Imagine that you’re the Roman Emperor—which means you’re used to people worshiping your statues—and a girl shows up in your palace, not only refusing to worship your statue, but providing unanswerable arguments as to why it’s a sin to do so.
This is the situation Emperor Maximinus found himself in. More interested in ruling his subjects with an iron fist than studying science and philosophy, Maximinus knew he couldn’t argue with 18-year-old Catherine, so he sent for all his best scholars.
They argued with Catherine for hours, trying to prove that the Christian God didn’t exist. In the end, they professed their belief in Christ. Maximinus had them all executed.
Then he returned his attention to Catherine. He ordered her to be scourged and imprisoned. When his wife heard this, her curiosity was insatiable. She visited Catherine’s prison with the Roman general, and they, too, were converted by her words. Maximinus had them executed as well.
By this time, the emperor was getting tired of this Alexandrian Christian. He ordered her to be tied to a wheel studded with spikes and rolled to her death. The wheel, however, shattered at her touch.
Maximinus lost his mind. He ordered that Catherine be beheaded, and this time, her martyrdom took place. Legend tells us that angels took up her body and carried it to Mt. Sinai.
Catherine was a match for all Maximinus’s wiles, and now that she’s in heaven, she’s a match for all the wiles of the world. A St. Catherine of Alexandria Medal makes a meaningful gift for the Catherines, scholars, and philosophers in your life, assuring them of her protection and intercession. Available today at The Catholic Company!
