Catherine of Alexandria

Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Memorial 25 November

Our Saint for today a wealthy Christian noblewoman; intelligent and well educated. Her stories are buried in many legends and apocryphal musings; she was quite popular in the Middle Ages. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, and in addition to this, she was reported as one of the divine advisors to Saint Joan of Arc before the French made Joan an ember.

When Catherine was the tender age of 18 the Emperor Maximinus began, yet another series of persecutions against Christians. Catherine was perturbed at this idiocy and so she offered to debate the pagan philosophers. Many of the court ordered philosophers were converted by her arguments, and immediately martyred. For the outrage of being persuasive and intelligent Maximinus had her scourged and imprisoned.

The Empress and the leader of the army of Maximinus were amazed by the stories, who could be this intelligent and persuasive? So they saddled up and went to see Catherine in prison. They were also convinced, converted and were martyred. Emperor Maximinus was at least fair.

Maximinus decided, enough of this tomfoolery so he ordered her broken on the wheel, this is like the torture the Riddler put Batman and Robin through. She was to be strapped to a spiked wheel and rolled until she broke down one way or another. Unlike the Caped Crusaders, though she did not use the utility belt to get out she touched it and the wheel was broken apart; destroyed. So much for the torture at this point, She was eventually simply beheaded, in a most convincing way, and her body whisked away by angels.

There may be more to this, though as Eusebius writes: Maximinus conceived an 'insane passion' for a Christian girl of Alexandria, who was of noble birth noted for her wealth, education, and virginity – Saint Catherine of Alexandria. When the girl refused his advances, he had her beheaded, and then seized all of her wealth and assets. Maximinius, apparently, was also a creep.....

Her reputation for learning and wisdom led to her patronage of libraries, 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 wheels of all types asking for her intercession.

As she is the Patron Saint of Philosophers, there is a statue of her in the Dining Room of the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception. Not many can Identify who she is though……pity. There is another Statue on the other side of the dining room of Thomas Aquinas patron of Theologians. As Philosophy and Theology are the sciences taught at all Seminaries I found this very appropriate.

In 1969 amid much hoopla and fanfare the Church removed from the calendar in an ongoing effort to make Roman Catholicism less fun quite a few of the most popular saints. BUT! Like St. George and others, in 2002 Pope John Paul II had her name placed back in the revised Roman Missal giving her back her universal feast day, quietly. And as a result we get a more fun Church. God Bless Pope Saint John Paul II