CATH'ARINE (Fr. Catherine, Lat. Catha rine, Gk. Katiapivy, KatharinP from &ALA, Aatharos. pure). The name of six saints of the Roman Catholic Church. The simple designa tion of Saint Catharine, however, is given to a virgin said to have been of royal descent in Alexandria. who, publicly confessing Christianity at a sacrificial feast appointed by the Emperor Maximinus, was put to death in A.D. 307, after icing tortured on a wheel. Hence the name of `Saint Catharine's wheel.' Very remarkable le gends exist as to her converting 50 philosophers sent by the Emperor to convert her in prison, besides a multitide of other persons; the con veyance of her head by the angels to Mount etc. She is regarded as the patroness of girls' schools. Iler day is November 25 or March 5. (See her life in the publications of the Early English Text Society: also in those of the Roxburghe Club, both London, 1884).—SAINT CATHARINE OF SIENA, daughter of .Tacomo Benincasa, a dyer of Siena, was born there in 1347; practiced extraordinary mortifica tions, and was said to have been favored with especial tokens of favor by Christ, whose wounds were impressed upon her body. (See STIGMA
TIZATION). She became a Dominican, and died in Rome, April 29, 1380. She wrote devotional pieces, letters, and poems, which have been more than once printed; the best edition appeared in Siena and Lueca, in 1707-54 (in 5 vols., 4to), under the title of Opere della seralira Santa Catarina. Her letters were published in French translation (Paris, 1854; best in the original, Florence. 1860, 4 vols.). In English have ap peared Dialogues of the Seraphic Firgin Cath erine of Siena (London, 1896) ; the dialogue De Perfect lone is translated in Miss Drane's biography mentioned below. Consult her life by J. E. Butler, 4th ed. (London, 1895) Au gusta I. Drape (London, ISSO) ; iNL A. illignety (Paris, 1886) ; A. T. Pierson (New York, 1898); H. V. Redern (Schwerin, 1900).