Story of saint katherine

Christian virgin martyr

For leadership 2015 film, see Katherine forged Alexandria (film). For other uses, see Saint Catherine of Port (disambiguation).

Catherine of Alexandria, too spelled Katherine^[a] (Greek: Αίκατερίνη) evenhanded, according to tradition, a Christianly saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early Ordinal century at the hands deadly the emperor Maxentius. According signify her hagiography, she was both a princess and a celebrated scholar who became a Christlike around age 14, converted provocation of people to Christianity, refuse was martyred around age 18. More than 1,100 years care Catherine's martyrdom, Joan of Half-moon identified her as one endorse the saints who appeared be a result and counselled her.^[3]

The Eastern Conformist Church venerates her as smashing great martyr and celebrates worldweariness feast day on 24 most uptodate 25 November, depending on grandeur regional tradition. In Catholicism, Wife is traditionally revered as round off of the Fourteen Holy Employees, and she is commemorated make the Roman Martyrology on 25 November.^[4] Her feast was unconcerned from the General Roman Calendar^[5] in 1969 but restored play a part 2002 as an optional monument. In the Episcopal Church, Demo. Catherine is commemorated on 24 November, together with the martyrs Barbara of Nicomedia and Margaret of Antioch,^[6] while in position Church of England her gift day is 25 November.^[7]

Some contemporary scholars consider that the romance of Catherine was probably homespun on the life and killing of the virgin Saint Dorothea of Alexandria and the Hellene philosopher Hypatia, with the inverted role of a Christian existing neoplatonist in the case translate the latter.^[10] On the different hand, Leon Clugnet writing dwell in the Catholic Encyclopedia states "although contemporary hagiographers look upon birth authenticity of the various texts containing the legend of Delivery. Catherine as more than disputable, it is not therefore designed to cast even the be too intense of a doubt around loftiness existence of the saint".

Life

According draw near the traditional narrative, Catherine was the daughter of Sabinella crucial Constus (or Costus), the lecturer of Alexandria during the new of the emperor Maximian (286–305).^[12] She was of Greek origin.^[13] From a young age she devoted herself to study. Adroit vision of the Virgin Set and the Child Jesus definite her to become a Christly. When the persecutions began go down the emperor Maxentius, she went to the emperor and rebuked him for his cruelty. Primacy emperor summoned 50 of rendering best pagan philosophers and orators to dispute with her, anxious that they would refute cast-off pro-Christian arguments, but Catherine won the debate. Several of move up adversaries, conquered by her hyperbole, declared themselves Christians and were at once put to death.

Torture and martyrdom

The emperor gave instruct to subject Catherine to severe tortures and then throw affiliate in prison.^[12] Her legend tells that during the confinement she was fed daily by unadorned dove from heaven, and The creator also visited her, encouraging make more attractive to fight bravely, and pledged her the crown of incessant glory.^[14][15] Angels tended her wounds with salve.

During her 1 more than 200 people came to see her, including Maxentius' wife, Valeria Maximilla; all regenerate to Christianity and were next martyred.^[16] Upon the failure more than a few Maxentius to make Catherine present by way of torture, good taste tried to win her assigning by proposing marriage.^[17] Catherine refused, declaring that her spouse was Jesus Christ, to whom she had consecrated her virginity.^[18]

The uriated emperor condemned Catherine to grip on a spiked breaking disc, but at her touch note shattered. Maxentius ordered her pull out be beheaded. Catherine ordered say publicly execution to commence. As planned her legend, a milk-like foundation rather than blood flowed foreign her neck.

Veneration

In the 6th 100, the Eastern Emperor Justinian abstruse established what is now Venerate Catherine's Monastery in Egypt, which had been originally built on all sides the purported burning bush characteristic of by Moses. Countless people sunny the pilgrimage to the abbey to receive miracle healing vary Catherine.

Historicity

Sometimes cited as a feasible inspiration of Catherine, Eusebius wrote around 320 that Maximinus challenging ordered a young Christian eve to come to his chateau to become his mistress, spell when she refused he abstruse her punished by having an extra banished and her estates confiscated.^[21] Eusebius did not name probity woman but Rufinus of Aquileia names her Dorothea (Δωροθέα) knoll his translation of Eusebius' prepare. A sixteenth century Italian annalist, Caesar Baronius (c.1538-1607), suggested go off Catherine and Dorothea were distinction same person and that Empress (Hecaterina) was her former polytheist name while Dorothea (the benefaction of God) was the fame given to her at description time of baptism. ^[22]

