FABLES, CONTES et LEGENDES

La Légende de Sainte Catherine et ... l'histoire des Catherinettes !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Traditionnellement,  au moyen-âge, le 25 novembre, les jeunes filles non mariées à l'âge de vingt-cinq ans offraient des fleurs et des rubans à Sainte Catherine et piquaient une aiguille dans sa coiffe, en faisant le voeu de se marier.
La tradition continua et les célibataires se rendaient ensuite au bal, coiffées de chapeaux jaunes et verts, afin de signaler aux prétendants qu'elles étaient libres.
Le jaune symbolisait la famille et le vert l'espoir...  Si elles n'étaient toujours pas mariées à 30 ans puis à 35 ans, les célibataires piquaient encore une aiguille dans la coiffe de leur sainte patronne. Après trente-cinq ans  il n'y avait plus aucun espoir - disait-on - pour les jeunes femmes, de trouver un mari.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Au début du siècle, les maisons de couture organisaient des  concours de bonnets et des défilés de Catherinettes. Christian Dior attachait beaucoup d'importance à cette fête et visitait les ateliers des couturières et des modistes qui jouaient de petites scénettes costumées  ... Aujourd'hui, les moeurs ont changé ! l'obsession de se marier avant de coiffer Sainte-Catherine est une notion désuète mais le plaisir de se déguiser demeure cependant.

Les écoles de mode continuent cette tradition et les élèves fabriquent leur coiffe et leur robe et participent au concours de la coiffe la plus inventive.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Selon la légende dorée , au IVè siècle, Sainte Catherine d'Alexandrie reprocha à l'empereur Maxence de sacrifier aux idoles païennes.  « Je viens te saluer, empereur, à la fois par déférence pour ta dignité et parce que je veux m’engager à t’éloigner du culte de tes dieux pour reconnaître le seul vrai créateur ! ».
Catherine discuta avec les philosophes de la cour et les convertit à sa foi. Furieux, Maxence fit exécuter les traîtres.
Frappé par la beauté et l'intelligence de la jeune fille, Maxence voulut cependant l'épouser mais elle refusa, étant l'épouse mystique du Christ.
Encore plus furieux l'empereur la fit torturer par quatre roues dentées. L'effroyable machine cassa et quatre mille païens périrent écrasés sous les débris. Finalement, Maxence fit décapiter la jeune fille et, au lieu de sang, du lait jaillit de son cou, ô miracle.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         L'église catholique ne reconnait pas vraiment Catherine, vierge et martyr, comme une sainte. 

Il n'existe pas de preuves suffisantes de son existence, de son supplice et des miracles qui accompagnèrent sa courte existence.  Avec la diffusion de la Légende Dorée, le culte de Sainte Catherine devint très populaire en Europe.
Catherine d'Alexandrie est la patronne des couturières, à cause des aiguilles, et des métiers utilisant une roue: les charrons, les rémouleurs, les mariniers, les fileuses, les meuniers etc ...L'iconographie traditionnelle montre Sainte Catherine avec la palme du martyr, l'épée qui la décapita, la roue brisée de son supplice, un livre symbole de son savoir, une couronne. Parfois elle foule au pied la tête de Maxence comme la Vierge piétine le serpent, ou comme Kâli - la déesse indienne - piétine le corps de shiva.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Et la légende dit qu'il y a l'équivalent pour les garçons :  Saint-Nicolas de La Crosse...