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Last week we
saw the life of St. Mary Magdalene and sieved out the truths and lies
associated with her name. Mary is honoured by the Church with the title
“Equal to the Apostles”. Today we will look at the life of one of the
Church’s female great-martyrs. This is our last talk of the season, but
when we return in the autumn it would be good to continue with this
series of women saints and see a female saint from the monastic rank of
saints. Today I have chosen as a representative of the female great
martyrs St. Catherine of Alexandria who is honoured by the Church with
the added epithet “The All-wise”. St. Catherine is one of the best known
and best loved of the female saints in both east and west. In the Roman
Catholic Church she is numbered among the Fourteen Holy Helpers who are
a group of saints venerated as the most helpful saints in heaven because
their intercession is believed to be particularly effective, especially
against various diseases.
St.
Catherine was one of the most influential saints in the religious
culture of the late middle ages, and arguably considered the most
important of the virgin-martyrs. Her power as an intercessor was
renowned, and firmly established in most versions of her legend, in
which she specifically entreats God at the moment of her death to answer
the prayers of those who invoke her name. The development of her
medieval cult was spurred by the reported rediscovery of her body around
the year 800 at Mount Sinai, with hair still growing and a constant
stream of healing oil (Myron) emitting from her body. Throughout the
centuries she was unceasingly praised by preachers and sung by poets.
The devotion to St. Catherine made her the patroness of young women,
philosophers, preachers, theologians, wheelwrights, millers, and other
workingmen. Theologians, apologists, pulpit orators, and philosophers
implored her intercession before studying, writing, or preaching, they
besought her to illumine their minds, guide their pens, and impart
eloquence to their words.
Before we
look at who St. Catherine was, something must be said about the
authenticity of the various texts containing not only the legend of St.
Catherine, but for all saints in general especially the great martyrs of
the early centuries. Many contemporary hagiographers look upon the
authenticity of the various texts on the lives of the saints as more
than doubtful. It is true that during the middle ages narrators used a
lot of their imagination to charm their readers and to stimulate
devotion to a particular saint by recitals of the marvellous and
extraordinary. Much of what was said and done by the saints cannot be
proved, for example, in the life of St. Catherine there are long
discourses supposed to have been said by the saint. These are not to be
taken literally as a word for word quote by the saint. Some of the
dialogue is true but some was guesswork at what might have been said and
was added to embellish the storyline. This doesn’t mean that the story
should be rejected as pure fiction. The principal facts forming the
outline are to be accepted as true and without any doubt testify that
St. Catherine was a real person who martyred for Christ in an terrible
era of persecution which we cannot even begin to fathom.
St.
Catherine was born of noble birth in the Greek speaking great city of
Alexandria in Egypt. It is said that she was of royal blood and was a
descendant of the Ptolemy Kings of Egypt. Her father was named Constans
and according to a Cypriot tradition, he was governor of Cyprus and was
then transferred to Alexandria. His brother remained in Cyprus and when
Catherine’s father died it is said that she came over to Cyprus to be
with her uncle. When he discovered that she was sympathetic to the
Christian religion he had her imprisoned firstly at Salamina and then in
Paphos and was then sent back to Alexandria. Today in Cyprus near the
cemetery of the ancient city of Salamina, there is a prison known as the
prison of St. Catherine. As I said this is a Cypriot tradition and is
not found in most legends of St. Catherine.
From a young
age Catherine had a great yearning for studying and through her reading
she was well learned in Greek and Roman culture and science. She studied
the great poets Homer and Virgil, she studied medicine and read
Hippocrates, Galen and Philistion, but most of all she occupied herself
studying the great philosophers like Aristotle, Plato and Socrates. She
was well leaned in the art of rhetoric and was an eloquent speaker. She
was also well leaned in many languages. In fact she was so bright and
full of wisdom that people who saw and heard her remained astounded. On
top of all this it is said that she was of exceptional beauty.
With such
beauty and wisdom all in one package so to speak, many rich and powerful
young men with families in high places sought Catherine’s hand in
marriage. But Catherine refused every suitor saying that she had decided
to live her life in solitude as a virgin. Her mother, a secret
Christian, but influenced by other relatives, pressured her daily saying
that she must marry and have children so that there would be descendants
to carry on the family titles of honour. To put a stop to all the
pressure and find peace, Catherine said to her mother and relatives: “If
as you say I have qualities over and above other girls then find me a
young man who surpasses me in nobility, wealth, comeliness, wisdom and
education and I will marry him. But if he lacks any of these qualities
be sure that I will not marry him.” Many suitors were found, but no one
came near to having the same qualities that Catherine possessed let
alone surpassing them.