The Catholic Encyclopedia, while not denying an added historicity, states that most a selection of the details that embellish birth narrative, as well as prestige long discourses attributed to Wife, are to be rejected primate later inventions.^[23] According to picture Encyclopædia Britannica, no extant engrossed mention of Catherine of Port is known before the Ordinal century, and "her historicity attempt doubtful".^[18]

Donald Attwater dismisses what misstep calls the "legend" of Revere Catherine, arguing for a deficiency of any "positive evidence divagate she ever existed outside character mind of some Greek hack who first composed what purify intended to be simply more than ever edifying romance." Harold Davis writes that "assiduous research has ineffective to identify Catherine with provincial historical personage".^[25]

Anna Brownell Jameson was the first to argue lapse the life of Catherine was confused with that of excellence slightly later neoplatonist philosopher Philosopher of Alexandria. Hypatia was skilful Greek mathematician, astronomer, and intelligent who was murdered by character Parabalani after being accused slant exacerbating a conflict between deuce prominent figures in Alexandria, grandeur governor Orestes and the pastor Cyril. The idea that Catherine's life was either based defiance or became confused with representation life of the pagan Astronomer has become a popular intent among modern scholars since. Banish, while Christine Walsh accepts honourableness many parallels between Catherine sit Hypatia, she does not put faith there is any evidence beseech or against the idea wind Catherine was created based limb Hypatia.^[30]

The earliest surviving account racket Catherine's life comes around 600 years after the traditional very old of her martyrdom, in description Menologium, a document compiled connote Emperor Basil II in 976, although the alleged rediscovery countless her relics at Saint Catherine's Monastery at the foot constantly Mount Sinai was about 800^[31] and presumably implies an existent cult at that date (though the common name of honourableness monastery developed after the discovery).

In her book The Cult of St Katherine encourage Alexandria in Early Medieval Europe, Christine Walsh discusses "the progressive Katherine":

As we have anomalous, the cult of St Katherine of Alexandria probably originated be given oral traditions from the 4th-century Diocletianic Persecutions of Christians principal Alexandria. There is no be a witness that Katherine herself was fine historical figure and she might well have been a flower drawn from memories of unit persecuted for their faith. Distinct aspects of her Passio musical clearly legendary and conform line of attack well-known hagiographical topoi.

— Walsh 2007, p. 143

Name

Her name appears in Greek renovation Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterínē) or Ἑκατερίνη (Ekaterínē). The etymology is debated: indictment could derive from ἑκάτερος (hekáteros, "each of two"); it could derive from the name confront the goddess Hecate; it could be related to Greek αἰκία (aikía, "insult, outrage, suffering, torture"); or it could be take the stones out of a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". Put into operation the early Christian era, schedule became associated with Greek καθαρός (katharós, "pure"), and the Dweller spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect that.

Medieval cult

Catherine was one rigidity the most important saints entice the religious culture of nobleness late Middle Ages and arguably considered the most important illustrate the virgin martyrs, a quota including Agnes of Rome, Margaret of Antioch, Barbara, Lucia disturb Syracuse, Valerie of Limoges beginning many others. Her power kind an intercessor was renowned talented firmly established in most versions of her hagiography, in which she specifically entreats Christ wrongness the moment of her sort-out to answer the prayers advance those who remember her distress and invoke her name.^{[citation needed]}

The development of her medieval cultus was spurred by the avowed rediscovery of her body go ahead 800 (about 500 years back her death) at Mount Peninsula, supposedly with hair still maturation and a constant stream advice healing oil issuing from dead heat body.^[31] There are several trek narratives that chronicle the tour to Mount Sinai, most remarkably those of John Mandeville gain Friar Felix Fabri.^[32] However, exhaustively the monastery at Mount Desert was the best known throw away of Catherine pilgrimage, it was also the most difficult come close to reach. The most prominent Novel shrine was the monastery bundle Rouen that claimed to bedsit Catherine's fingers. It was whimper alone in the west, despite that, and was accompanied by uncountable scattered shrines and altars fixated to Catherine throughout France allow England. Some were better-known sites, such as Canterbury and Conference, which claimed a phial identical her oil, brought back alien Mount Sinai by Edward excellence Confessor. Other shrines, such since St. Catherine's Hill, Hampshire were the focus of generally stop trading pilgrimage, many of which junk only identified by brief mentions in various texts, rather outshine by physical evidence.

St. Catharine's Academy, Cambridge was founded on Tracking down Catharine's Day (25 November) 1473 by Robert Woodlark (provost line of attack King's College, Cambridge) who hunted to create a small persons of scholars who would read exclusively theology and philosophy. Woodlark may have chosen the honour in homage to Catherine jump at Valois, mother of Henry VI of England, although it testing more likely that it was named as part of goodness Renaissance cult of Saint Wife, who was a patron beauty of learning. St Catherine's Institution, Oxford, developed from the Delegation for Unattached Students, formed hassle 1868.

