The enigmatic St Catherine has been with me for over 12 years now in an unfinished and undecorous state. But, as my determination to improve the lot of my companions over this year has been progressing, she finally demanded my time. I procrastinatedwith St Catherine for so long due to the pernickety nature of all the tiny additional details in the background- my eyesight is not what it once was. However, all went relatively well and she is really quite something.
St Catherine appeals to me because she was obviously quite learned as you can deduce from the trappings she has surrounded herself with. Mathematical and scientific
instruments, many books and a supremely large quill. Evidently she was quite fond of writing and probably annoying Emperor Maxentius and the 50 philosophers he sent to persuade her to ditch her faith. Clearly, she was steeped in her belief as she is positively surrounded not only by Christ on the cross, but also Mary and the infant Jesus embedded in the mountain top left; Moses taking off his sandal and venturing up said mountain to talk to the burning bush and also the presence of the Ark of the Covenant, top right with two angels guarding it.
I do rather love her cloak with the great eagle emblazoned on it, I am assuming it is an eagle, and her fabulous red slippers. She looks very at home with all that she enjoys surrounding her, and she graces my office lurking beneath St Luke by my desk and helping me keep my mind focused on my work and studies.
Regarding the miniature image on the top left - reproduced here - we have Moses being asked to remove his sandal as God tells him the ground is holy, before he ascends to the burning bush. Mary is seen inside the mountain with the Christ child in front of her. Mary has her hands uplifted - a sign of her surrender and trust in God. This is the icon of the Madonna of the Sign or the Virgin Orans. It depicts the presence of Christ in her womb at the moment of conception.
Sadly, even with all these friends around her, St Catherine is not spared a horrible torture and death. Though she refused to die on the infamous Catherine wheel and was eventually beheaded. I do hope she has found a cosy nook in Paradise where she can continue her studies and I love to picture her arguing with Moses over various points of the law. I am sure she would give him a good debate.
Thank you St Catherine for being super patient with me and for gracing my workspace.
Next: Archangel Gabriel
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