St. Catherine of Siena

Our premium quality St. Catherine of Siena medal was cast in Italy, Catherine’s home country! It depicts the Dominican tertiary holding lilies, a symbol of her purity, and a book, symbolizing her influential writings. She looks down out of humility with a slight smile on her lips. The back of the medal says, “Pray for Us”.

St. Catherine of Siena is a 14th century Italian mystic and political activist known for her radical surrender to God’s will and public influence that changed the course of Church history. She was born to a very large Catholic family and had her first mystical experience at 6 years old! Catherine consecrated herself to Christ at a young age—to the disappointment of her mother who wanted her daughter to marry.

She entered the Dominican Third Order as a teen and began a life of seclusion, prayer, and austerity within her family home. In her twenties she left her seclusion in order to perform acts of service for the sick and the poor. This earned her the patronage of bodily illnesses, miscarriages, and nursing services after her canonization.

St. Catherine’s great holiness attracted many followers, and even the pope sought her counsel! St. Rose of Lima was deeply impacted by the story of Catherine, and modeled her life after the saint. Catherine was a public advocate for peace within the Church and had great influence on both Italian literature and the Catholic Church. Catherine believed prayer was an apostolic mission, a theme reflected throughout her writings.

This fiery young woman had many mystical experiences and visions through her espousal to Christ. St. Catherine is one of the few souls afflicted with the stigmata—the five wounds of the crucifixion—and she harbored great devotion to the Holy Eucharist. She died at age 33 and was named a Doctor of the Church after canonization.

Product Details

• 0.87" (standard size)
• Nickel
• Exquisite Italian metalwork
• Fits in your scapular pocket!