Luke 21:12-19.
Jesus said to the crowd, "They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself will give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives."
The Gospel of the Lord.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria. 18 year old Egyptian virgin and brilliant scholar, who in the course of her studies, discovered Christianity, was converted by a vision of the Madonna, in 305. The Emperor Maximinius was persecuting Christians. Catherine went to him to plead on their behalf and the Emperor sent his chief pagan priests to argue with her and to bring her to her senses but instead Catherine converted the priests. The converted priests were martyred. The Empress went to see the girl. The Empress listened and was converted, and then the chief of her guard. Each was martyred. Maximinius in a rage sought to have St. Catherine scourged on what became known as St. Catherine's wheel. But at her touch the wheel was destroyed. The Emperor Maximinius had St. Catherine beheaded. The legend is that angels then carried her body to the top of Mt. Sinai.
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