Catherine wheel ( firework ) - Wikipedia Catherine wheel ( firework ) For other uses, see Catherine wheel. Catherine wheel at Qala, Malta The Catherine wheel or pinwheel is a type of firework consisting of a powder - filled spiral tube, or an angled rocket mounted with a pin through its center. When ignited, it rotates quickly, producing a display of sparks and coloured flame. The firework is named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria who, according to Christian tradition, was condemned to death by `` breaking on the wheel ''. When she touched the wheel it miraculously flew to pieces. The largest Catherine wheel ever made was designed by the Lily Fireworks Factory of Mqabba, Malta. The Catherine wheel had a diameter of 32.044 m ( 105 ft 1.6 in ), and was lit on 18 June 2011, the eve of the annual feast of Our Lady of the Lilies. In Malta, Catherine wheels are a traditional fixture during every village ' festa '. Some villages even hold competitions on the eve of the parish feast, while others display the vast work of one firework factory. Entrants display a variety of moving shapes and include various colours year after year as the technology progresses. These displays are only a small part of the firework catalogue planned throughout the week preceding the feast and on the feast day itself. The Catherine wheel displays typically end with the burning of what is called ' the carpet ' : the largest Catherine wheel in the display on the night. In the Philippines, Catherine wheel is also known as trompillo and according to Republic Act 7183, it is a legal firework. References Jump up ^ `` Firework - largest Catherine wheel ''. Guinness World Records. Retrieved 8 February 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mqabba sets world record ''. Times of Malta. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2015. Jump up ^ `` REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7183 ''. chanrobles.com. Retrieved December 29, 2016. Jump up ^ Roxas, Joseph Tristan ( November 29, 2016 ). `` PNP bares list of legal firecrackers, pyrotechnics for holiday revelry ''. GMA News ( in Ingles ). Retrieved December 29, 2016. CS1 maint : Unrecognized language ( link ) This explosives - related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catherine_wheel_(firework)&oldid=851072255 '' Categories : Types of fireworks Explosives stubs Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Unrecognized language All stub articles Talk About Wikipedia Português Tagalog தமிழ் Edit links This page was last edited on 19 July 2018, at 21 : 28 ( UTC ). About Wikipedia

Question: how did the catherine wheel get its name
Answer: Saint Catherine of Alexandria