saw a dream in which St Mary appeared
carrying the Child Jesus, St Mary asked the Lord to look
upon her daughter Catherine, but Our Lord Jesus turned his
head and said to St Mary she was not pretty because she
had not yet been baptised. Later on St Catherine told her
parents about the dream. So St Catherine was baptised,
and on the same day Our Lord Jesus Christ, St Mary and
many angels appeared to her in a dream, and the Lord said
unto her that she would be his bride and placed a ring on
her finger, and when St Catherine awoke she found a real
ring on her finger just as she dreamt. And so St Catherine
wished to commit her life to the Lord. St Catherine was
an Alexandrian virgin who was martyred at the early age
of 18 in the year 307 AD. St Catherine endured many
horrible tortures and even dared to argue and reason in
public with the philosophers of Alexandria and succeeded
in converting them & many of the courts officers to
Christianity. After her martyrdom her saintly body was
transported to Mount Sinai by the angels. St Catherine is
regarded as the patron saint of schools, probably because
of here controversial arguments with the philosophers of
Alexandria. Many miracles have also occured through the
prayers and intersessions of this great saint and martyr
till this day.
Out of the shadows
With light that appears
Heart is awakened
With peaceful premiere
Silence in wisdom
Knowing it's source
Found with compassion
No longer distraught
Look for the answers
They lie deep within
Heart of new solace
Words gently begin
No fear that haunts me
I'm safe and so sound
World draped in softness
This joy will abound
Reaching to others
With compassion designed
Heart of a woman
With love now enshrined
Out of the shadows
Her heart now to share
Giving to others
With love so aware.
Soul's Whisper
Oft in quiet moments
my soul, it speaks to me
I am filled with deep emotion
that sets my being free
So vivid are the images
of life, that come to me.
So real the tremblings in my soul
reveal how life could be,
If one could but capture
these moments, so divine
How precious would life be
Your soul, with God, entwined!
Often times, the greatest statements are made in Silence...
Listen with your Heart!
