St. Catherine of Sienna
Stigmatist Doctor of the Church
St. Catherine of Sienna is one of the few doctors of the Church. This title has been given to only 37 out of the countless saints. The title is reserved to saints who left behind voluminous writings that have heavily influenced the Church. The premier examples are St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. During her life, starting in her 20s, she was already heavily influencing the Church. She dictated letters to the rulers and papacy asking for peace between the Papal States and the rulers. She also asked for the papacy, then in exile, to return from France to Rome. She was so influential and powerful that she was a threat to many. She has had multiple assassination attempts on her life.
St. Catherine’s premier work is The Dialogues. These are purported to be transcriptions from her dialogues with God. Thus, they are said to be the words of God to St. Catherine. She was a mystic who has had visions of God and Jesus and saints starting when she was a child.
She has a Venus-Juno conjunct. Juno is Saturnian. So, this is showing she’s a “reserved girl”, “hidden beauty”, “hermit girl.” It also shows a “fasting girl.” This focus on fasting and penance is also reflected in Saturn semisextiling her Sun. Sun-Mercury conjunct shows she was an intelligent person, especially in early Aries (Mercurial).
Jupiter, Pluto, and her Sun are in an even closer conjunct. “Holy (Jupiter) Mystic (Pluto) Life (Sun).”
THE INVISIBLE STIGMATA
Transiting Venus conjunct Natal Mars = Wounded Girl. In Pisces, “Catholic (Neptune) Mystic (Pluto) Girl (Venus) Invisible (Saturn) Wounds/Crucifixion (Mars).” Mars conjunct Neptune is “Wounds (Mars) in Ecstasy (Neptune); or perhaps “Transparent (Neptune) Wounds.”
Both the Moon and Ceres are on St. Catherine’s birth locality vertex. Ceres, I suspect to be lunar influences. They both also are in aspect to her natal Moon. So, there is heavy lunar influence on this day. Transit Moon in Cancer opposing Ceres in Capricorn can be “Wounded (Mars) Apparition (Moon) from Heaven (Neptune) Appears (Ceres).”
BEDRIDDEN
St. Catherine’s fasting intensified and she was unable to eat food. On February 26 she could no longer use her legs. Pluto is conjunct her birth locality Medium Caeli and semisextile her Pluto. Pluto is “bedridden” and “lame.” Saturn is semisextile Venus in transit “paralyzed (Saturn) Girl (Venus) + Day/Life (Sun).
DEATH
Time of death is unknown.
At her death, we have the classic death aspect of Mercury + Saturn: “Stop (Saturn) Breathing (Mercury).” This transit conjunct is on her Uranus to show a sudden aberration. Transit Sun is conjunct Juno and Venus. “Girl’s (Venus) Life (Sun) End (Juno).” Transit Moon is opposing her Birth Locality ascendant and squaring the Sun-Venus-Juno conjunct. Moon is observing, it can also be “home” or “girl.”
MYSTICAL MARRIAGE
St. Catherine had a mystical marriage to Jesus. Jesus’ natal Juno is conjunct St. Catherine’s Saturn. Juno is a Saturnian object, and so we have a marriage hard aspect. I will also note, while we’re looking at this biwheel, that Jesus’ Uranus is conjunct Catherine’s Mars. Uranus-Mars hard aspects are associated with the stigmata.