St. Agnes of Rome

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Born: c. 291 Rome,Italy

Died: c. 304 Rome, Italy

Venerated: in Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Anglican Communion, Lutheranism

Canonized: Pre-congregation

Major shrine: Church of Sant’Agnese fuori le mura and the Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, both in Rome

Feast: 21 January; before Pope John XXIII revised the calendar, there was a second feast on January 28

Patronage: Betrothed couples; chastity and virgins; Children of Mary; Colegio Capranica of Rome; gardeners; Girl Guides; the diocese of Rockville Centre, New York; the city of Fresno.

The legend cannot be proven true, and many details of the fifth century Acts of Saint Agnes are open to criticism likely full of elaboration, though substantially the circumstances of her martyrdom are authentic.

Archaeological evidence indicates that a young girl of about thirteen years of age, a virgin named Agnes, was martyred in Rome and honoured for her sacrifice. A church was built over her tomb, and her relics venerated.

The details of her story are unreliable, but according to tradition, Agnes was a member of the Roman nobility, born in AD 291 and raised in an early Christian family. She suffered martyrdom at the age of twelve or thirteen during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, on 21 January 304.

A beautiful young girl of wealthy family, Agnes had many suitors of high rank, and the young men, slighted by her resolute devotion to religious purity, submitted her name to the authorities as a follower of Christianity.

The Prefect Sempronius condemned Agnes to be dragged naked through the streets to a brothel. In one account, as she prayed, her hair grew and covered her body. It was also said that all of the men that attempted to rape her were immediately struck blind. The son of the prefect is struck dead but revived after she prayed for him, causing her release. There is then a trial from which Sempronius recuses himself, and another figure presides, sentencing her to death. She was led out and bound to a stake, but the bundle of wood would not burn, or the flames parted away from her, whereupon the officer in charge of the troops drew his sword and beheaded her, or, in some other texts, stabbed her in the throat. It is also said that her blood poured to the stadium floor where other Christians soaked it up with cloths.

Agnes was buried beside the Via Nomentana in Rome. A few days after her death, her foster-sister, Emerentiana, was found praying by her tomb; she claimed to be the daughter of Agnes’ wet nurse, and was stoned to death after refusing to leave the place and reprimanding the pagans for killing her foster sister. Emerentiana was also later canonised. The daughter of Constantine I, Saint Constance, was said to have been cured of leprosy after praying at Agnes’ tomb. She and Emerentiana appear in the scenes from the life of Agnes on the 14th-century Royal Gold Cup in the British Museum.
An early account of Agnes’ death, stressing her young age, steadfastness and virginity, but not the legendary features of the tradition, is given by Saint Ambrose. BHL 156-167.

Veneration

Agnes was venerated as a saint at least as early as the time of St Ambrose, based on an existing homily. She is commemorated in the Depositio Martyrum of Filocalus (354) and in the early Roman Sacramentaries.

Agnes’ bones are conserved beneath the high altar in the church of Sant’Agnese fuori le mura in Rome, built over the catacomb that housed her tomb. Her skull is preserved in a separate chapel in the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone in Rome’s Piazza Navona.

According to Robert Ellsberg, in his book Blessed among all women: women saints prophets and witnesses for our time, In the story of Agnes the opposition is not between sex and virginity. The conflict is between a young woman’s power in Christ to define her own identity versus a patriarchal culture’s claim to identify her in terms of her sexuality. According to the view shared by her “suitors” and the state, if she would not be one man’s wife, she might as well be every man’s whore. Failing these options, she might as well be dead. Agnes did not choose death. She chose not to worship the gods of her culture. …Espoused to Christ, she was beyond the power of any man to ‘have his way with her’. ‘Virgin’ in this case is another way of saying Free Woman. Her feast day is 21 January.

Patronage

Because of the legend around her martyrdom, she is patron saint of those seeking chastity and purity.

Agnes is also the patron saint of young girls. Folk custom called for them to practise rituals on Saint Agnes’ Eve (20–21 January) with a view to discovering their future husbands. This superstition has been immortalised in John Keats’s poem, “The Eve of Saint Agnes”.

Prayer to St. Agnes of Rome

O glorious St. Agnes, you served God in humility and confidence on earth and are now in the enjoyment of his beatific Vision in heaven because you persevered till death and gained the crown of eternal life.

Remember now the dangers that surround me in the vale of tears, and intercede for me in my needs and troubles. Amen.

Prayer to St. Agnes of Rome

O Little St. Agnes, so young and yet made so strong and wise by the power of God,protect by your prayers all the young people of every place whose goodness and purity are threatened by the evils and impurities of this world.

Give them strength in temptation and a true repentance when they fail. Help them to find true Christian friends to accompany them in following the Lamb of God and finding safe pastures in His Church and in her holy sacraments.

May you lead us to the wedding banquet of heaven to rejoice with you and all the holy virgin martyrs in Christ who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen…St Agnes, Pray for Us.

Novena to St. Agnes of Rome

Day 1 To live by faith from an early age

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

I was a child, it is true. I have always remained a child in the perception of God, because regardless of age, people depart from God when it seems to them that they are dependent upon themselves. I never succumbed to that illusion, and I deeply believed and placed my trust in God. Jesus remained my chosen One, although it is rather He who chose me, so I may testify about His love. Do you think that I alone would have been able to suffer death by martyrdom for Him? No… no man is able to do so, if God does not give him this grace (Compendium III, p. 117).

