Memorial of Saint Catherine, teen scholar and martyr, Nov 25.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a teenage scholar who at the age of 18, after having a vision converted to Christianity debated 50 pagan philosophers and converted them.  She paid the ultimate price.

Saint Catherine is sorely  needed in the 21st century to combat the Extended-Release Culture Pill addiction and the  Pareto Rule of Philosophy: 20% of Instructors enable

80% of atheists

12,000 philosophy degrees were awarded in the US in 2020. While a small number relative to total number of degrees, they have a significant impact on the culture.

Catherine had it all: she was beautiful, brilliant, and extremely wealthy at the age of eighteen when she debated the Emperor Maximin (311-313) and harshly criticized him for his persecution of Christians who refused to worship pagan gods. Astounded by her wisdom, Maxentius ordered her to be kept confined, and summoned fifty of his most learned philosophers, promising them great rewards if they could get Catherine to abandon her Christian faith.


However, her arguments were so convincing that all fifty of the philosophers were converted to Christianity.


Then the Emperor attempted to win Catherine by flattery and by promises, but his efforts proved equally fruitless. Next, he had her thrown into a dungeon, without food and water. He ordered her whipped with rods, scourged with leaden nodules, and then left to languish eleven days without food in prison.

In the Emperor's absence, his wife and Porphyrius, general of the army, visited Catherine in prison and both were converted to Christianity. Porphyrius then converted 200 soldiers. When the Emperor returned, he had them all executed, including his wife, and offered to make Catherine his new wife.When she refused, Catherine's was placed upon a wheel with sharp and pointed knives, which was designed to tear her body into pieces, but when she was bound to it, a heavenly fire destroyed it. Finally, on November 25, Catherine was beheaded. By the hands of angels her body was carried to Mt. Sinai, where it was interred in the convent which bears her name.


Devotion to her spread as a result of the Crusades. She was invoked as the patroness of students, teachers, librarians and lawyers. Catherine is
revered as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers - with St. Margaret and St. Barbara as one of the fourteen Holy Helpful saints in heaven, (that group of saints notable for answering prayers especially for cures from disease and at the hour of death) she was unceasingly praised by preachers and sung by poets.


and she is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on 25 November.

More than 1,100 years after Catherine's martyrdom, Joan of Arc identified her as one of the saints who appeared to and counseled.


A Prayer to Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Glorious Saint Catherine, virgin and martyr, help me to imitate your love of purity. Give me strength and courage in fighting off the temptations of the world and evil desires.

Help me to love God with my whole heart and serve Him faithfully.

O Saint Catherine, through your glorious martyrdom for the love of Christ, help me to be loyal to my faith and my God as long as I live.