08 Jan Catherine of Alexandria, Apocryphal Saint & Syncretic Goddess
Christian legends tell us that in the 4th century, St. Catherine, daughter of the Governor of Alexandria, was a beautiful, learned, and privileged girl who was martyred for her Christian faith at the age of 18. Digging below the surface, we find that her story mirrors that of the 4th century philosopher, Hypatia. Yet another layer reveals, through the original Greek spelling of ‘Catherine’ (Ἑκατερίνη), that her name may be derived from ‘Hecate’ (Ἑκάτη), the powerful, primordial goddess and titaness. Auspiciously, St. Catherine’s novena begins on November 16, Hecate’s Night, a modern festival of the goddess. St. Catherine was also a spiritual ally of Joan of Arc. Here are my musings about legends, myths, miracles, and symbols related to the saint, philosopher, goddess, and warrior.
Mystical Marriage
As a noble-born daughter within in the Roman Empire, Catherine was educated by the best tutors of her time, and she is known for her love of knowledge. Her mother, a clandestine Christian convert, brought Catherine under the guidance of a Christian hermit who taught her the teachings of Christ. He baptized her and led her through ascetic practices and vigils. In one of her mystical meditations, Catherine encountered Mother Mary and infant Jesus. In her vision, the child extended a ring toward her, and Catherine made an espousal vow to Christ. When she awoke from her reverie, it is said that she was still wearing the wedding ring.
Myth
There is no evidence that St. Catherine actually existed as a historical figure and she is considered by scholars to be an apocryphal saint whose story was likely fabricated based on the life of eminent 4th century philosopher and mathematician, Hypatia of Alexandria. As a philosopher, Hypatia contributed to the Neoplatonic School and as a scientist, she developed astrolabes to view a multitude of celestial bodies in the vast cosmos. Just as Catherine was married to the One God, it might be said that Hypatia – a polytheistic pagan astronomer – was in love with the innumerable. If we take a universal view of the two, we find that both saint and philosopher represent the archetype of Sophia and their stories illustrate devotion to the study of the Great Mysteries.
Martyr
Following her spiritual awakening, legends tell us, St. Catherine publicly confronted Roman Emperor Maxentius for his cruelty in persecuting Christians. He responded by directing fifty pagan philosophers to challenge her in debate with the hope that she would renounce her new religion. Rather than the orators shaking her faith, she instead persuaded them with her eloquence to convert to Christianity and they were all subsequently sentenced to death. After the Emperor’s pressure failed to convert Catherine, she was tortured then imprisoned for twelve days. During her confinement, miraculously, angels attended her wounds and doves from heaven fed her. Two-hundred visitors came to see her while she was imprisoned and each one exited the dungeon a new Christian. They too were martyred. When Catherine emerged from captivity, it is said that she appeared more beautiful than ever and that her fragrance was sweet and pure. Thwarted by Catherine’s endurance and grace through her persecution, Maxentius made one more attempt to bring her under his control by proposing marriage to her, which she immediately refused declaring that Christ was already her bridegroom. After all forms of domination failed to crush Catherine’s faith, the emperor sentenced her to death on the spiked breaking wheel. However, when she touched the torture contraption it shattered. Ultimately, she was beheaded by sword and legends tell us that her decapitated neck flowed with milk rather than blood.
Hypatia, too, was martyred for her beliefs at a time in the Roman Empire when divergent philosophies and religions were competing for imperial power. When Christian Constantine became Emperor after pagan Maxentius there were campaigns to persecute pagan practices and suppress related strains of thought. The Bishop of Alexandria, Theophilus, made a political move asserting monotheistic Christian triumph over the pantheon of paganism by demolishing the largest cult site in Alexandria, The Serapeum, which had become a sanctuary for persecuted pagans. In the destruction of the temple, which was also an annex of the Library of Alexandria, the precious repository of the library was destroyed, as was a monument for pluralistic thought. Because of her scholastic notoriety, Hypatia’s theories and pantheistic devotion were targeted by the next Bishop of Alexandria, Cyril, who fomented the tensions among the people of the city and Hypatia was brutally murdered in the street by a mob of Christian zealots.
The Sword
In many historical paintings of St. Catherine of Alexandria, she bears the implement of her execution, a sword, as if she is victorious in her martyrdom. Almost exactly a thousand years after her death, St. Catherine and her sword returned to battle, with Joan of Arc as her surrogate. As one of the fourteen Holy Helpers, it is believed that the intersession of St. Catherine is especially powerful in preventing sudden death. Joan of Arc claimed that she was guided on her mission by God and Saints Catherine, Margaret, and Michael. On one occasion, instruction from her “voices,” as she called her council of saints, led her to unearth a sword buried behind the alter in the Church of Saint Catherine of Fierbois. “This sword was in the earth, all rusty, and there were upon it five crosses, and I knew it by my voices…” [Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses, 1959]
The Wheel
Let us consider the symbol of the wheel in the legend of St. Catherine of Alexandria, the life of Hypatia and the symbology of Hecate. In St. Catherine’s story we are told that she was sentenced to death on the breaking wheel because she refused to submit to the orders of the emperor but, because of her unwavering spiritual commitment, when she touched the device, it shattered and thereafter it was renamed ‘Catherine’s Wheel.’ Hypatia’s wheel, as we might call the astrolabe, was developed by the philosopher to view the heavens, and thereby reach toward the Gods. Hecate also has a wheel which was written about in ancient texts and adorns many objects depicting her from antiquity. As I prepared to weave the threads of the saint, the philosopher, and the goddess, to write this tribute to them as one, I contemplated wheels by drawing them in the snow with a stick while on a winter hike. The mystery of Hecate’s Wheel drew me in as I did images searches online of original artifacts. Among the ruins of Her temple Lagina from the 5th century BCE in Turkey, dozens of simple four and eight spoke wheels adorn the steps of her temple. When I discovered the etchings in marble of Hecate’s wheels in Lagina, their resemblance to my snow wheel took my breath away.
Her Name
Buried deep, like a fossil within the mystery of St. Catherine of Alexandria, is the etymology of her name. The ancient Greek spelling ‘Εκατερίνη (Hekaterínē) may be derived from the name of Hecate, chthonic goddess with dominion over land, sea and sky. By studying the mysteries of a saint with my name and following the threads from the tapestry of her legends, I was peering across a great expanse and through deep time, there I found the Great Goddess gazing back at me.
Her Hand
Following St. Catherine of Alexandria’s martyrdom angels carried her body to the highest peak in Egypt, now named Mount Catherine. In the valley below, the relics of St. Catherine’s head and left hand are venerated at Mount Saini Monastery. It is said that her reliquary emits a sweet fragrance, and many miracles are claimed by pilgrims.
The hand of Our Lady reaches out to us across time. She is the saint, the philosopher, the goddess, and she is also the mountain.
Our Lady of Woodstock, June 16, 2020
“Take my hand and I will lead you to a higher ground where you can see what lies before you and behind you, what lies above you and below you, and know what you must do. This knowledge will come to you not from your head, but from My hand—through touch, through the contact that you maintain with Me daily.
“Through the troubles and trials to come, you need have no fear. Your foes will not defeat you. You need have no worries when I am by your side. You have been given a way to call My name, and you must believe that I come when I am called. I am never far away.
“My hand is always near and within reach. You need not worry if your attention wavers. Your devotion need not be perfect. I am there and I will guide you. That is all you need to know.”
By Catherine Brooks, 25 November 2020, Feast Day of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Painting: Fillide Melandroni