December 7 / November 24

The Holy Great-martyr Catherine [celebrated on November 25 in Greek Calendar]

Catherine was the daughter of King Constus. After the death of her father, she lived with her mother in Alexandria. Her mother was secretly a Christian who, through her spiritual father, brought Catherine to the Christian Faith. In a vision, St. Catherine received a ring from the Lord Jesus Himself as a sign of her betrothal to Him. This ring remains on her finger even today. Catherine was greatly gifted by God and was well educated in Greek philosophy, medicine, rhetoric, and logic. In addition to that, she was of un-usual physical beauty. When the iniquitous Emperor Maxentius offered sacrifices to the idols and ordered others to do the same, Catherine boldly confronted the emperor and denounced his idolatrous errors. The emperor, seeing that she was greater than he in wisdom and knowledge, summoned fifty of his wisest men to de- bate with her on matters of faith and to put her to shame. Catherine outwitted and shamed them. In a rage, the emperor ordered all fifty of those men burned. By St. Catherine’s prayers, all fifty confessed the name of Christ and declared themselves Christians before their execution.

After Catherine had been put in prison, she converted the emperor’s commander, Porphyrius, and two hundred soldiers to the true Faith, as well as Empress Augusta-Vasilissa herself. They all suffered for Christ. During the torture of St. Catherine, an angel of God came to her and destroyed the wheel on which the holy virgin was being tortured. Afterward, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared to her and comforted her. After many tortures, Catherine was beheaded at the age of eighteen, on November 24, 310. Milk, instead of blood, flowed from her body. Her miracle-working relics repose on Mount Sinai.

2. The Holy Great-martyr Mercurius of Caesarea in Cappadocia (ca. 259)

When Emperor Decius once waged war against the barbarians, there was in his army the commander of an Armenian regiment called the Martenesians. This commander was named Mercurius. In battle, an angel of the Lord appeared to Mercurius, placed a sword in his hand, and assured him of victory over his enemies. Indeed, Mercurius displayed wonderful courage, mow- ing down the enemy like grass. Following this glorious victory Emperor Decius made him chief commander of his army, but envious men re- ported Mercurius to the emperor for being was tortured harshly and at length; he was cut into strips with knives and burned with fire. An angel of God appeared to him in prison and healed him. Finally, the emperor proclaimed that General Mercurius be beheaded- ed in Cappadocia. When they beheaded him, his body became as white as snow and emitted a most wonderful incense-like fragrance. His miracle-working relics healed many of the sick. This most wonderful soldier of Christ suffered for the Faith sometime between the years 251 and 259 and took up his habitation in the Kingdom of his King and God.

3. The Holy Virgin Mastridia

Mastridia lived in Alexandria and led a solitary life of prayer and handiwork. A young man, burning with bodily passion toward her, constantly harassed her. Not wanting to sin before God, and since she could not easily be rid of this unrestrained youth, St. Mastridia once asked him what attracted him most to her. He replied: “Your eyes!” Mastridia then took the needle with which she was sewing and put out her eyes. Thus, Mastridia preserved her peace and the young man’s soul. The young man repented deeply and became a monk.

• Hermogenes, bishop of Agrigentum (ca. 260).
• Martyrs Augusta (Faustina), the Empress, Porphyrius Stratelates, and 200 soldiers, at Alexandria with Great-martyr Catherine (305-313).
• Romanus of Bordeaux (382).
• Gregory, founder of the monastery of the Golden Rock in Pontus.
• Portianus of Arthone (Gaul) (527).
• Protasius, hermit, of Auvergne (Gaul) (6th c.).
• Martyrs Flora and Maria, at Cordoba (851).
• Martyr Mercurius of Smolensk (1238).
• Luke, steward of the Kiev Caves (13th c.).
• Nicodemus the Younger, of Philokalos Monastery in Thessalonica (ca. 1305).
• Mercurius the Faster, of the Far Caves in Kiev (14th c.).
• Simon, founder of Soiga Monastery (Vologda) (1561).
• (Greek : Hieromartyr Clement, pope of Rome [101]. Hieromartyr Peter, archbishop of Alexandria [311]. St. Malchus of Chalcis in Syria [4th c.])

HYMN OF PRAISE

The Holy Great-martyr Catherine

The wise Catherine, an earthly princess,
Became a martyr for Christ the Savior.
Foolish Maxentius offered her life:
If she would consent to become his wife!
The holy Catherine, pure as gold,
Replied to the emperor thus:
“My betrothed is the Risen Christ,
And I desire not the love of a corrupt man.
You seek my body: the rotten seeks corruption,
Even as the incorrupt spirit seeks immortality.
The physical covering must wither away,
The true man takes care for his immortal soul.
Do what you wish, and torture me—
Burn me in the fire, turn me on a wheel;
I cannot renounce my own soul,
Nor worship any but Christ as God.
Remember, O Emperor, soon you will die,
And worms will erupt from your corpse—
Worms will glorify you, worms will eat you,
A curse will accompany you, and a curse will meet you:
For you dare wage war against Christ,
Who is mightier than death.
You stand under the Rock, and He will crush you.”
Holy Catherine, Christ’s virgin,
You despised the throne for eternal truth’s sake;
And thus now reign in the Kingdom without end,
And sing with the angels, in the midst of sweet Paradise.

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