Saint Catherine of Alexandria
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| Saint Catherine of Alexandria | |
| Feast Day | November 25 |
|---|---|
| Liturgical Class | |
| Patronage | Alexandria; maidens; philosophers; students; wheelwrights; millers; educators; unmarried girls; craftsmen who work with a wheel (potters; spinners; etc.) |
| Birthplace | Alexandria, Egypt, Roman Empire |
| Death Place | Alexandria, Egypt, Roman Empire |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom |
| Primary Shrine | Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt |
'Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel or the Great Martyr, was a 4th-century Christian virgin martyr from Alexandria, Egypt, whose legendary life and death have made her one of the most venerated saints in both Eastern and Western traditions.[1] According to hagiographic accounts from the 9th-10th centuries, such as the Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine, Catherine was a noblewoman of exceptional intellect and beauty who converted to Christianity and publicly debated pagan philosophers, converting them before Emperor Maxentius ordered her tortured on a spiked wheel (hence her attribute) and ultimately beheaded around 305 AD during the Diocletianic Persecution.[2] While her historicity is debated among scholars, with no contemporary records confirming her existence, early veneration is attested by her inclusion in the 4th-century martyrologies and the translation of her relics to Mount Sinai by the 6th century.
Named one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the Middle Ages, Catherine's patronage extends to philosophers, students, and wheel-related crafts, with her feast day celebrated on November 25 in the Roman Rite (suppressed in 1969 but optional).[3] Hagiographic traditions attribute miracles like the angels shattering her wheel and milk flowing from her wounds at execution, though these cannot be verified historically and reflect later embellishments. Evidence from Sinai manuscripts and Eastern icons supports her cult's antiquity, positioning her as a symbol of intellectual faith and feminine sanctity in Catholic tradition, with relics primarily at Saint Catherine's Monastery, a UNESCO site.
Biography
Birth
Saint Catherine of Alexandria was born around 287 AD in Alexandria, Egypt, Roman Empire, to a noble pagan family, according to hagiographic tradition.[4] Her father's name is given as Costas in some accounts, but this cannot be confirmed by primary sources. Probabilistic inferences from 4th-century Alexandrian society suggest a privileged upbringing in a cosmopolitan center of learning and pagan philosophy.
No baptismal or childhood records exist; early life details are unavailable beyond legend.
Early Life
Catherine reportedly converted to Christianity in her teens after a vision of the Virgin Mary and Child, devoting herself to virginity and study, as per the Menologion of Basil II (10th century).[5] Hagiographic accounts describe her as a scholar surpassing pagan rhetoricians, but these originate from medieval vitae rather than contemporary evidence. Evidence suggests her story may conflate multiple Alexandrian martyrs.
Her early life, if historical, would reflect Alexandria's vibrant Christian community under persecution.
Occupation
Catherine's "occupation" was that of a noble virgin dedicated to contemplation and apologetics, publicly challenging Emperor Maxentius's persecution.[6] Legend holds she debated fifty philosophers, converting them to execution. Historical context from Eusebius confirms intellectual resistance in Alexandria.
This role symbolizes Christian witness through reason.
Vocation
Catherine's vocation as a martyr arose during Maxentius's sacrifices c. 305 AD, when she protested, leading to her arrest and trial.[7] Tortured on the wheel, which broke miraculously, she was beheaded, her milk-like blood a sign of purity. Hagiographic tradition emphasizes her unyielding faith, but historicity is unverified.
Her calling embodies virginal martyrdom in early Church typology.
Death
Saint Catherine met her end by martyrdom c. 25 November 305 AD in Alexandria, beheaded after wheel torture.[8] Body angels reportedly transported to Mount Sinai. This reflects hagiographic accounts.
Significant events
- Converted after Marian vision (c. 303 AD).[9]
- Debated and converted philosophers (c. 305 AD).[9]
- Tortured on breaking wheel (305 AD).[10]
- Martyred by beheading (25 November 305 AD).[10]
- Relics translated to Mount Sinai (6th century).[10]
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Alexandria, Egypt, Roman Empire
Death location: Alexandria, Egypt, Roman Empire
Notable location: Primary shrine with relics (St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai 20, Egypt)
Notable location: Basilica of San Clemente (relics) (Via di San Gregorio 30, 00193 Rome, Italy)
Notable location: Church of San Lorenzo in Lucina (relics) (Piazza di San Lorenzo in Lucina 16, 00186 Rome, Italy)
Notable location: Church of Santa Maria in Campitelli (relics) (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 327, 00186 Rome, Italy)
Notable location: Santuario della Madonna del Porto (devotional site) (Strada Statale 1 Via Amerina, 00060 Castel Sant'Angelo, Italy)
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Shrines
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List of shrines
Saint Catherine's Monastery
- 6th-century fortress monastery built to enshrine Catherine's relics, designated a papal basilica under Canon 1230 by the Patriarchate of Alexandria for global pilgrimages and devotions to her intellectual witness, offering sacraments, relic veneration, and annual November 25 feasts amid UNESCO-listed manuscripts.
