Why is the catherine wheel called catherine?

Answer 1

The fireworks device with a wheel propelled with a battery of rockets around the rim is called a Catherine Wheel almost by historical accident. One of the many saints named Catherine, was allegedly tortured or martyred on a spiked wheel. However, no flames nor pyrotechnics were involved. Somehow the wrong buttons get pushed and we have a confusion with chariots of Fire and the biblical tales of Ezekiel and his Wheel, but not referred to as a chariot in The Bible, by the way. Actually Ezekielian wheel would make more sense as the wheel was apparently surrounded with smoke and steam if not actual fire effects. In the US this type of firework is illegal except for organized displays. It is usually called a Pinwheel, maybe becaue of separation of church and state, rather than Catherine wheel which has religious connotations. And Ezekiel saw a Wheel!

Answer 2

Basically, the executioner would tie the person down and beat them with an iron rod, or hammer to create new joints. Once these "joints" were made, the executioner would bend the person into the spokes of a wheel and attach an axel and steak it into the ground vertically, so the person would spin on the wheel for days, until they died of shock or dehydration. In some cases, such as Christman Genipperteinga, convicted serial killer of over 950 people, was forced to drink water, until he died 9 days later in the wheel. Truely a horrible way to go.

Answer 3

The firework is named after the instrument of torture, the breaking wheel, on which, legend has it, St. Catherine was martyred

Answer 4

Named after St Catherine who was sentanced to death on a breaking wheel.

Answer 5

This firework is named after the instrument of torture upon which St. Catherine was martyred.