Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin & Martyr
S. Catharinae Virginis et Martyris
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, virgin and martyr, is one of the most beloved of the early saints, venerated for her wisdom and her steadfast confession of Christ unto death.
On the twenty-fifth of November the Church honours Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a virgin and martyr whose veneration spread widely through both the East and the West and who has been numbered for centuries among the most beloved of the saints. By long tradition she was a noble and learned maiden of Alexandria in Egypt who, in the time of the persecutions, confessed her faith in Christ before the Roman authorities, confounded the philosophers sent to dispute with her, and was put to death rather than deny her Lord.
What is known and what is tradition
The accounts of Saint Catherine’s life come from a later age, and careful historians acknowledge that the particulars of her story cannot be established with the certainty of history. The famous narrative tells that she was condemned to die upon a spiked wheel, which broke at her touch, and that she was at last beheaded; from this tradition comes the “Catherine wheel” by which she is known in Christian art. Where such details cannot be confirmed, it is fitting to honour soberly what the Church sets before us: that Catherine is venerated as a holy virgin who bore witness to Christ by her death, and whose memory the faithful have kept with great love for many centuries.
Her veneration
The devotion to Saint Catherine became immense in the Middle Ages. She was counted among the Fourteen Holy Helpers, and the ancient monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, where her relics were honoured, bears her name to this day. She was invoked as a patroness of students, philosophers, and all who labour in learning, and many schools and universities have looked to her as their protectress. In honouring her, the Church remembers the wisdom that is from above and the courage of a soul that loved Christ more than life itself.
The Collect
O God, who didst give the law to Moses on the summit of Mount Sinai, and in the same place didst wondrously place, by Thy holy Angels, the body of blessed Catherine, Thy Virgin and Martyr: grant, we beseech Thee, that by her merits and intercession we may be able to come to the mountain which is Christ. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
Deus, qui dedisti legem Moysi in summitate montis Sinai, et in eodem loco per sanctos Angelos tuos corpus beatae Catharinae Virginis et Martyris tuae mirabiliter collocasti: praesta, quaesumus; ut, eius meritis et intercessione, ad montem, qui Christus est, pervenire valeamus. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
Patronage
She is venerated as a patroness of students, philosophers, teachers, and theologians, and is invoked among the Fourteen Holy Helpers; the monastery on Mount Sinai bears her name.
In the Modern Calendar
In the modern calendar this feast is observed on the same day, 25 November, as an optional memorial.
Common Questions
When is the feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria?
Her feast is kept on 25 November in the calendar of the 1962 Roman Missal, as a Third Class feast.
Who was Saint Catherine of Alexandria?
She is venerated as an early virgin and martyr of Alexandria in Egypt, renowned by tradition for her wisdom and for confessing Christ before the Roman authorities at the cost of her life.
Is her story historically certain?
No. The detailed account of her life and martyrdom comes from a later age and cannot be confirmed as history. The Church honours soberly what is sure — that she is venerated as a holy virgin and martyr — while treating the particulars of the legend, such as the spiked wheel, with caution.
See where this feast falls in the Church’s year on the liturgical calendar, or find a Traditional Latin Mass near you.
These pages are offered with love for the saints and for all who seek them. If anything here should need correcting, we humbly beg your pardon and ask your help — kindly write to [email protected], and we will mend it as soon as we can.
Receive the coming feasts, Mass times, and reflections from our community — sent with care, never spam.