St. Catherine of Alexandria

    

...help us to bring Christ to all those in the world who are so in need of Him.

    St. Catherine of Alexandria was born around 287 and daughter of Constus, the governor of Alexandria. At age fourteen, she decided to become christian because of the inspiring vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary and infant Jesus. 

    She was very brilliant and talented. Catherine converted fifty pagan philosophers whom she debated and around two hundred soldiers and members of the emperor’s family that were all at once executed. The emperor charged her to be scourged and incarcerated to renounce her faith. Regardless of the torture she endured, she did not abandon her belief. Catherine was sentenced to be executed on a spiked wheel but it was shattered when she touched it. The emperor ordered her beheaded.

    According to legend, her body was taken by the angels to Mt. Sinai after her death. She is the patron of philosophers and scholars. She was one of the most popular saints and one of the most important virgin martyrs.

Prayer in Honor of St. Catherine

O God, Who didst distinguish Thy holy virgin and martyr Catherine by the gift of great wisdom and virtue, and a victorious combat with the enemies of the Faith; grant us, we beseech Thee, through her intercession, constancy in the Faith and the wisdom of the saints, that we may devote all the powers of our mind and heart to Thy service. Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.