St. Catherine of Alexandria

The Orthodox Church commemorates the memory of St. Catherine on November 24. Catherine was a lovely religious girl from Alexandria. One day the Christians’ persecutor Emperor Maxentius came to the town to make a pagan sacrifice. Catherine went to the temple and using words of philosophers and poets she started disputing with the emperor about the pagan habits. The girl defended her believe so cleverly and fervently that all the pagan priests had to admit their defeat. The emperor, stricken with her beauty and wisdom, offered her half of his kingdom so that she would give up her believe. Catherine refused and was imprisoned. There she was persuaded and even tortured to betray Christ. Not only did she not succumb but even lots of men adopted Christianity. When the emperor saw his efforts were in vain he ordered Catherine to be killed and so she was beheaded. People believe that angels came and took away the body of Catherine to the Sinai Mountain where believers built a wonderful temple.