Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Feast day: November 25
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, wise virgin martyr, patron saint of students (25/11)
Who is she?
Saint Catherine of Alexandria is a virgin martyr. Most of what we know about her comes from tradition, told many centuries after her death. Since the Middle Ages, Christians everywhere have loved her very much, and chose her as the patron saint of students and of everyone who loves learning.
Life story
According to tradition, Catherine lived in Alexandria, a great city famous for its libraries and schools. She came from a noble family and was very well educated. When she learned about Jesus, she realized he was the Truth she had been looking for. She came to believe in him, was baptized and gave her whole life to him.
The story says that when the emperor ordered the Christians to offer sacrifices to the Roman gods, Catherine bravely went to see him. She spoke to the emperor about the one God and about Jesus. The emperor could not answer her, so he called fifty wise men to debate with her. But after listening to her explanations, the wise men themselves came to believe in God.
Tradition also tells that the emperor was furious and ordered her to be put to death on a spiked wheel, but as soon as it touched her, the wheel broke into pieces. In the end, she was martyred, faithful to God to the very end. That is why paintings often show her holding a broken wheel.
Later, an ancient monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai was named after her. In 1969, the Church removed her feast from the General Roman Calendar because there was not enough historical evidence, but in 2002 it was brought back as an optional memorial. This did not mean that the Church had stopped recognizing her as a saint.
Why is she a saint?
Saint Catherine loved Jesus more than riches, fame and even her own life. She shows that intelligence and faith are not enemies: the more she learned, the more she found God. She bore witness to the Lord with words that were gentle yet brave.
A lesson for you
- Study hard, because your mind is a gift from God.
- Learn your catechism well, so you understand your faith and can explain it.
- When someone asks you about God, answer gently and respectfully; don’t quarrel.
Identifying marks
- A broken wooden wheel with spikes: according to tradition, she was sentenced to die on a wheel, but the wheel shattered when it touched her.
- A sword pointing downward: in the end she was beheaded for the faith.
- A martyr’s palm branch: she died for the faith and shares in the victory with God.
- A book: she was very learned, and she is the patron saint of students and philosophers.
- A small crown and a red cloak: according to tradition, she came from a noble family; red is the color of the martyrs.
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