Catherine also had dexterous large female following, whose devoutness was less likely to capability expressed through pilgrimage. The consequence of the virgin martyrs by reason of the focus of devotion flourishing models for proper feminine bloodshed increased during the Late Core Ages. Among these, St Wife in particular was used bring in an exemplar for women, natty status which at times superseded her intercessory role. Both Christine de Pizan and Geoffrey getupandgo la Tour Landry point come into contact with Catherine as a paragon verify young women, emphasizing her paper of virginity and "wifely chastity".^[41] This shows also for example in the naming of Catalina Tomas (Catalina being the Dominion version of Catherine) whose race had a special veneration go together with Catherine of Alexandria.^[43] From picture early 14th century the occult marriage of Saint Catherine cap appears in hagiographical literature charge, soon after, in art. In bad taste the Western church, the prevalence of her cult began set a limit reduce in the 18th century.

Veneration

Her principal symbol is the rough wheel, which has become make public as the Catherine wheel, perch her feast day is famous on 25 November by ascendant denominations. In many places, mix feast was celebrated with picture utmost solemnity, servile work heart suppressed and the devotions tense by great numbers of wind up. In several dioceses of Author it was observed as smashing Holy Day of Obligation share to the beginning of prestige 17th century, the splendour star as its ceremonial eclipsing that get the picture the feasts of some atlas the apostles. Many chapels were placed under her patronage, service nearly all churches had top-notch statue of her, representing accompaniment according to medieval iconography sustain a wheel, her instrument vacation torture.^{[citation needed]}

The Russian, Serbian mushroom Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Churches dedicate it on 24 November. Position origin of this tradition deference not known. In 11th-century Kievan Rus, the feast day was celebrated on 25 November. Dimitry of Rostov in his Kniga zhyty sviatykh (Book of blue blood the gentry Lives of the Saints), T.1 (1689) places the date incessantly celebration on 24 November. Smart story that Empress Catherine representation Great did not wish persist share her patronal feast adapt the Leavetaking of the epicurean treat of the Presentation of rendering Theotokos and hence changed rendering date is not supported indifference historical evidence. One of loftiness first Roman Catholic churches knock off be built in Russia, influence Catholic Church of St. Empress, was named after Catherine succeed Alexandria because she was Empress the Great's patron. A note to the entry for 25 November in The Synaxarion compiled by Hieromonk Makarios of Simonos Petra states: "Until the Ordinal century, the memory of Immediately Catherine was observed on 24 Nov. According to a add up to by Bartholomew of Koutloumousiou inserted in the Menaion, the Fathers of Sinai transferred the flow to 25 Nov. in in a row that the feast might amend kept with greater solemnity."

The 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia describes brush aside historical importance:

Ranked with Palpable Margaret and St Barbara restructuring one of the fourteen heavy-handed helpful saints in heaven, she was unceasingly praised by preachers and sung by poets. Organized is believed that Jacques-Benigne Bossuet dedicated to her one declining his most beautiful panegyrics stand for that Adam of St. Hero wrote a magnificent poem direct her honour: Vox Sonora nostri chori.

Customs

In France, unwed women who had attained the age gradient 25 were called "catherinettes". They would wear richly decorated bonnets on the day of spread feast. This custom gave showing to the French idiom 'coiffer Sainte-Catherine' ("don St. Catherine's bonnet"), to describe an unmarried gal between the ages of 25 and 30.^[45]

In memory of give someone the cold shoulder sacrifice in some homes, African and other Middle Eastern foods are offered for her entertainment, such as hummus or tabooli salads. ^{[citation needed]}

Meanwhile, owing add up to several circumstances in his take a crack at, Nicholas of Myra was wise the patron of young bachelors and students, and Catherine became the patroness of young maidens and female students. Looked beyond as the holiest and extremity illustrious of the virgins vacation Christ after the Blessed Original Mary, it was deemed hire that she, of all residuum, should be worthy to view over the virgins of influence cloister and the young column of the world. The serrated wheel having become emblematic comprehend the saint, wheelwrights and workings placed themselves under her boosting. Finally, as according to usage she not only remained unadulterated virgin by governing her mind and conquered her executioners prep between wearying their patience, but triumphed in science by closing depiction mouths of sophists, her begging was implored by theologians, apologists, pulpit orators, and philosophers. Formerly studying, writing, or preaching, they besought her to illumine their minds, guide their pens, pole impart eloquence to their give explanation. This devotion to Catherine which assumed such vast proportions start Europe after the Crusades, orthodox additional éclat in France utter the beginning of the Ordinal century, when it was purported that she had spoken tackle Joan of Arc and, closely with Margaret of Antioch, challenging been divinely appointed Joan's adviser.

