My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE
THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT KATHERINE THE GREAT MARTYR
Now Faustina, the Emperor’s consort, desired to meet the holy Katherine, because she admired her, having heard of her virtue and courage, but more so because of a dream she had at that time. Her heart longed for the martyr, and she could not sleep until she met her. She seized an opportunity when the Emperor was absent on a certain mission, having gone to a village for several days.
Present at that time was Porphyrios, the great military commander and counselor of the Emperor, a man of good will and trustworthy. The Empress confided her feelings to him in secret, saying, "A night or so ago, I beheld in a vision the holy Katherine sitting among many youths and virgins who were arrayed in white garments. She shone so brightly that I could not look upon her. She then called to her and placed a golden wreath on my head, saying, "The Lord Christ has sent thee this wreath." Therefore, I am desirous to see her and am unable to find rest. I pray thee, find a way that I might see her!" Porphyrios replied, "I will fulfill thy wish, O lady."
At night, Porphyrios and the Empress went to the prison at the head of two hundred soldiers. They bribed the guard and opened the gates. Entering the dungeon, the Empress saw the much longed-for face of the martyr and the divine grace which shone about her. She was amazed at her blooming freshness. Then she bowed down to Katherine, saying, "Fortunate and blessed am I, for I have finally beheld thy countenance. Like a thirsty hart, I have greatly desired to see thy noble person and yearned to hear thy sweet-sounding words. Now that I have been counted worthy to do so, I will not grieve if I should lose my life or kingdom. I call thee blessed, thou who art to be envied, for thou hast followed such a Master Who has given thee so many gifts and grace."
The holy Katherine answered, "Blessed art thou also, O Empress! For I see the crown that the holy Angels have set upon thy head, which thou will receive in three days, for a few sufferings which thou will undergo, and then thou will be with the True King and reign unto the ages." "Be of good cheer, for thou will have Christ in thy heart as a helper, that thou not be harmed by the tortures. Thou shall only temporarily experience suffering here, whilst there thou shalt rejoice and be glad forever!"
Porphyrios asked, "What reward does Christ offer to those who believe in Him? For I too desire to become His soldier." The martyr replied, "Hast thou neither read nor heard of hte books of the Christians?" Porphyrios replied, "From my youth, I have spent my time in the wars, therefore, I have no time for other things." The blessed one continued, "No tongue can describe the rewards that the beneficent God Who loves mankind has prepared for those who love Him and keep His Commandments." Thereupon, Porphyrios was overjoyed, and believed in Christ, together with his two hundred soldiers.
At dawn, the Emperor, sitting on the throne, ordered that the Saint be brought to him. She was taken to the palace, her spiritual countenance shining so brightly that even the bystanders were dazzled by the light of her beauty. The Emperor assumed that one of the guards had given her food, for she had not lost her strength or energy, though she had been imprisoned for so many days, He was of a mind to punish the guards. Saint Katherine did not wish to punish those who were not responsible, so she disclosed the truth and said, "No one gave me sustenance, O Emperor, for Christ provided for me, as He does for all His servants."
While Saint Katherine and the Emperor were exchanging words, a certain Prefect named Hursasaden, a sadistic man, tried to win the Emperor’s favor. Out of his perverted heart, he proposed, "I, O Emperor, have invented an instrument of torture wherewith either thou shlat win over this maiden, or she shall exprience an atrocious death. Thou shouldest order the construction of four wooden wheels attached to an axle, from which steel blades and other sharp spikes protrude. Two of the wheels will rotate to the right, and two to the left. The maiden would be placed below, bound, at its center, so that when the wheels turn, her body will be completely mutilated. However, first exhibit the wheels turning, so as to instill terror in her, that she may do as she is ordered; if not, let her receive an evil death." The idea pleased the Emperor, and he ordered the plan into effect.
In three days’ time, the awful apparatus was readied. When they brought the holy Katherine forth, they turned the wheels with a mighty force so as to frighten her. The Emperor said, "Behold, by this instrument thou shalt receive a bitter death, if thou dost not worship the gods!" She replied, "Many times already I have told you my opinion. Therefore, waste no more time, but do as thou desirest!" The Emperor then ordered that they cast the Saint , bound, before the wheels and rotate them violently, so that with rapid passes thereof she might suffer a bitter death. But, by the intervention of the grace and will of God, it did not come to pass in this way. An Angel of the Lord came down from Heaven and aided the holy Katherine, who was instantly loose from the bonds and rendered whole and uninjured. The wheels spun away on their own, striking many of the unbelievers, witnessing this terrible sight; and they cried, "Great is the God of the Christians!" The Emperor raged with a blind fury, and at once sought to devise a new ay to torture Saint Katherine.
