Catherine of Siena was a 14th century Italian Dominican tertiary who lived from 1347-1380. She was known for her mystical visions and prophecies, as well as her work helping the poor and sick. Catherine devoted herself to prayer from a young age and joined the Dominican Third Order at age 16. She reported having many visions of Christ and conversations with him during her periods of deep prayer. These visions shaped her religious convictions and inspired her service to the Church.
The Bible does not directly mention Catherine of Siena, as she lived centuries after the biblical texts were written. However, her life and writings aligned with many biblical principles and teachings. Here are some key ways that Catherine’s life connected to biblical themes:
Devotion to Christ
Catherine was single-mindedly devoted to Christ, whom she considered her divine spouse. She sought an intimate relationship with Jesus through constant prayer, Scripture reading, and serving others in his name. Her love for Christ reflected biblical teachings such as:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
Like many biblical figures, Catherine’s devotion led to spiritual gifts like visions, healing miracles, and prophecies. Her experiences paralleled those of saints like John, Peter, and Paul.
Concern for Justice
Catherine worked to reform corruption in the Catholic Church and society. She exhorted clergy to live piously and help the poor. She also traveled to Avignon to advise the Pope to return the papacy to Rome. Catherine wanted the Church to fulfill its moral obligations, much like the biblical prophets who condemned religious hypocrisy and injustice. For example:
“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isaiah 1:17)
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
Catherine viewed politics and religion as intertwined and believed that the Church had a duty to promote morality in society.
Service and Self-Denial
Catherine devoted herself to serving the sick and poor, exemplifying biblical teachings on charity such as:
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16)
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)
She also believed in mortifying her own desires through fasting, minimal sleep, and wearing a hair shirt. Catherine’s asceticism aligned with passages such as:
“I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27)
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
Despite her mystical experiences, Catherine remained grounded in humble service and sacrifice.
Prophetic Visions and Writings
Catherine reported having visions of Christ, Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. She also composed nearly 400 letters to all manner of people, offering spiritual counsel and urging reform. Her prolific prophetic writings parallel the work of biblical prophets and apostles who also wrote down their divine visions and guidance. Some examples include:
“These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” (Revelation 22:6)
“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19)
While Catherine’s visions were not incorporated into the biblical canon, they emerged from a similar prophetic tradition of mystical communion with God.
Defender of the Faith
In addition to urging reform, Catherine served as an ambassador for the papacy and a defender of the Catholic faith. She advocated for a Crusade to retake Jerusalem from Muslim control. She also countered the teachings of John Wycliffe, whom she viewed as a heretic attacking core Christian doctrines. Catherine’s polemical works reflect the vigor of biblical writers opposing false teachings, such as:
“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1:3)
“…there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:7-8)
Catherine fought to defend Catholic orthodoxy, as she understood it, against both internal corruption and external opponents.
Veneration and Sainthood
The Roman Catholic Church venerated Catherine as a saint from the 15th century onward, although she was not formally canonized until 1675. Accounts of her holy life, mystical experiences, sacrifices, and miracles parallel stories of biblical saints. For example:
“[T]he saints…by faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness…” (Hebrews 11:33-34)
“When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.” (Acts 19:6)
Catherine was also named a Doctor of the Church, a title reserved for saints whose writings and teachings offer universal wisdom and guidance for the Catholic faith. Although not found in Scripture itself, Catherine’s sainthood reflects the biblical tradition of holding up holy men and women as models of devotion.
Lessons from Her Life
While Catherine of Siena lived centuries after the biblical era, her life conveys some timeless spiritual lessons aligned with Scriptural teachings:
- A close relationship with God should inspire us to serve others.
- Fighting injustice should go hand-in-hand with living justly.
- Outward ascetic acts mean little without inward transformation.
- To defend the truth, we must live by it.
- God still speaks through humble vessels today as in biblical times.
Catherine’s example challenges all Christians to examine the integrity between their spiritual convictions and practical actions. Though not mentioned in the Bible, her life gives insight into Christian discipleship that remains relevant centuries later.
In summary, Catherine of Siena was a 14th century mystic and reformer whose devotion to Christ led her to serve the poor, critique corruption in the Church, have mystical experiences, compose prophetic writings, and defend the Catholic faith. While not referenced directly, biblical teachings on prophecy, charity, spiritual gifts, and defending the true gospel resonate with Catherine’s life and work. Studyingfigures like Catherine can help illuminate how biblical principles translate to practical Christian discipleship across generations and contexts.