The Bride of Christ: A Study in Christian Legend Lore:

The legend of St. Catharine, the bride of Christ, though once very popular, is almost forgotten now. The Puritan spirit, so powerful among Protestants, which wants religion pure and simple, without romance and sometimes even without the adornment of art, has affected even Roman Catholics, and yet the legend is full of charm and is apt to prove fascinating even to the unbeliever. Though the legend is neglected, the idea of a bride of Christ still lives even in Protestant hymns, where followi...