- 23 rue d'Algérie, 69001 Lyon
- What you see
- What you need to know
Admire the superb corner niche, which houses the statue of Saint Catherine, a venerated martyr. She is depicted holding a wheel studded with iron spikes in her left hand. Here is her story.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a revered figure of the Christian faith, is said to have lived in the 3rd century in Egypt. Born the daughter of a king, she received an exceptional education. Witnessing the persecution of Christians, she confronted the Emperor Maxentius who, although seduced by the beauty of the young woman, remained inflexible in his beliefs. He then summoned an assembly of scholars to convince her to renounce her faith. However, she succeeded in converting them.
She even managed to convert the emperor's own wife. Furious, Maxentius decided to inflict the torture of the wheel on her, but miraculously, she emerged unscathed. Unable to break her determination, the emperor then ordered her beheading.
This remarkable work is the fruit of the talent of the sculptor Joseph Fabisch.
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