Among the many Christian saints, the great martyr Catherine of Alexandria occupies a special place. She came to faith in Christ after a deep study of the works of scholars-educators of her time and past centuries. This knowledge helped her understand that only a single and omnipotent Creator could create this world full of evidence of his presence in it. When she had the appearance of the Mother of God with the Eternal Child in her arms, she accepted them into her heart without a shadow of doubt.
Childhood and youth of the future ascetic
St. Catherine of Alexandria was born in Egypt in the second half of the third century. She came from a royal family and from early childhood lived in a proper position of luxury. However, no games and fun seduced the mind of a young girl. Her main passion was studying. The city of Alexandria, in which she lived, has long been famous for its library, where the works of thinkers of the past were stored. St. Catherine and devoted all their time to them.
Barely eighteen years old, she already perfectly knew the works of Homer, Plato, Virgil and Aristotle. In addition, having a penchant for natural sciences, she studied the works of famous doctors such as Hippocrates, Asclepius and Galin. To complete her education, the learned maiden learned the subtleties of oratory and dialectics. She easily led discussions with learned men in many languages and dialects. Pondering everything read in ancient manuscripts, she came to the idea that the creator of the entire world around her should be some great and mighty mind, and not those man-made idols that the Egyptians worshiped at that time.
The bride of the royal family
In addition to extensive knowledge and a bright mind, Catherine of Alexandria possessed outstanding beauty. Is it any wonder that with such advantages, and even having a noble birth, she was among the most desired brides in the state. She constantly made offers from many enviable suitors who tried to touch her with declarations of love and seduce her with the promises of a happy and rich life.
However, the proud girl refused everything, and finally her relatives began to insist that she still make a choice and give them the heir to all the riches belonging to her by right of kinship. But apparently, the enemy of the human race instilled pride in her heart, and in response to them the virgin declared that she would only marry a young man who would be equally noble, rich, intelligent and beautiful. She does not agree to anything less, since she has these four virtues more than all the girls in the world. If such an ideal is not found, then she is ready to remain in her virginity until old age, but not to humiliate herself before an unequal marriage.
News of the Heavenly Bridegroom
Hearing such reckless speeches, the girl’s mother decided to resort to the help of an old hermit, who, professing Christianity, which was forbidden at that time, lived in the cave outside the city. This wise man, after hearing Catherine, decided to enlighten her with the light of those truths that were still hidden from her, despite all her scholarship.
He told her that there is a certain youth in the world who surpasses the wisdom of all those who live on earth, and his beauty is comparable only to a sunbeam. The whole visible and invisible world is in his power, and the wealth that he gives out with a generous hand, not only does not decrease, but increases each time. His race is so high that it is incomprehensible to the human mind. After these words, the elder handed Catherine an icon, which depicted the Blessed Virgin with her divine baby. Awe reverently clutching a precious burden to her chest, Catherine left the old man.
Vision of the Blessed Virgin
Excited by the elder’s story, Catherine of Alexandria returned home, and on the very first night in a light dream, the Mother of God appeared to her with a baby in her arms. It was a great joy for her to feel the gaze of the Holy Virgin, but her Eternal Son hid his face from the girl, and in response to prayers ordered her to return to the old man and through him comprehend the truths that would allow her to see his divine features. Catherine silently bowed before the baby Jesus and his mother. Her soul was filled with a burning desire to enlighten as soon as possible with that teaching that would lead her to God. Waking up from sleep, she did not close her eyes until the morning, again and again reliving what she saw in a dream.
The Light of Christ's Faith
The next day, barely dawn, she was again in the same cave, and the righteous husband told her the great teachings of Jesus Christ. Holding her breath, she listened to the bliss of the righteous in paradise and the eternal torment of those who had walked the path of sin all their lives. She revealed all the undeniable superiority of the true Christian faith over pagan prejudices. Divine light shone on her soul.
Upon returning home, St. Catherine prayed for a long time, and when she was starved by a dream, she saw the Holy Virgin again, but this time the divine Son graciously looked at her. He put a ring on the finger of a Christian convert and ordered her not to enter into earthly marriage. When Catherine woke up, when she saw this gift of God on her hand, she realized that from now on she was engaged to Christ himself.
Christian sermon on a pagan temple
In those years when the light of Christianity shone in the soul of a young virgin, all of Egypt was still drowned in the darkness of paganism, and adherents of the true faith were severely persecuted. It so happened that the ruler of the country came to Alexandria - the wicked king Maximin, who was devoted to idol service to fanaticism. He ordered a grand celebration to be held in their honor and sent messengers to all parts of the country demanding that the inhabitants be convened for a general sacrifice.
Catherine of Alexandria, along with everyone, came to the temple, where they were supposed to honor stone and bronze idols, but instead of taking part in the general madness, she boldly turned to the king with the words in which she denounced these demonic errors. She not only tried to avert him and all those present from paganism, but she told them about the One Creator of the world and that great teaching that he brought to people.
Philosophical debate and promises of wealth
The angry ruler ordered her to be taken to prison, but, sparing youth and beauty, he did not hurry with extreme measures. He sent his wise men to her to convince the girl and return her to the path that Maximin considered right. For a long time his envoys were refined in eloquence, but Catherine so wisely and carefully answered them that they left shamefully.
Then the king resorted to the surest, in his opinion, means - the promise of innumerable earthly goods for renouncing Christianity that he hated. However, this did not help either. What did all earthly riches and honors mean to her in comparison with the eternal bliss that she wanted to find in the kingdom of the heavenly bridegroom. All promises were just an empty phrase for her.
Victim for the triumph of truth
And then the eyes of the ruler were covered with a veil of anger. He put the innocent virgin into the hands of his most skilled executioner and ordered her to torture her to renounce Christ. But a miracle happened. All his terrible guns crumbled to dust in the blink of an eye as soon as he took them in his hands. The result was that he and all his assistants were seized by horror, and they informed the king that the Higher forces protect the captive and clearly demonstrate the truth of her words.
But the wicked king was deaf to their arguments, not wanting to backtrack on his delusions, ordered that Catherine be executed immediately. This Christian great martyr was beheaded in 304, and her blood irrigated the fertile cornfield on which the life-giving fruits of Christianity sprang. She and thousands of such ascetics with their lives laid the mighty foundation of the temple of a new faith, which soon swept the entire civilized world.
Sinai monastery and basilica in St. Petersburg
After some time, the holy relics of Catherine of Alexandria were transferred to Sinai and rested in a monastery bearing her name. The Russian sovereign Peter I, paying tribute to St. Catherine - the heavenly patroness of his wife Empress Catherine I, ordered to make a silver crab for them and send it to Sinai.
In the very northern capital of Russia, on its main highway - Nevsky Prospekt, the Catholic Church of Catherine of Alexandria was built.
He opened his doors in 1783 to the reign of another empress who bore her name, Catherine II, who was also under the heavenly cover of this saint. The temple, or, as it is called, the basilica, has survived to the present day, and its photo is presented above. The parish of Catherine of Alexandria is among the other Catholic communities in St. Petersburg. This building was included in the number of architectural masterpieces of the city.
Among the host of Orthodox saints, Catherine of Alexandria also occupies a worthy place. An icon depicting this saint is found in most churches in Russia. As a rule, she is presented in royal attire, a crown and with a cross in her hand. Sometimes a wheel with teeth is also depicted - an instrument of torment for her, crushed by divine power. The Great Martyr Catherine of Alexandria prays at the throne of the Most High for the sending of eternal life to all who, for the sake of His Kingdom, reject the perishable earthly blessings. Her memorial day is celebrated on December 7th.