Learning of this, the Empress came out of her chamber and censured her husband publicly. When the Emperor heard this reproach, he became enraged that he went into a frenzy, raving like a wild beast. He abandoned the Saint for the moment and turned upon Faustina. Forgetting the nature of their relationship, he ordered his men to cut off her breasts with certain implements. Soon after he ordered that they strike off her head with a sword. She accepted this decision readily, and said to the Saint with gladness, "Handmaiden of the True God, do thou utter a prayer on my behalf!
Saint Katherine said, "Go thou in peace, that thou mayest reign with God eternally." Thus, the blessed Faustina was beheaded on the 22nd of November by order of her husband. Porphyrios, the General, went at night with his company and buried her precious relics.
At daybreak, the tyrant hastened to punish those responsible. Porphyrios appeared before him with his companions, saying, "We too are Christians and soldiers of the Great God." The Emperor could not accept these words and, sighing from the very depth of his heart, uttered, "Alas, I am ruined! I have even lost the illustrious Porphyrios!" Unable to bear this, he ordered them all beheaded. It was the 24th of November when they gave up the spirit and were laid to rest.
On the morrow, they brought Katherine to the judgment hall, and the Emperor issued the order that she be beheaded outside the city limits. The soldiers took the Saint and marched to the site of execution. A large crowd followed them, weeping bitterly at the loss of such a beautiful and wise maiden. The Saint said to them, "Cease your needless lamentation! Instead, you should rejoice, for I behold my Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, my Maker and Savior, Who is the adornment and crown of the martyrs. I hear Him calling me into Paradise to reign with Him and to rejoice unto life everlasting. Weep not for me, but for yourselves; for you shall go into the unquenchable fire for your unbelief, where you shall sorrow and burn forever."
On their arrival at the site of execution, the Saint offered a prayed: "My Lord Jesus Christ and God, I thank Thee that Thou hast secured my feet on the rock of patience…Stretch out Thy Sacred hand, which was nailed to the Cross for our sake, and receive my soul, which is separated from the body,out of love for Thee…May Thy works be praised by all and Thou mayest be glorified with Thine Unoriginate Father and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto endless ages. Amen." After uttering this prayer, she told the executioners to carry out the sentence. He raised his sword and cut off her precious and holy head on the 25th of November, in about the year 305 A.D. Thereupon, at that hour, her revered and precious relics were devoutly translated by holy Angels, they were translated on the peak of the highest mountain in Sinai, which now bears her name.
Saint Katherine’s holy Relics and Monastery: Centuries later, guided by a dream, monks of the Monastery of Holy Transfiguration in Sinai, erected by Emperor Justinian in the 6th Century found her precious body. They brought her down from the mountain and placed her in a golden casket in the church. The sweet fragrance of her sacred remains is today a continuous miracle. The Sinai Monastery became widely known, particularly in Europe, when Saint Symeon Metaphrastes, in the 10th century, recorded her Life. Saint Simeon brought the Saint’s holy relics to Rouen and Treves, in France. Her fame spread so rapidly in Europe that the Monastery came to be known as the Monastery of Saint Katherine. Europeans donated generous gifts to Sinai, including estates that were donated to the monastery. Moreover, her martyric account was also carried Westward by returning Crusaders. Thus, she became accepted in Europe as a favorite and major Saint.
Since early times, the Saint’s holy relics have been laid in a marble chest. This reliquary is mentioned in an itinerary dated 1231. In later years (1688), the royal family of Russia sent a silver casket, a gift of the Tzars of Russia, as recorded by Cyrillic inscriptions. However, the holy relics remained in the old marble chest, under a marble baldachin. Two richly engraved silver caskets contain her precious skull and her ringed hand. The ring was given to her in a vision whereupon the Theotokos in this vision "took the hand of the maiden, and said, "My Child, giver her a ring as a token of Thy betrothal to her, so as to deem her worthy of Thy Kingdom." The Master Christ then gave her a beautiful ring, saying, "Behold, this day I take thee as My unsullied bride forever. Diligently preserve this troth inviolate, taking no man to thyself!" And with these words the vision came to an end. Katherine arose; and, verily, a ring was on her right finger! At that moment, her heart was enraptured with the divine love of our Lord Christ." [Resources: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church]
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 