My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
+
THE LIFE AND PASSION OF THE HOLY GREAT MARTYR KATHERINE, THE WISE VIRGIN (Part II)
Saint Katherine awoke, marveling at what she had seen and heard in the dream. The next morning, she went with a number of her maids to the cell of the holy elder and fell down in tears at his feet. She told him what she had seen in the dream and asked him what she must do to gain the love of Him Whom she so desired. The godly elder (geronda) spoke to her at length of the mysteries of the True Christian faith, beginning with the creation of the world and our forefather Adam and continuing up to the Second Coming of the Master Christ. He told her of the ineffable glory of Paradise and the terrible and eternal torments of hell, and she, being an educated and wise maiden, straightway understood and believed with her whole heart. Then she received Holy Baptism at the elder's hands, and he instructed her to pray fervently to the Most Holy Theotokos as before.
Having thus put off the old man and clothed herself with the robe of the renewal of the spirit, Katherine returned home and passed the night in fasting and tearful prayer until she again fell asleep. Once more, she beheld the Queen of Heaven holding the Divine Infant, Who looked upon Katherine calmly and with great compassion. The Mother of God asked her Son, "Is this maiden acceptable to Thee, my Son?"
Christ answered, "She pleases Me greatly, for she is now as fair and delightful as she once was black and unsightly, as wealthy and wise as she was formerly poor and foolish. I truly love her, and wish to take her as My bride forever."
Katherine fell to the floor and cried, "O Most glorious Master, I am unworthy to behold Thy Kingdom! I ask Thee only to number me among Thy servants!"
Offering her hand to the maiden, the Most Holy Theotokos said to her Son, "Give her my Child, a ring as a token of Thy betrothal to her, granting her a place in Thy Kingdom."
The Master (Lord) Christ then gave Katherine a most beautiful ring, saying, "Lo, today I choose you to be My betrothed for all eternity. Take care to keep this trust inviolate, and promise yourself to no earthly bridegroom." With this, He became invisible, and the vision came to an end. When the maiden awoke, she saw on her right hand a wondrous ring and felt such joy and gladness that from that hour her heart was a prisoner of Divine love. So great was the change which came upon her that she gave heed no more to worldly things, thinking only of her beloved Bridegroom day and night.
At that time an impious emperor came to Alexandria, full of blind zeal for his lifeless gods, he was himself, as it were, without heart or mind. Wishing to celebrate a splendid feast in honor of the gods, he sent word to every nearby city and land, commanding the people to bring a sacrifice and to come worship together. A multitude of people assembled, some bringing oxen, others sheep, while the poor among them brought birds. The right-believing and virtuous Katherine saw how the souls of men were being deceived and let to perdition, and her heart was grievously wounded because she felt compassion for them.
Stirred up by divine zeal, she took some of her servants and went to the temple where the useless oblations were being offered. As she entered it, the gaze of all was caught by her indescribable beauty, which testified to the comeliness of her soul. "Tell the Emperor," she said, "that I have something of great importance to say to him."
The Emperor commanded that Katherine be brought before him. Entering his presence, she prostrated herself, rendering him due homage. Then she said boldly, "Know, O Emperor, that you have been led astray by the demons, for the idols you serve are lifeless and subject to corruption...O Emperor do not make yourself guilty of the perdition of many souls. In this way, you may escape the eternal torment that awaits you. Come to know the One, True God, Who is ever-existent, unoriginate, and immortal, and became man in the last times for our salvation. By Him, kings reign and nations are ruled, and the whole world is sustained. He created and upholds all things by His word, for He is the Almighty and All-good God, Who has no need of your sacrifices and takes no delight in the slaughter of innocent beasts but commands only that we steadfastly keep His Commandments."
Hearing this, the Emperor was greatly enraged, remaining speechless for a long time. After his vile festival had come to an end, the impious Emperor commanded that Katherine be brought to his palace. He said to her, "Tell us, maiden, who you are, and repeat what you said before."
"I am the daughter of one of the previous Emperors, "the Saint replied, "and my name is Katherine. Formerly I was engaged in the study of rhetoric, philosophy, geometry, and the other sciences, but now I have abandoned these things as vain and useless and have betrothed myself to the Master Christ, Who said through the Prophet, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and do away with the understanding of the prudent" (Isaiah, Ch. 29).
Afraid to be overcome and put to shame by the maiden's bold and wise words, the Emperor replied, "It is not proper for the Emperor to dispute with women. Instead, I will assemble learned philosophers to debate you. Thus you will learn how groundless are your speculations and accept our beliefs."
Fifty chosen rhetoricians, skilled in debate and mighty in declamation, assembled in Alexandria. The Emperor addressed them thus: "Prepare yourselves, diligently and carefully to contend with the maiden and to prevail in dispute with her concerning the gods...Display all your learning, for I have tried her and found her to be wiser than Plato; strive your best in the debate against her, sparing no exertion. If you prevail over her, I will bestow upon you rich gifts, but if you are vanquished, you shall be rewarded only with a bitter death."
Katherine was led before the Emperor and the philosophers to be made a spectacle unto all. Following the long debate with the philosophers, Katherine was not only able to silence them all but to convert them to Christianity. The Emperor was moved to wrath and ordered that a great fire be prepared in the middle of the city to burn alive all the philosophers and orators. When they learned of the sentence pronounced upon them, they fell at the Saint's feet, beseeching her to pray for them to the One True God so that He might forgive them the sins they had committed in ignorance and deem them worthy of Holy Baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Saint responded joyfully, "Truly you are blessed, for you have abandoned darkness and come to know the True Light! Having forsaken an earthly emperor, subject to corruption, you have come unto the King of Heaven, Who knows no corruption...While saying this, Saint Katherine traced over each of the philosophers and orators the sign of Christ's sacred cross. Full of hope and gladness, they went joyfully to their martyrdom. It was the 17th day of November when the soldiers cast them into the fire. That evening, pious Christians collected their bodies (holy relics), which remained whole: even their hair was untouched by the fire. Many turned to the Truth because of this miracle, and the holy relics were reverently buried in a fitting place. (Source: The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints)
(To be continued)
__________________________
"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostomos
+++
With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George