Medieval Silver-Gilt Pilgrims Badge

Saint Catherine of Alexandria was one of the most popular early Christian saint martyrs and a patron of philosophers and scholars. She was said to have been born from a noble family in Egypt. She was well knowledgeable having learnt many languages, science, philosophy and medicine. St Catherine was an independent woman, she refused to marry and devoted herself to converting the Roman people to Christianity along with challenging the anti-Christian emperor Maximian. Although she managed to convert many of the emperor’s philosophers, he retaliated by burning them to death. She continued with her work including converting the empress and soldiers. This only angered Maximian which led to her torture on a spiked wheel. However, when she touched it, it miraculously broke (hence she is often depicted with a spiked wheel). St Catherine was later beheaded by order of the emperor.