St. Aloysius and St. Catherine are two of the most popular Orthodox saints, and they struggled with their own lust issues. The artists and writers behind these paintings have long been interested in saints and their struggles with their own lust. Bede’s interest in these saints is not surprising, considering his long interest in art and saints.
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St. Aloysius
A young Aloysius was the eldest son of the Marquisate of Castiglione and heir apparent to great riches and power. However, he fell ill and contracted the quartan ague. This made him realize the vanity of worldly success and he vowed to devote his life to God. As a result, he made a vow of virginity at the age of nine.
As a teenager, Aloysius entered a Jesuit novitiate in Rome. He took vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. At age 20, he was ordained as a deacon. However, he never became a priest.
The virtue of fortitude is a virtue that Catherine longed for. Jesus told her that she would be faced with many temptations, and one of these trials was lust. These trials filled her mind with vivid images. The devils constantly pestered her, but she responded to the temptations with penances, fasting, and vigils. In addition, she had to scourge her body.
Another Orthodox saint who struggled with lust was St. Vitalis of Gaza. This hermit was honored by the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church. The Christian Church considers him the patron saint of day laborers and prostitutes. Although he had a difficult life, he continued to preach the gospel and bring people into the Church.
The second Gospel is a book written by St. Mark. It shows how St. Mark was able to overcome lust and live an exemplary life. His life is a lesson for all of us, as it teaches us to become holy and free.
St. Catherine
It is not unusual for a saint to struggle with lust. In fact, many of them did. Saint Augustine, for example, condemned secular love poetry for seducing young men with blind love and ephemeral beauty. This seduction was fueled by greed and opportunity, and it left young men dead without cure or remedy.
Despite her strong religious beliefs and reputation as a miracle worker, Catherine had a troublesome past. She was sought out by the Sienese in all sorts of troubles, and her work was so effective that she had three Dominican priests appointed to hear her confessions. She was also successful at settling disputes and healing old feuds. In fact, Catherine was often called upon to arbitrate in Italy, and she threw herself into Pope Gregory’s campaign for another crusade.
In the fourth century, when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, idol worship became less of a threat to public order. As a result, St. Catherine of Alexandria’s legacy was deemed redundant. In the absence of a birth certificate, her legacy is no longer recognized as a saint.
As an adult, Catherine struggled with lust. Though she had received a vision from God, she was tempted to pursue a relationship. However, she fought to maintain her Christian faith, and she fought against temptation with God’s blessings. When she felt tempted by the devil, she responded with prayer, penances, fasting, and vigils. Eventually, she was able to overcome her temptations by relying on her faith and the presence of God.
As a Christian, Catherine was the richest woman in Alexandria, and yet she resisted her tyrant’s lust. Because she had chosen virtue over worldly advantages, the tyrant was not able to accept her virtue. As a result, the tyrant stripped her of her estates and banished her to a remote part of Alexandria.
Maximinus was jealous of Catherine, and brought forth some of the greatest intellectuals in his court to try to disprove her arguments. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit strengthened her resolve and she converted many sophists. Maximinus then offered Catherine wealth and power if she would abandon her faith.
