St. Catherine was born into a noble family in Alexandria and was a well-educated girl. She studied philosophy and became convinced of the truth of Christianity. A vision of Our Lady inspired her to embrace the Christian faith. St. Catherine bravely spoke out against the persecution of Christians during the reign of the Roman emperor Maxentius.
St. Catherine presented arguments that the emperor could not refute. As a result, he gathered a group of 50 well-known philosophers to refute her claims. However, their acknowledgment of defeat only served to prove her intellectual superiority, which ultimately resulted in their execution by burning. St. Catherine was imprisoned, but her persuasive skills were not diminished. She managed to convert the imperial guards, as well as the emperor's wife, Faustina, during her time in confinement. As a result, she was sentenced to death by means of being fastened to a spiked wheel. The wheel mysteriously broke apart, leaving Catherine miraculously unscathed-which is why she is also known as the patroness of wheelwrights. She was finally beheaded, and Angels are said to have taken her remains atop Mount Sinai, where they were discovered in the year 800.
In Church art, St. Catherine of Alexandria is often portrayed wearing a crown, which signifies her royal lineage. She is depicted holding a book to represent her vast knowledge, and guiding a spiked wheel, which was an instrument of her attempted execution. St. Catherine is a prophetic saint and holds a significant role in the Church as a philosophical defender of the faith. She is the patron saint of Christian philosophers.
Prayer
Almighty ever-living God, who gave Saint Catherine of Alexandria to your people as a Virgin and an invincible Martyr, grant that through her intercession, we may be strengthened in faith and constancy and spend ourselves without reserve for the unity of the Church.
Prepared and updated by:
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.
No comments:
Post a Comment