Eventually,
her mother, seeing that she couldn’t persuade her to marry, sent
Catherine for advice to her own spiritual father—a saintly elder
pursuing prayerful deeds in solitude in a cave not far from the city.
Having listened to Catherine, the elder said that he knew of a youth who
surpassed her in everything, such that “His nobility is second to none,
his beauty more radiant than the sun, his wisdom governed all creation
and his wealth beyond anything anyone could imagine. Catherine, thinking
that he was speaking of an earthly man was surprised and asked if there
was really such a person. When the elder reassured her that there was
indeed such a person, Catherine asked if she could see and meet with
this person. You can he replied, but you must listen carefully to what I
will tell you. He gave her an Icon of the Mother of God holding the
infant Jesus in her arms and told her to go home and close the door of
her room and there to pray all night to the Mother of God to guide and
enlighten her and tomorrow to return to continue their discussion.
Catherine
did as the old man told her. She prayed all night, but being tired, she
eventually fell asleep. In a dream she saw the Most Holy Virgin with the
holy infant in her arms who radiated more than the sun, but Catherine
couldn’t see his face because he was facing his Mother. In her dream
Catherine moves around to try and see his face from another angle, but
each time Christ turns his face in the opposite direction. The Holy
Virgin then tells him to look upon Catherine and see how beautiful she
is. But the child continues to look away saying that she is dark and
ugly and cannot bear to look upon her. But his mother continues: “she is
so beautiful and wiser than all the philosophers, she is more noble and
wealthy than all the other young girls of the city.” And Christ replied:
“She is uneducated, a beggar and worthy of contempt. As long as she is
in this condition I will not allow her to see my face.” My child, added
the Mother of God, don’t despise her, but help and guide her how she may
see your bright face. At this Christ said: “tell her to go back to the
elder who gave her the Icon and he will advice her in what she must do.
Only in this way will she see my face and feel inexpressible joy and
find happiness.”
Early in the
Morning Catherine returned again to the elder, deeply saddened, and told
him of the dream she saw. The Elder instructed her in the faith of
Christ, and Catherine listened with great care. Her wise mind and
sensitive heart realized the truth of what the Elder was telling her and
asked to be baptized. After receiving baptism from the Elder, Catherine
returned home and that night she had another dream. Again she saw the
Mother of God with the infant Christ in her arms, but this time he gazed
at her with a sweet and loving smile. The Holy Virgin asked him “how
does the young maiden seem now?” and he answered: “Now she is bright and
glorious, wealthy and all-wise. I see nothing of her old self upon her;
the darkness has gone, her ugliness has disappeared, she is no more a
beggar to be reviled; she is full of grace and virtue. Now I agree and
decide to take her as my betrothed as my incorrupt bride.” In her dream
Catherine sees herself falling to the ground with tears saying: “My
Lord, I am not worthy to see thy kingdom, but make me worthy to be thy
humble servant.” She then sees the Mother of God take her right hand
saying: “My Son, give her the ring, that you may be wed, and make her
worthy of thy heavenly kingdom.” Christ then puts a ring on her finger
and tells her: “Today I receive you as my bride. Preserve this agreement
between us and do not receive another earthly bridegroom.” With these
words Catherine awoke from her dream and saw that on her finger was
truly the ring Christ had given her in her dream. In remembrance of this
first miracle, pilgrims visiting St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt are
given a silver ring as a blessing.
From that
moment on Catherine dedicated herself wholeheartedly to Christ. Her
newly embraced faith made a big impression on everyone in Alexandria.
She tried to do as many good works as she could to please her Bridegroom
Christ. Christ had become her whole life, she continually thought of
Christ, she studied Christ; she lived for Christ and worked unceasingly
for Christ. She became an exemplary example of a Christian virgin, but
there was pain in her heart when see saw that other maidens and a great
many people were still in the darkness of paganism, without yet knowing
Christ. She therefore gave herself completely to preaching the Christian
faith. With her example and her eloquence of speech, she drew many
citizens of Alexandria. Like a fisherman, she threw her net towards the
upper classes - the nobility, the wealthy families and well educated.
But things were not so easy and without danger. During the time that
Catherine lived, Christianity was ruthlessly persecuted. If anyone
openly admitting that he was a Christian, it was tantamount to writing
his own death sentence. He would first be interrogated and then the
trials of martyrdom would begin which were quite frightful and always
ended in death. In spite of these terrible sufferings the Christian
martyrs remained steadfast to their faith in Christ and would finish
their earthly life with the name of Christ on their lips.
