Gospel in Art: Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, by Caravaggio, 1598-99 © Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 25 November 2025
Luke 21:5-11

At that time: While some were speaking of the Temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, Jesus said, 'As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.' And they asked him, 'Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?' And he said, 'See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, "I am he!" and, "The time is at hand!" Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.'

Then he said to them, 'Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.'

Reflection on the painting

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, one of the great virgin martyrs of the early Church, who lived in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries, during the reign of Emperor Maxentius (he would eventually be defeated by Emperor Constantine at the battle of the Melvin Bridge in 312AD). Born of noble lineage and renowned for her eloquence, Catherine converted to Christianity after a vision of the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus. When she confronted the emperor Maxentius for persecuting Christians, her wisdom was so compelling that she reportedly converted many of his philosophers and close aides. Furious, Maxentius ordered her imprisonment and torture; when the spiked wheel designed for her execution miraculously broke apart, he finally ordered her beheading. The "Catherine wheel" would later become her enduring symbol, not of destruction, but of divine triumph over worldly power.

In art, Catherine is often depicted as a regal young woman crowned and holding a palm of martyrdom, with the broken wheel and a sword at her side. She stands as a figure of luminous intellect and courage, a saint who dared to speak truth to power. Her story reminds us that faith and reason are not enemies, but companions on the journey to truth. She teaches us that true wisdom lies not in winning arguments, but in giving one's whole life for the truth of the Gospel.

Our powerful painting by Caravaggio is a remarkable fusion of martyrdom iconography, stark realism, and devotional intimacy. In our painting we see Saint Catherine richly dressed, kneeling on a cushion, her gaze meeting ours. At her side lie the broken spiked wheel and the sword of her martyrdom. Caravaggio's characteristic chiaroscuro heightens the drama; the saint emerges from a dark background under a strong, almost cinematic light.

Caravaggio chose as his model the notorious Roman prostitute Fillide Melandroni, a woman he was deeply infatuated with and who brought both inspiration and turmoil into his life. Her striking features captivated the artist, and she would go on to model for him again in future works. Fillide was both Carvaggio's muse and lover, and ultimately enemy as well. While her documented personal life was entangled with arrests and scandal (accusations of solicitation, carrying weapons, and conflicts with many political figures), in the paintings she is almost transfigured. We only see her in pure beauty and elegance. In that way she embodies many heroines, lifting images of controversy, into images of redemption. In that sense she invites us to reconsider the hidden dignity within every person, the potential for transformation through art and faith.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-21-5-11-2025/
and
Video: The Art of Remembrance - From The Monuments Men to The Last Post: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/53644