St. Catherine was a native of Alexandria, Egypt, a city then famous for its schools of philosophy. She was a daughter of Costis, who was the half-brother of Constantine, and of Sabinella, queen of Egypt. Her wisdom was remarkable, and she delighted in acquiring more learning and knowledge.

When young Catherine’s father died, she became the heiress to the entire kingdom. She made no attempt, however, to find for herself a husband. Her subjects insisted that she should marry. After all, her gifts of noble birth, immense wealth, majestic beauty, and sublime knowledge should be passed on to children of her own.

But the princess replied that she was in no rush to be married. After all, it would be the most important decision of her life, and so she had very high standards for her future husband. The man whom she would wed must be even more richly gifted than herself. His blood must be the noblest, his rank must surpass her own, his beauty beyond compare, and his benignity great enough to forgive all offenses. In short, everything that she possessed, he must have - and more and better than her. The poor citizens of Alexandria were disheartened, for they knew of no such prince… and Catherine remained persistent in her determination to wed none other.

The answer to this difficult problem came in a very unforeseen way, and by a very unlikely messenger. He was a hermit, living not far from the city. He had received a vision in which he saw the Blessed Virgin, who sent him to tell the princess that Her divine Son was the Spouse whom Catherine desired. He alone possessed all the requirements which Catherine demanded - and even more. The holy man gave Catherine a picture of Jesus and Mary; and when the princess gazed upon the face of Christ she loved Him so much that she couldn’t think of anything else. Everything that she had and once enjoyed so much, especially all of her secular studies and learning, was now but an irritating waste of time for the noble maiden. She was consumed with one thought alone - how to obtain the Love of her life.

One night Catherine had a dream. In it, she accompanied the hermit to a church, where angels came to meet her. She laid herself prostrate on her face before them, but one of the angelic company said to her, "Rise dear sister Catherine, for the King of glory desires to honor you."

She rose and followed the angels, who brought her the Mary, the Queen of Heaven. She was beautiful beyond description, and surrounded by a multitude of Holy Angels and Saints. Mary welcomed Catherine and, taking her by the hand, led the princess to Her divine Son. Jesus looked at Catherine, scrutinizing her carefully. Catherine, breathless with excitement, waited for Him to speak. But, after a moment, Our Lord turned away from her saying:

"She is not fair and beautiful enough for me."

Catherine awoke at these words and wept bitterly until morning came. She then sent for the hermit and asked him what would make her a worthy spouse of Christ. The saintly man instructed the princess and her mother in the true Catholic Faith, and before long both were baptized.

As she lay down to sleep that night, she was once again given a dream. In her vision, the Blessed Virgin and her Divine Son appeared to her. Mary presented her to Jesus, saying:

"Behold, she has been regenerated and cleansed in the water of Baptism."

Now when Christ looked on Catherine, it was with a smile that flooded her soul with peace and happiness. He then pledged His Love to her by placing a heavenly ring upon her finger. And when the princess awoke from this beautiful dream, she knew that it was not just a dream… for she still had Christ’s engagement ring on her finger. From that moment forward, Catherine no longer desired the fleeting pleasures of this world, but longed only for the day when she join her heavenly Bridegroom forever.

After the death of her mother Sabinella, the Emperor Maximin came to Alexandria and declared a persecution against the Catholics. Princess Catherine courageously confronted the tyrant, publicly arguing with him in the pagan temple. Her natural wisdom was augmented by the grace of God, and the emperor had no response to her brilliant defense of the Truth. Embarrassed and enraged at being outwitted by a girl of eighteen, the emperor commanded that fifty of the most learned men of the empire be brought to dispute with her. Catherine prayed to Jesus for His help, and with the aid of her Heavenly Husband, she not only vanquished them in their arguments, but converted them all to the true Faith.

In his fury, Maximin commanded that these new converts be put to death by fire. Catherine comforted them, telling them that their blood would be their baptism, and the flames their crown of glory.

The emperor then tried other means to overcome the virtue of the noble princess; but, failing to conquer Catherine, he ordered her to be cast into a dungeon and starved to death. Twelve days later, when the dungeon was opened, they discovered that it was filled with a bright light, and fragrant perfume. Not only was the princess still alive, she was radiant and beautiful. The Holy Angels had brought Catherine her food. On seeing this miracle Maximin’s wife (the empress), and also many amoung the Egyptian nobility declared themselves Catholics, and suffered death at the command of the emperor.

But Catherine was not yet given the crown of martyrdom, for Maximin continued in his attempts to persuade her to reject her Jesus. He offered to make her his empress - the mistress of the world, the entirety of the Roman Empire to rule and enjoy - if she would but listen to him, and renounce her faith. And when she spurned his proposals once again, he ordered her to be tortured. She was tied to four large wheels filled with spikes, each one revolving in different directions, so that she would be torn and shredded into thousands of pieces. But a Holy Angel destroyed the wheels by fire; and the flaming fragments scattered everywhere, killing the executioners and many of the spectators.

The tyrant, refusing to admit his defeat, ordered her to be scourged and beheaded. She was martyred on November 25, 307. And so Catherine, no longer desiring to be a princess of this world, received the Heavenly crown which Jesus had prepared for her. And after her death, the Holy Angels carried her body to Mount Sinai, where they buried it.