During the
time of Catherine, the Roman Emperor was Maximinus II Daia who is
described by ancient historians as a vicious, boorish, uneducated tyrant
known for his brutal persecution of the Christians. He was a pagan
fanatic who demanded that everyone even babies were to attend the public
sacrifices to the state gods.
At this time
the emperor Maximinus was in Alexandria for a pagan feast day. He wanted
to make this feast especially splendid and sent a general order for
everyone in Alexandria and the surrounding region to come and for each
to bring a sacrifice. Whosoever dared to ignore the command would be
punished severely. The day came for the great sacrifice and the emperor
himself sacrificed 130 bulls. He was followed by the lords and other
nobility. The cries of the sacrificial animals, the smoke and the smell
of the sacrifices, the endless blazing of fires, and the bustling crowds
at the arenas filled Alexandria. Seeing the crowds running in fear to
sacrifice to the idols against their wish, Catherine was deeply saddened
because she knew that at that moment many Christians were out of fear
betraying their faith and losing their souls. She took it upon herself
to persuade them not to give up faith. She went around the city
encouraging the Christians not to offer sacrifice and not to attend the
pagan festival. Even to the pagans she tried to persuade them that it
was stupid and senseless to sacrifice and worship lifeless statues made
of stone and wood which had no power. Catherine foresaw that Alexandria
would not only be flowing with the blood of bulls, but also of many
Christians who resisted and didn’t break under torture.
The saint's love
for the Christian martyrs and her fervent desire to lighten their fate
impelled Catherine to go to the pagan temple and seek out the persecutor
emperor Maximinus. See reached the main entrance to the temple and asked
to speak with him in person. Maximinus saw her and ordered the guards to
let her in. She bowed as was fitting before the emperor and introduced
herself. Then with boldness the saint confessed her faith in the one
true God and with wisdom denounced the errors of the pagans. She quoted
philosophers whom the emperor admired and showed him that even they said
that the gods he worshipped were man made. They were just men who were
renowned for their heroic acts and statues were made to honour and
remember them: statues which now he bowed down to as gods. The emperor
was full of anger that Catherine had insulted his gods, but at the same
time he was captivated by her beauty and wisdom. He remained silent for
a while not knowing how to confront her. He then ordered her to wait
until after the sacrifices had been made and then he would listen to
what she had to say.
After the
pagan festival, the emperor ordered that Catherine be brought before
him. He listened to her as she tried to persuade him to put aside the
pagan gods and accept Christ the one true God. Maximinus saw that before
him stood a wise young girl skillful in the use of words and that he was
no match for her. He feared that he would be shamefaced before her and
so justified himself saying that it was not permitted for the Emperor to
discuss with women, but he would gather the wisest men in the empire who
would make her realize that she was deluded and mistaken about his gods.
Catherine
was placed under guard and remained confined until the Emperor sent out
letters to all the wise men of the empire asking them to come to
Alexandria and with their wisdom to convince a wise young girl who
ridiculed the gods of the superiority of pagan wisdom. For this they
would be rewarded handsomely. 150 (some accounts say 50) wise and
learned men responded to the Emperor’s request and appeared before him.
Maximinus told them to not make the mistake that they would be dealing
with just some ordinary girl. She was a skilful opponent and they should
carefully prepare beforehand the arguments they would use to convince
her. He also warned that if they were not successful they would be
humiliated and put to death.
The order
was given for the people to gather at the amphitheatre to witness the
public discussion between the wisest of the empire and the wise
Catherine. Before Catherine was lead from her prison to the
amphitheatre, it is said that she was visited by the Archangel Michael
who told her not to be afraid. God would give her knowledge and wisdom
and she would get the better of the 150 wise men. They in turn would be
converted to the Christian faith and receive crowns of martyrdom.
Catherine
was brought into the amphitheatre and the wisest of the sophists began
the discussion saying: “so you are the person who has insulted our
gods.” Catherine replied: “I am, but I did not insult them, I just spoke
the truth. My wisdom is given me by the true God of the Christians. He
is light and with him their is love and righteousness. Tell me what is
your opinion about your gods because their lives are full of hate,
enemies and shameful acts.” The sophist replied: “You are mistaken, Our
Gods have been praised by great poets; the incomparable Homer calls Zeus
the Great god and the others as immortals.” At this Catherine replied:
“don’t forget, O wise man, that Homer does not only say this about Zeus,
but in many places he calls him a liar, a manipulator, and a cunning
deceiver. We see in your false gods fearful passions, jealousies and
hatred, one plotting against the other. When they fight against each
other who’s side do you take without offending the other? Catherine
continued to show them how their gods were full of human passions and
introduced them to the teaching of Christ and that he is the creator of
the world and how he became a man to save mankind. The wise man remained
speechless and as though his mind at that moment received enlightenment,
he agreed that Catherine was correct in all that she said.
