Astonishing miracles, raging battles with the Devil himself, ecstatic trances that go on for weeks, wondrous feats of levitation, the sensational
power of bilocation and an uncanny ability to communicate with animals… A temporary installation in central Palma doesn’t tell half the story when it comes to the eventful and fanciful life of Mallorca’s only female saint.
Palma pedestrians going for a ramble down the Rambla have, since July, been welcomed by a six-meter-high arch resting on eight columns. A closer look reveals it to be a tribute to Saint Catalina Tomàs, also known as “La Beateta,” and a much-venerated figure in Mallorca. This year marks the 450th anniversary of the mystic’s death, and the arch is a replica of the one placed in the same spot in 1930 to celebrate her canonization.
“We were keen to recover this tradition of the arch to mark the 450th anniversary of the saint’s death. She is deeply rooted in our history and our culture. People who walk through here will be able to learn the most important dates in her life,” explains the island administration’s head of Culture and Heritage, Antònia Roca. “And though the saint is an ever-present figure in Mallorca, many people still don’t know who she is. That’s why we thought that recovering the triumphal arch would be something that many people would see”.
Though the arch is emblazoned with plaques describing the milestones in the holy woman’s life, these certainly don’t do justice to a life of prodigious miracles and marvels, that seem straight out of a fairy tale.
Born in 1531 in the village of Valldemossa, Catalina’s life was marked by a series of mystical experiences, miracles, and profound piety, making her one of the island’s most beloved saints. From a very young age, Catalina exhibited a strong inclination toward spirituality. Her mother sensed she was destined for sanctity, the lore has it, when, as a baby, she refused to suckle on Fridays – preferring to fast. When she suffered a broken arm, it miraculously healed when she stepped through the doors of the church. When she went missing during a family celebration, her grandmother is said to have found her playing with a beautiful little boy who promptly vanished: presumably the Christ child
Orphaned at a young age, she was taken in by relatives who put her to work on their farm. As she grew up, Catalina is said to have had frequent visions of Christ and the Virgin Mary, which were described as vivid and filled with light. These visions were not just private experiences but often occurred in public, drawing the attention of those around her and marking her out as someone with a special connection to the divine. But she also began to receive visits from the Devil, ominous encounters that were to plague her throughout the rest of her life. Once, he appeared to her as a fine young man, offering her pearls and jewels. Another time, the Devil pushed her down a hill. Usually, a saint such as Anthony or her namesake, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, would appear in the nick of time to save her.
Aged just five, she decided that she wished to take Christ as her bridegroom. Apparently, this ambition had Jesus’s mother’s blessing. The Virgin appeared and told her that Christ was in favor of the match, and that beautiful wedding garments had already been arranged.
One of the most colorful and well-known miracles associated with Catalina occurred when she was just a child. According to legend, she was once sent to fetch water from a well. On her way, she encountered a group of boys who began to mock her for her piety. Undeterred, Catalina continued to the well, where she had a vision of the Virgin Mary. When she lowered her pail into the well, instead of drawing up water, the pail returned filled with roses. This miraculous event not only silenced her tormentors (and left everyone thirsty) but also became a symbol of her pure devotion and the favor she found with the Heavens.
More remarkable still was her ability to communicate with animals. It is said that birds would flock to her, would perch on her fingers, and that she could command them with ease. Later in life, after she took her vows, a bird was often seen with her in her convent cell, though there was no apparent way it could have gained entry.
Catalina’s life was also marked by terrifying spiritual trials, often described as battles with demons, which left her physically bruised and battered.
In her later years, Catalina entered the convent of Santa Magdalena in Palma de Mallorca, where she continued to live a life of deep prayer and contemplation, and often spent days, or longer, in ecstatic trances. Within the convent, her reputation for holiness continued to grow. It is said that she had the gift of prophecy and could read the hearts and minds of those who came to her for counsel. Many miracles were attributed to her intercession, both during her life and after her death in 1574.
The legacy of Saint Catalina Tomàs is deeply embedded in the cultural and religious fabric of Mallorca. Every year, on her feast day, celebrated on July 28, the streets of Valldemossa are filled with flowers, and processions are held in her honor. Her life, filled with visions, miracles, and spiritual trials, has inspired the faithful for centuries and continues to do so, serving as a vivid reminder of the power of faith and the mysteries of the divine.
