Daughter of Emperor Constans. She lived in Alexandria. In a vision, Saint Catherine received a ring from the Lord himself, as His bride. That ring is still on her hand today. She studied philosophy, medicine, rhetoric and logic. And she was also unusually beautiful physically. When she exposed his idolatry, Emperor Maxentius called 50 wise men to argue with her about the faith, but she outsmarted them. The emperor threw them all into the fire, where they confessed Christ. In prison, Saint Catherine brought Duke Porphyry and 200 soldiers to Christ, including the empress herself. They were all beheaded. Finally, she too, after great torture. She was beheaded in 310, when she was 18 years old. Milk flowed from her body instead of blood. Her miraculous relics are in Sinai.

Holy Great Martyr Mercurius. Holy Virgin Mastridia. Christmas Fast.