Seeing what
had happened, the emperor was raging with anger not only because the
wisest of his wise was put down by Catherine, but more so because he had
changed sides and believed in the God that Catherine had spoken of. He
then ordered the other wise men to confront her, but they refused: no
one wanted to continue the discussion. They all agreed that the best
person won and took Catherine’s side saying that: “how can we confront
her words which are so true?
This sent
the shamefaced emperor into a raging madness and he ordered for a fire
to be lit in the main city square and to burn the 150 sophists.
Catherine told them that they were blessed; they had come out of the
darkness and entered the light. The fire that awaits you is a baptism
and it is a door that will lead you to peace and eternal happiness.
After encouraging them she made the sign of the cross on each of their
foreheads and sent them to their martyrdom. The soldiers took the 150
sophists and one by one threw them onto the burning fire. In the evening
certain pious Christians came to take what was left of their remains and
were greatly surprised. The men were indeed dead, but their bodies
remained untouched by the fire that not even a single hair was burnt.
The Christians took their bodies and buried them. The memory of these
wise sophists is remembered by the church on the 17th of November or on
the 25th November the same day as St. Catherine.
When
Maxininus saw that he couldn’t win using wisdom, he decided to win
Catherine over using other tactics. He began to complement her and
entice her with the promise of riches and fame. He promised to make her
his queen and would give her half his kingdom and she would live with
him in palaces. Catherine was not to be taken in by this new approach
and told him that she was already married to Christ and would take no
other husband. Her only desire was to be with him and that she desired
martyrdom far more than the glory and riches of earthly kingdoms. At
this the emperor ordered her to be stripped of her fine clothing and to
be mercilessly whipped. She was beaten for two hours and blood flowed
from the wounds her body received. She was then cast into prison with
orders that she should not be given food for twelve days. By then he
would decide how he would put her to death.
His wife, the
Empress Augusta, a woman of good character who had heard much about the
saint, wanted to see her. Having prevailed upon the military-commander
Porphyrion to accompany her with a detachment of soldiers, Augusta went
to the prison and bribed the prison guards to let them in to see the
prisoner. The empress was impressed by the strong spirit of St.
Catherine, whose face glowed with Divine grace. After listening to
Catherine explain the Christian teaching, the Empress was converted and
believed in Christ. The Saint told the empress that in three days she
would receive a bright crown from the holy angels, she told her that
“you will suffer for a while and after that you will go to the heavenly
kingdom and live in eternal joy.” Augusta was afraid at these words and
told Catherine that she feared the tortures and her husband who was hard
and inhumane. At this the saint reassured her that at that moment Christ
will be in her heart and will give her the strength and courage to
withstand the unbearable pains of torture.
The Military
commander Porphyrion heard the conversation between the Empress and
Catherine and asked her if it was really true that her God grants those
that believe in him eternal life and salvation. He went on to say that
for some time an unknown power had been drawing him to the Christian
faith. For days he had on his mind the heroism of the Christians but
more so now that he saw the example and courage of the saint. He then
openly admitted that he also was a follower of Christ. The other
soldiers who were lined up in the prison corridors heard their commander
and among themselves also admitted that they had the same thoughts. It
was better to believe in someone who promised love than in an earthly
lord who painted the place with blood.
For twelve
days Catherine remained in prison without being given food as the
Emperor had ordered, but according to tradition God sent a dove daily
with food for the saint. After the twelve days she was brought again
before the emperor who on seeing that she wasn’t the least bit weakened
through the lack of food, became angry and thought that someone had
secretly taken her food and was ready to punish the prison guards.
Catherine then told him that he unjustly suspected that anyone of his
servants of guards had given her food and that her Lord Jesus Christ
took care of her needs.
Maximinus
tried to control himself and made one last attempt to win Catherine
over. He spoke to her sweetly with compliments and promises of fame and
riches, but Catherine remained steadfast in her love for Christ. At that
moment the district officer came into the room and told the emperor that
he had found a way in which he could convince the saint or let her die a
terrible death. He told the emperor to make a mechanism of four wheels
that turned each other and around the wheels to stick nails and sharp
blades. Show her the contraption which should frighten her, but if this
fails then tie her onto the wheels and turn them. As she turns the
blades and nails will tear at her flesh and her death will be terrible
and frightful. The emperor liked the plan and immediately ordered the
technicians to create the mechanical contraption. In three days it was
ready and Catherine was brought to see it. The emperor told her to have
a good look at what awaits her describing to her how her flesh would be
torn apart, but she needn’t suffer if she gave worship to his gods.
