The Week Ahead 24-30 Nov
and words on St Catherine & Hypatia
On weekdays, between ages 0 and 3, I was deposited in my grandmother’s sunroom on a blanket under a framed print of St Catherine of Alexandria. The room was crowded with Fiddle-leaf fig, Monsteria deliciosa, Peace lily and Bird of Paradise. I imagine I had a rattle to shake, a knitted bear to cuddle and a teething ring to chew but I remember only three things: the plants, St Catherine and the Light that washed that room a semi-transparent yellow.
It would be fair to say that the woman in the print and her symbols - book, palm and sword made an impression. And that in some sense everything in that room has come to define my life.
St Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of librarians, students, scribes (writers), teachers and lawyers. Not as well known is that St Catherine is also the patron saint of girls, women, potters, spinners and seamstresses (my grandmother was a seamstress). Her legend comes to us mostly from the writings of Jacobus de Voragine in the 13th century.
It is said that…
Catherine was born into a noble family and received an excellent education. She was well versed in astronomy, literature, mathematics, poetry, philosophy and music. And like so many other martyrs, she was exceptionally beautiful.
One day her mother, who was secretly Christian, introduced her to a Christian monk. Soon after Catherine’s conversion to Christianity, the Child Jesus appeared to her in a dream and presented her with a ring. She said yes to being his bride. When she woke up she had the ring on her finger.
When Catherine was in her late teens, Emperor Maximinus decreed that all citizens had to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods in the temple. Catherine showed up during the sacrifices and requested an audience with the Emperor. Once in the emperor’s presence, Catherine chastised him for his decree to worship false gods and his persecution of Christians. The emperor, struck by her beauty and depth of her wisdom, decided she required a response. He gathered fifty of his wisest men to debate Catherine and to prove her wrong. By the end of the debate all fifty men had converted to Christianity which enraged Maximinus. He ordered the men be killed.
The Emperor tried to seduce Catherine. He offered her gold. He offered her jewels, exotic spices and the finest cloth. He offered her half his kingdom. But Catherine told him she was married to Jesus and so the Emperor had her beaten and then imprisoned.
Soon after her imprisonment the Empress began to visit the wise young woman and she too converted. On learning of his wife’s conversion to Christianity, the Emperor had his wife beheaded.
The Emperor tried once more to tempt Catherine away from her heavenly groom but she refused him and so he had her tied to a spiked wheel where her body would be stretched and she would spin to her death. But when Catherine touched the wheel it shattered. The following day, the Emperor had her beheaded. Jacobus de Voragine tells us that milk flowed from her body afterwards. Others say a holy oil with the scent of white flowers - star jasmine, lilies-of-the-valley, rose - covered the cobblestones and those who touched it experienced instant healing. Her body was carried away by angels to Mount Sinai where it was discovered, incorrupt, a century later by a monk.
But now let us turn our attention to another woman. The woman scholars believe is the real person behind this legend. Her name was Hypatia of Alexandria.
Hypatia was born in Alexandria to the philosopher and mathematician Theon and his wife around the year 355. Alexandria at that time was part of the Roman Empire. Her early training is a mystery but it was possibly done in the household under her father’s direction. It is known that Theon’s school placed more emphasis on mathematics than other Platonic schools. It is almost certain she also studied medicine made up of the eleven works of Hippocrates and Galen’s sixteen treatises. Hypatia quickly proved herself more capable than her father and soon moved from being his student to one of his colleagues. Among her students were pagans and Christians.
Here is how the Suda lexicon, a 10th-century encyclopedia of the Mediterranean world, describes her:
“exceedingly beautiful and fair of form. . . in speech articulate and logical, in her actions prudent and public-spirited.”
In 415, Cyril became Archbishop of Alexandria and the Christian community split into two camps, with one side supporting Cyril and the other supporting a man called Timothy. Escalating tensions between these two camps led to protests and street fights and Orestes, the Roman governor, was reluctantly dragged into this matter but was not persuaded to take Cyril’s side.
At that time Orestes had regular audiences with Hypatia. It was not unusual for governors to seek counsel from prominent philosophers in those days but then Hypatia was a woman…and a woman with the ear of a powerful man must - apparently - be either be the man’s wife, mistress or a witch.
Cyril’s followers murmured in the streets that Hypatia cast spells and summoned demons. They claimed her magic blocked Cyril and his followers from having the conversations that mattered in Alexandria. In March 415, a man called Peter led a mob that could confront Hypatia. Hypatia was unprepared for their fury. She was in a public space with only a few attendants when they grabbed her…
I am not going into detail except to say that what was left of her was burned.
Hypatia died as a champion of religious tolerance and philosophy. She lives on as a feminist icon and her example, I am sure you will agree, is more resonant than ever before.
All Times are Pacific Time
Today, 24 Nov
Waning Crescent Moon in Libra
Sun trine North Node 9:41pm
Vision aligns with purpose. A sense of agency.
Reflect on this:
Where does the light linger on the wall? What image draws the eye?
Monday 25 Nov
St Catherine of Alexandria’s feast day. Remember Hypatia.
Mercury stations retrograde at 22º Sagittarius, 6:42pm
What did you start around the 7th? You will find yourself revisiting projects or conversations from that week.
I’m hearing about car troubles. On Friday, my car’s battery died. If you are traveling there are going to be delays and troubles around logistics and communication. This astrology can, if you let it, lead you down the wrong mountain path and into a cult’s enclave.
The retrograde ends on December 15 and the post retrograde shadow ends on January 2.
Tuesday 26 Nov
No major events.
Wednesday 27 Nov
Moon in Libra sextile Mercury in Sagittarius 9:14am
An Eight of Wands kind of day. A flurry of activity and/or an important message arrives. You will want to respond tomorrow.
The Moon is void from 1:14am to 4:20pm. Schedule important meetings or conversations for another day.
Moon in Scorpio 4:20pm
A Moon of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec/Mayan ‘feathered-serpent’ god. A god who assists in releasing the past so you can claim a better future. A Moon for journeying as a snake, close to the ground or underground.
Thursday 28 Nov
Moon in Scorpio trine Saturn in Pisces 6:06pm
Intense feelings die down. You have the necessary emotional strength and the resources to carry your burden.
Friday 29 Nov
No major event.
Saturday 30 Nov
New Moon in Sagittarius! 10:21pm
I will be back in your inbox later this week with insights.
xo
Yolanda
References and recommended reading:
Watts, Edward J. Hypatia: The Life and Legend of an Ancient Philosopher
Ancient Origins: Is St Catherine a Fictional Person based on Hypatia of Alexandria
It speaks to the unquenchable female spirit that Hypatia continues to inspire while disguised as a saint. May her story continue to re-emerge and be retold.
A silly question perhaps... the times you provide are they PT? I also received a message titled " 7 is à magical numbers"to which I thought I had replied... but nothing came back...was that you? Thank you Yolanda!