A lady of noble birth in old Alexandria, Egypt, she converted to Christianity and managed to persuade the Roman Emperor Maxentius’s wife to do likewise.

Her powers of persuasion soon won over the Emperor’s advisors, and it was the same story when she was thrown into prison. With visitors, prisoners and sundry members of the public abandoning the official Roman Gods it was time for a harsher punishment.

Catherine was tied to a specially-constructed diabolical machine of four spiked wheels. But it fell to bits without tearing her to bits so she was beheaded instead.

From an infernal contraption it was but a short step to the entertainment of crowds and Catherine is now best known for the firework which bears her name.

By rights she should be Patron of the Fireworks Industry, but instead she’s the Patron Saint of Theologians, Teachers, Librarians and Unmarried Girls. The church didn’t forget the wheels though; she is also patron of Potters and other Wheel-workers.

Share this page Cite this article

Article last revised on April 07, 2019 by the Godchecker data dwarves.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

Permissions page

---