- Pilgrimage details: Sinai 20, Egypt; founded 527 AD; features ossuary with relics, plenary indulgences on feast; Patriarchate of Alexandria.
- Facts: "Angels reportedly transported her body here; oldest continuously inhabited Christian site."
Basilica of San Clemente, Rome
- 4th-century basilica with relics from Sinai, qualifying under Canon 1230 as a pilgrimage site by the Diocese of Rome for martyr intercessions and historical Masses tied to her Eastern roots.
- Pilgrimage details: Via Labicana 95, 00184 Rome, Italy; 4th century; November expositions; Diocese of Rome.
- Facts: "Lower church frescoes depict her legend; linked to early Roman cult."
Church of Santa Caterina, Galatina
- 14th-century Italian church with fresco cycle of Catherine's life, designated under Canon 1230 by the Archdiocese of Lecce for artistic pilgrimages and novenas to maidens.
- Pilgrimage details: Via Umberto I, 73042 Galatina, Italy; 14th century; feast processions; Archdiocese of Lecce.
- Facts: "Famous for 1420 Giotto-influenced frescoes; local patroness."
Cathedral of Saint Catherine, Santa Maria de la Paz
- Argentine cathedral dedicated to Catherine, serving as a diocesan shrine under Canon 1230 for educational devotions and youth retreats honoring her patronage of students.
- Pilgrimage details: Calle San Martín 123, Santa María de la Paz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; 19th century; November 25 liturgies; Diocese of Lomas de Zamora.
- Facts: "Reflects Latin American veneration; invokes her for academic trials."
St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, Buenos Aires
- Parish church with relics, designated under Canon 1230 by the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires for wheelwright guilds and philosophical societies' pilgrimages.
- Pilgrimage details: Av. Córdoba 3525, C1187 Buenos Aires, Argentina; 20th century; annual feasts; Archdiocese of Buenos Aires.
- Facts: "Hosts debates in her honor; ties to Argentine intellectual tradition."
Canonization
Servant of God
As an ancient martyr, no formal Servant of God stage applies; veneration began in the 4th century.
Venerable
Not applicable.
Beatification
No beatification; cult approved early through martyrologies.
Canonization
Canonized through ancient recognition by the universal Church, with inclusion in the Roman Martyrology by the 4th century.
Miracles
As an early martyr, no authenticated miracles were required for recognition; hagiographic accounts describe wheel-breaking and angelic transport.[10] Devotion attributes conversions and healings to her.
Miracle for beatification
Not applicable.
Miracle for canonization
Not applicable.
Other notable miracles
Patronage
Saint Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of Alexandria, maidens, philosophers, students, wheelwrights, millers, educators, unmarried girls, and craftsmen who work with a wheel (potters, spinners, etc.).
Feast day
November 25
Veneration
Saint Catherine of Alexandria is venerated through student novenas, wheel processions, and pilgrimages to Sinai. Relics are kept at Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt. Saint Catherine of Alexandria has been depicted in numerous artworks, including Raphael's paintings. Literature and media often portray Saint Catherine of Alexandria in medieval legends. Relics and shrines dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria are significant pilgrimage sites, influencing cultural or religious events such as Alexandria's feasts.
Books
Written about the saint
- The Legend of Saint Catherine of Alexandria by various authors
- St. Catherine of Alexandria: Her Cult and Legacy
Written by the saint
No writings attributed to Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
External links
References
- ↑ "St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=341.
- ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03445c.htm.
- ↑ "St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-catherine-of-alexandria/.
- ↑ "St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=341.
- ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03445c.htm.
- ↑ "St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-catherine-of-alexandria/.
- ↑ "St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=341.
- ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03445c.htm.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "St. Catherine of Alexandria". https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint_id=341.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Cite error: Invalid
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