- Holy Great Martyr and Most Wise Catherine of Alexandria and those with her (305)
- "Saint Catherine, who was from Alexandria, was the daughter of
Constas (or Cestus). She was an exceedingly beautiful maiden, most
chaste, and illustrious in wealth, lineage, and learning. By her
steadfast understanding, she utterly vanquished the passionate and
unbridled soul of Maximinus, the tyrant of Alexandria; and by her
eloquence, she stopped the mouths of the so-called philosophers who had
been gathered to dispute with her. She was crowned with the crown of
martyrdom in the year 305. Her holy relics were taken by Angels to the
holy mountain of Sinai, where they were discovered many years later; the
famous monastery of Saint Catherine was originally dedicated to the
Holy Transfiguration of the Lord and the Burning Bush, but later was
dedicated to Saint Catherine." (Great Horologion)
-
So great was St Catherine's eloquence that the fifty orators
assigned to debate her
recognized their error and, as a body, asked for baptism, for which
Maximinus condemned them
all to death. The Saint was then subjected to torture on a
specially-constructed spiked wheel
(with which she is usually shown in her icon), but an angel loosed her
and miraculously smashed
the wheel. Maximinus' own wife and 200 soldiers, seeing her sufferings
and the nobility with
which she bore them, were moved to profess their faith in Christ and
their yearning to be
baptized. All of them were put to death. Finally Catherine herself was
led outside the walls of Alexandria and, after a prayer of thanksgiving
to God, was beheaded.
- Great Martyr Mercurius (~259)
- He was born in the province of Asia, to a Scythian who had secretly
converted to Christianity. Like his parents, he was a secret follower
of Christ, serving as a legionary in the Roman army during the reign of
the Emperor Decius. During a campaign, an Angel appeared to him, gave
him a sword and told him to go into battle trusting in Christ's help.
Mercurius plunged into battle, fought his way alone through the enemy
lines, and reached the barbarian commander Rigas, whom he killed. Upon
the death of their chief the barbarians scattered and the victory was
won.
-
The Emperor, hearing of the young soldier's exploits, promoted him to a
position at court. There, lulled by the pleasures and honors of the
court, Mercurius forgot his duties to Christ his King. One night the
same Angel who had given him the sword appeared to him once again and
reminded him of the sword that Christ had given him, an emblem of the
battle of martyrdom that he was about to enter. The next day Mercurius,
now returned to his senses, refused to offer sacrifice to the gods.
When called before the Emperor, he boldly proclaimed Christ and threw
off his badges of office. He was thrown in prison and subjected to cruel
tortures, all of which he bore with peace and joy, encouraged by the
Angel who appeared to him again to offer comfort and encouragement.
After long torment he was beheaded in Caesarea in Cappadocia, at the age
of twenty-five.
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