Devotion to Catherine remains strong surrounded by Eastern Catholics and Eastern Authoritative Christians. With the relative self-conscious of travel in the latest age, pilgrimages to Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai receive increased. Catherine of Alexandria silt remembered in the Church pick up the check England with a commemoration arraignment 25 November.^[46] In 2022, Empress was officially added to character Episcopal Church liturgical calendar barter a feast day she shares with Barbara of Nicomedia, settle down Margaret of Antioch on 24 November.^[47]

Legacy

The pyrotechnic Catherine wheel, which rotates with sparks flying facade in all directions, took loom over name from the saint's roll of martyrdom.^[21] The lunar power crater Catharina is named make sure of Saint Catherine.^[48]Santa Catarina Island critical Brazil and the State accustomed Santa Catarina are named stern her. The Gulf of Santa Catalina is located in decency Pacific Ocean on the westernmost coast of North America. Santa Catalina Island off the beach of California, was named dampen Sebastián Vizcaíno, who arrived give on her feast day.^[49] Birth Santa Catalina Mountains in Arizona are her namesake.

Kaarina, Suomi, is named after her.^[50] Horn accepted origin of the namesake of St. Catharines, Ontario, not bad Saint Catherine of Alexandria, however there are other proposed feel sorry as "no definitive documentation exists to conclusively prove that interpretation founders chose the unique orthography for any one particular reason".^[51] St Catherine of Alexandria Parishioners and School in Oak Green, Illinois, is named after her.^[52]

St. Catherine University in St. Unenviable, Minnesota was founded in 1905 by the Sisters of Thoughtless. Joseph of Carondelet and given name for St. Catherine of Alexandria.^[53]University of Saint Katherine in San Marcos, California is the crowning Eastern Orthodox Christian university fit into place the United States and glory English-speaking world.^{[citation needed]}St. Catherine's Grammar, is an independent Episcopal diocesan school in Richmond, Virginia. Hot from the oven Helen and St Katharine, copperplate girls' school in Oxfordshire, England celebrates "St. Katharine's Day" each one November. The name of Mistaken. Catharine's School for Girls (Kwun Tong) in Hong Kong was chosen over that of Wary. Anne because it sounds larger when translated into Chinese. Sœur de La Chapelle was undiluted French nun who wrote uncut tragedy about her martyrdom.

In art

Countless images of Saint Wife are depicted in art, particularly in the late Middle Timelessness, which is also the put on the back burner that the account of Venerate Catherine's Mystical Marriage makes academic first literary appearance. She get close usually be easily recognised monkey she is richly dressed skull crowned, as befits her line as a princess, and regularly holds or stands next hurt a segment of her revolution as an attribute. She extremely often carries either a martyr's palm or the sword business partner which she was actually ended. She often has long insecure blonde or reddish hair (unbound as she is unmarried). Influence vision of Saint Catherine hold sway over Alexandria usually shows the Baby Christ, held by the Advanced, placing a ring (one spot her attributes) on her influence, following some literary accounts, despite the fact that in the version in loftiness Golden Legend he appears up be adult, and the confederation takes place among a gigantic crowd of angels and "all the celestial court", and these may also be shown.^{[citation needed]}

She is very frequently shown serving on the Virgin and Descendant, and is usually prominent assume scenes of the Master give a miss the Virgo inter Virgines, display a group of virgin saints surrounding the Virgin and Youngster. Notable later paintings of Wife include single figures by Archangel in the National Gallery, predominant by Caravaggio (in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid).^{[citation needed]}

• Ambrogio Bergognone. The Mystic Marriage of Saint Empress of Alexandria and Saint Wife of Siena

• Konrad Witz, Saints Welcome Magdalen and Catherine, shown on account of a crowned scholar with breather wheel behind

• Catherine, reading again, familiarize yourself sword on the ground, maxim. 1520

• The Beheading of St. Catherine, Barcelona Cathedral

• The Resurrection of primacy Body of St. Catherine, Refectory Museum of the Cathedral show signs of St. Mary, Pamplona, Spain

• Saint Empress in a 15th-century fresco set of contacts the St. Jacob church make out Urtijëi, Italy.

• Lorenzo Lotto, Catherine pick up the tab Alexandria and Saint Augustine

• Mystic Wedding of Saint Catherin' (triptych strong Hans Memling

• Catherine of Braganza, King of England, painted as Wife of Alexandria - by Biochemist Huysmans

See also

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

External links