t to take
delight became distasteful to her.

[Illustration: The Descent of the Holy Ghost on the Blessed Virgin and
the Apostles.]

One night Catherine dreamed that she accompanied the hermit to a
sanctuary, whence angels came to meet her. She fell on her face before
them, but one of the angelic band bade her, "Rise dear sister Catherine,
for the King of glory delighteth to honor thee." She rose and followed
the angels to the presence of the queen of heaven, who was surrounded by
angels and saints and was beautiful beyond description. The queen
welcomed her and led her to her divine Son, Our Lord. But He turned from
her, saying: "She is not fair and beautiful enough for me."

Catherine awoke at these words and wept bitterly until morning. She then
sent for the hermit and inquired what would make her worthy of the
heavenly Bridegroom. The saintly recluse instructed her in the true
Faith and, with her mother, she was baptized. That night, in a dream,
the Blessed Virgin and her divine Son again appeared to her. Mary
presented her to Jesus, saying: "Behold, she has been regenerated in the
water of Baptism." Then Christ smiled on her and plighted His troth to
her by putting a ring on her finger. When she awoke the ring was still
there, and thenceforth Catherine despised all earthly things and longed
only for the hour when she should go to her heavenly Bridegroom.

After the death of Sabinella, Emperor Maximin came to Alexandria and
declared a persecution against the Christians. Catherine appeared in the
temple and held an argument with the tyrant, utterly confounding him.
The emperor ordained that fifty of the most learned men of the empire be
brought to dispute with her; but, sustained by the power of God,
Catherine not only vanquished them in argument, but converted them to
the true Faith. In his fury Maximin commanded that the new Christians be
burned; and Catherine comforted them, since they could not be baptized,
by telling them that their blood should be their baptism and the flames
their crown of glory.

The emperor then tried other means to overcome the virtue of the noble
princess; but, failing to do this, he ordered her to be cast into a
dungeon and starved to death. Twelve days later, when the dungeon was
opened, a bright light and fragrant perfume filled it, and Catherine,
who had been nourished by angels, came forth radiant and beautiful. On
seeing this miracle, the empress and many noble Alexandrians decl