In the second half of the 3rd century in Alexandria, Catherine —, the future Saint Catherine, was born into a rich and noble family.
By the age of 17, the girl received a brilliant Hellenic education and was distinguished by her rare beauty and intelligence. Boys from the most famous families of the empire looked for her hand, but none of them became her chosen one. She announced to her parents that she would only agree to marry someone who would surpass her in nobility, wealth, beauty and wisdom.
St. Catherine's mother was a secret Christian. She led the girl for advice to her spiritual father, a holy old man, who performed a prayerful feat in a secluded cave near the city. The elder listened to Saint Catherine and said that he knows the Young Man, who surpasses her in everything, for His «beauty is brighter than the sun's radiance, His wisdom controls the entire creature, His wealth spreads throughout the world, but this does not reduce Him, but multiplies, the height of His family — is ineffable». The image of the Bridegroom of Heaven gave birth to a burning desire in the soul of the holy virgin to see Him. The Truth was revealed to St. Catherine, to which her soul was eager. As a farewell, the elder presented St. Catherine with an icon of the Mother of God with the Infant Jesus in his arms. The elder ordered to pray with faith to the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of Heavenly Bridegroom, for the gift of the vision of Her Son.
Saint Catherine prayed all night and was honored to see the Mother of God, who asked Her Son to look at Catherine kneeling before Him. But the Child turned His face away from Catherine, saying that He would not be able to look at her, for she was ugly, skinny, poor and insane, like every person who was not washed by the waters of Holy Baptism and was not sealed with the seal of the Holy Spirit.
In deep sadness, the girl again went to the elder. He lovingly taught her the secrets of the faith of Christ, commanded her to remain chastity, to pray incessantly, and performed the sacrament of Holy Baptism on her. And again St. Catherine had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child. Now the Lord looked at her affectionately and gave her a ring, betrothal her to Himself. When the vision ended and the saint awoke from sleep, a ring — gift from the Heavenly Bridegroom glowed on her hand.
At that time, Emperor Maximin himself (305-313) arrived in Alexandria for a magnificent pagan celebration. The cries of sacrificial animals, the smoke and stench of constantly burning altars, the hubbub of the crowd on the lists filled Alexandria. Human sacrifices were also made — to death in fire doomed the confessors of Christ who did not retreat from Him under torture. Saint Catherine went to the main priest —, Emperor Maximin, professed faith in the One True God and wisely exposed the delusions of the pagans. The beauty of the girl captivated the ruler. To show her the triumph of pagan wisdom, the emperor convened 50 learned men of the empire. But the saint prevailed over the sages. They believed in Christ and were burned.
Maximinus attempted to seduce Saint Catherine with wealth and fame. Having received an angry refusal, the emperor subjected the saint to severe torment and then threw her into prison. Empress Augusta, accompanied by Voivode Porfiry and a detachment of soldiers, came to prison. The holy martyr revealed Christian teaching to those who came, and they believed.
The next day the martyr was brought back to trial. Under threat of wheeling, she was offered to sacrifice to the gods. The saint confessed Christ and went to the wheels herself. But the Angel crushed the instruments of execution. Seeing this miracle, Empress Augusta and the courtier Porfiry with 200 soldiers confessed their faith in Christ before everyone and were beheaded. Maximinus again offered marriage to the holy martyr, but was refused. Saint Catherine firmly confessed her loyalty to her Heavenly Bridegroom — Christ — and with prayer to Him she herself laid her head on the chopping block under the executioner’s sword.
The relics of St. Catherine were transferred by the Angels to Mount Sinai. In the 6th century, by revelation, the honest head and left hand of the holy martyr were found and transferred with honors to the newly created temple of the Sinai Monastery.
Story «Two Catherine»