(C.D. Stampley Enterprises, Charlotte, NC 2001). Used with permission.

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A role model for students

St. Catherine of Alexandria

c.290-c.308

St. Catherine of Alexandria is the patron of students. Legend says that her ardent pursuit of knowledge led her to Christianity and gave her the victory in a debate with fifty pagan philosophers.

We know almost nothing about St. Catherine of Alexandria except her name and her martyrdom in Egypt, probably during the persecution inaugurated by Emperor Maxentius. From these paltry facts, however, storytellers of the Middle Ages created a fantastic "life" of St. Catherine. It was first written in the 9^th century, and it proved to be the most popular and most enduring of all the saintly legends.

The story tells us that Catherine was a princess, beautiful and extremely intelligent. Her father, King Costas, sent her to Alexandria where the finest teachers and the finest library in the Roman world were to be found. By the time she was 18, Catherine had mastered everything the schools of Alexandria could teach her. Now that her formal education was over, she spent her days in the great Library of Alexandria, studying her favorite subject, philosophy.

She was at the Library as usual when an elderly man approached her and they began to speak of the pagan philosophers. Catherine mentioned that as much as she loved reading the works of Plato, Aristotle, and the other greats, she thought something was missing in their philosophy, something she could not identify. The elderly man said, "I have a book I think you'll find interesting." He gave Catherine a copy of the gospels.

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St. Catherine of Alexandria is the patron of students. Legend says that her ardent pursuit of knowledge led her to Christianity and gave her the victory in a debate with fifty pagan philosophers.

We know almost nothing about St. Catherine of Alexandria except her name and her martyrdom in Egypt, probably during the persecution inaugurated by Emperor Maxentius. From these paltry facts, however, storytellers of the Middle Ages created a fantastic "life" of St. Catherine. It was first written in the 9^th century, and it proved to be the most popular and most enduring of all the saintly legends.

The story tells us that Catherine was a princess, beautiful and extremely intelligent. Her father, King Costas, sent her to Alexandria where the finest teachers and the finest library in the Roman world were to be found. By the time she was 18, Catherine had mastered everything the schools of Alexandria could teach her. Now that her formal education was over, she spent her days in the great Library of Alexandria, studying her favorite subject, philosophy.

She was at the Library as usual when an elderly man approached her and they began to speak of the pagan philosophers. Catherine mentioned that as much as she loved reading the works of Plato, Aristotle, and the other greats, she thought something was missing in their philosophy, something she could not identify. The elderly man said, "I have a book I think you'll find interesting." He gave Catherine a copy of the gospels.

She sat down at one of the library tables and began to read. When she finished the book, she dozed off. In her sleep she saw a radiant woman holding in her lap a beautiful little boy. The woman asked Catherine, "Would you like to marry my son?"

"Oh yes!" Catherine said.

Then the woman asked the child, "My son, would you like to marry this young lady?"

The little boy recoiled. "Oh no. She is much too ugly."

At that moment Catherine woke up, and remembering her dream she began to weep.

Catherine went to see the man who had given her the gospels and told him her dream he said. "I can interpret that dream for you," he said. "You saw the Blessed Virgin Mary, and her Son, {ln:Jesus} Christ. He said you were ugly because your soul is stained with original sin."

"How can I make my soul beautiful for him?" Catherine asked.

So the elderly man, who was a priest, instructed Catherine in the faith and baptized her.

On the day of her baptism, Catherine fell asleep and dreamed again. Once again the radiant woman and her child appeared to her.

"Now will you marry this young lady," the woman asked her son.

"Yes," the little boy replied. "For she could not be more lovely." Then he took a ring and slipped it onto Catherine's finger. When she awoke from her dream, Catherine saw the ring and knew that now she belonged entirely to Christ.

At this time, the Emperor Maxentius was in Alexandria to oversee a fierce persecution of the Christians. Fearlessly, Catherine went to the palace to make the emperor see reason, abandon his pagan gods, and become a Christian himself.

At first Maxentius tried to argue with Catherine himself, but he found he was no match for this learned young woman. So he called fifty of Alexandria's wisest philosophers to dispute with her. Not only did Catherine defeat them in open debate, she converted them all. Enraged, Maxentius had the philosophers burned alive, ordered Catherine whipped, and sent her to prison.

That night the empress approached the captain of the emperor's guard, and persuaded him to take her to see this wise and beautiful young woman. As they spoke with Catherine about Christianity, the empress and the soldier were touched by God's grace and asked to be baptized.

When Maxentius learned of these unexpected conversions, he had his wife and his captain executed.

Now Catherine was brought out of prison for her own execution. The emperor's torturers had erected a large spiked wheel to tear Catherine apart, but the moment she touched the terrible machine it exploded.

The miracle made no impression on Maxentius. He ordered his executioner to behead Catherine.

Angels took up Catherine's body and carried it to Mount Sinai where they buried. Many years later monks discovered Catherine's body and enshrined in the monastery on Mount Sinai that now bears her name. Her relics are still there, and draw pilgrims from around the world.

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Prayer to the saints is a powerful thing.

Now, with Saints for Every Occasion, readers can quickly find help for any challenge they face – no matter how large or small. Author Thomas J. Craughwell profiles 101 patron saints from various continents, cultures and times – from saints who were contemporaries of Christ, to modern patrons like Padre Pio and Faustina Kowalska. Each saint lived heroically in difficult times and circumstances, providing powerful examples of how to turn almost any obstacle into a source of grace. Along with old favorites such as St. Anthony and St. Jude, Craughwell offers patrons for specifically modern concerns, including, for example, saints to watch over astronauts, internet users and environmental activists. Beautifully illustrated and entertainingly told, Saints for Every Occasion features 101 patron saints readers will seek out time and again.

“An excellent resource for home and classroom use.” – Publisher’s Weekly {/tabs}