Catherine
was unmovable in her love for Christ and seeing this, Maxininus ordered
for her to be tied to the wheels. The saint was placed on the wheels and
everyone waited for her body to be torn to shreds, but an angel smashed
the instrument of execution, Catherine was loosed from her bonds without
a scratch on her body and the wheel spikes exploded into the air and
killed the executioner and others who were standing nearby.
Many who saw
the miracle shouted “Great is the God of the Christians” and were
converted. The news of what had happened reached the ears of the
emperor’s wife Augusta and finding courage went to confront her evil
husband. She told him that he was foolish and stupid in his insistence
to go up against the true God and to continually torture his servant.
Maximinus was lost for words when he realized that the Jesus whom he had
relentlessly persecuted had now infiltrated into his own household. He
became like an uncontrollable wild animal and for a moment forgot about
Catherine and turned all his hatred towards his wife. He ordered that
her breast be cut off and then to cut off her head. Her memory is
remembered by the Church on 23rd November or together with St. Catherine
on the 25th.
The military
commander Porphyrion with the other soldiers came at night and secretly
took her body and buried it. On seeing that his wife’s body was missing,
Maxininus demanded to be told who were responsible. When no one
answered, he randomly chose some standing by to be punished. At this
Porphyrion and the soldiers admitted that they had taking the body and
also openly admitted that they too were Christians. This was too much
for Maxininus, first his wife and now his best military commander and
loyal soldiers. He doesn’t ask for any explanations but demands that
they all be beheaded. Porphyrion and 200 soldier martyrs are also
entered into the Church’s calendar and remembered on 24th or 25th
November.
The next day
Catherine was again brought before the Emperor and he makes one last
attempt to win her over with promises of marriage honour and glory.
Catherine refused and he orders her to be beheaded in the city square. A
day was set for the execution and countless people turned up to see the
event. With the executioner and sword by her side Catherine lifted up
her eyes to heaven and thanked Christ. She prayed that after her
martyrdom that her body would disappear and be preserved whole and to be
given the power to help those who called upon her name for assistance.
She then gave a sign to the executioner and he raised the sword and cut
off her head. This was on the 25th November 307AD.
According to
the life story of the saint, two miracles happened at the moment of her
death. The first that instead of blood, milk flowed from her neck and
the second that her body disappears in front of everyone’s eyes. The
angels had transported it to the peak of Mount Sinai, which from that
time forth has been called St. Catherine’s Mount and where a small stone
church was built.
Because
Mount Sinai is the place where Moses saw the burning bush, it became a
favourite place for early anchorites who settled throughout the south
Sinai. Even today traces of their chapels and cells can be seen. When
the Empress Helen went to Jerusalem in the year 327AD, monks of Sinai
appealed to her for the construction of a church at the site of the
Burning Bush. In 330AD this chapel of the Burning Bush was completed and
is sometimes referred to as the Chapel of Saint Helen. In the sixth
century the Emperor Justinian I (527-565) built the existing monastery
and surrounding walls enclosing the Chapel of the Burning Bush. Two
inscriptions dating from that time are carved into the beams of the
basilica. The one says, “For the salvation of our most august emperor
Justinian.” The other says, “For the memory and repose of our departed
empress Theodora.” The empress Theodora died in the year 548, and the
basilica is first mentioned by Procopius, writing about the year 556.
This allows a dating of the basilica to within a few years. To this day,
the fathers of Sinai commemorate the sovereigns Justinian and Theodora
at every Liturgy as the founders of the holy monastery.
Around the year
800, monks from the Sinai Monastery found St. Catherine’s relics at the
peak of the mount and had them transferred to the Basilica. Over the
centuries parts of her relics were taken to other churches in the
empire, but the head and left hand are still preserved at the monastery.
The relics of Saint Catherine are brought out for veneration by the
faithful at which time each pilgrim is given a silver ring bearing the
monogram of the saint, in honour of the ring that Saint Catherine
received from Christ. These are preserved by pilgrims as a blessing from
the saint.
The official
name of the Monastery is the “The Sacred and Imperial Monastery of the
God-trodden Mount Sinai” but due to the numerous pilgrims it gradually
became known as St. Catherine’s Monastery.
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