From the teachings of St. Agnes

Man was created by God and only the one God knows how many years He gave him to spend on Earth. If from an early childhood man begins to follow the good, it will be much easier for him to walk the right path in the future. If he is left alone to himself without a proper education, then, without an extraordinary grace of God, he can succumb to an easy life and get used to choosing things that are comfortable and pleasant, but not necessarily good. And for our deeds, we should care from the beginning; because the Book of Life does not record the deeds of man from a mature age, but from the early childhood, from the beginning, although it takes into account his awareness and circumstances (Compendium IV, p. 152).

Prayer

Saint Agnes, who entrusted yourself to God at the beginning of your life and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace

(mention your request).

Let your prayer give me comfort in times of trials and torments. Be my friend in times of loneliness and abandonment, and obtain for me from your Spouse, Jesus Christ, the eternal happiness in Heaven. Holy innocent virgin, who paid the greatest price for preserving fidelity to Christ, obtain for me the grace of complete purity of the soul and the body. Amen.
Our Father …Hail Mary …Glory be to the Father.

Day 2 To believe with your whole heart

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

When I found out that there is a God and that He offered us the proof of His love towards us in His Son, I wanted to devote all my life to Him, to the crucified Jesus, in whom I believed wholeheartedly. Christianity was not a popular religion at that time. It was considered rather as a dangerous sect that was feared like fire and destroyed with great ferocity due to this fear, and this is because Christians were free. They submitted to the law of the state only as far as it was consistent with the confession of the One God. Everything that was at odds with Christianity was overlooked and disobeyed (Compendium IV, p.153).

From the teachings of St. Agnes

True faith puts everything in the light of eternity, and in this light material things completely lose their value; instead spiritual values gain immensely. In this light, it is clearly visible that all material things will undergo destruction and we will not salvage anything from them. And even if we manage to safeguard them from destruction or loss, to what avail? We still need to leave them all behind when departing from this world. Posterity? How do we know whether wealth will be a benefit for our posterity? Or maybe the opposite? Therefore one should not accumulate wealth, and one should not draw excessive joy from what rejoices human senses, because these items, although so fleeting and deceptive, have a great power to beguiled souls (Compendium IV, p. 154).

Prayer

Saint Agnes, who believed in God with your whole heart and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace

(mention your request).

Day 3 The Blood and the Body of God

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

Christians were considered to be mad people, enslaved by their teachers and priests, officiating strange rites, eating blood and flesh in the literal and human sense, and not in the mystical sense. No one, however, who does not have faith, can comprehend what for a Christian are the Blood and the Flesh of his God. All our services and prayers were misunderstood. For the Rome of that time, where reigned the cult of the body and well-being, spiritual faith and worship in a spiritual way were incomprehensible; the communion with God in such a close and real way, but on the spiritual plane. Rome deemed that the worship of a man, whom Rome found guilty and sentenced to death, already is a crime against Rome (Compendium IV, p. 153).

From the teachings of St. Agnes

In the light of faith, the human soul climbs on a pedestal. She, as seen through the eyes of eternity, does not lose its value at all, does not grow old, does not decay, does not pass, does not disappear, lasts forever. Therefore, we should care only for her. For her we should care by all means, because the way in which we will proceed with her now, will be decisive about her eternal future. (…)

Striving for my appearance became an excess for me, and I lost all respect for the body. I thought a lot about the fact that it is the dwelling of man on Earth, but God had treated it very cruelly in His Son. Thinking about the sufferings of Jesus, I thus tried to have my body for nothing and, in the measure of possible, to mortify and to torment it. The smaller the body becomes in man, the more his soul grows, and I wanted to have a beautiful soul, because only the soul is eternal (Compendium IV, p. 154-155).

Prayer

Saint Agnes, who tormented the body to embellish the soul and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace

(mention your request).

Day 4 I put such great trust into Him…

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

I trusted, I believed that only He alone can make me happy, and the Holy Spirit send down upon me His gifts, to arm me with faith and bravery. I was not stronger than the other girls, I was not better than them at all. Only I trusted Him so much and I believed with joy in His Resurrection that the Lord was pleased with my trust and gave me to suffer for His Name. It is a great honor and I do not owe this grace to anything, but only to His great love for me (Compendium III, p.117).

From the teachings of St. Agnes

The comparison of the world to eternity always brought me the answers to all my dilemmas. Thanks to this method, I was able to distinguish between what is good and what is bad; what should be cultivated and what should be avoided like fire. The man who truly believes lives by faith in every moment of life, because he has no time to waste for anything that does not lead to the goal. Also, a good name does not belong to eternity, because a good name in the world does not mean yet a good name in eternity, rather vice versa, as testified to us Lord Jesus Himself. Until now, His great and holy Name was despised, and yet in the highest there is no greater name. So a good name in the world does not mean anything. It is better to renounce it right away, and then it is not a pity to be judged and despised (Compendium IV, p. 155).

Prayer

Saint Agnes, who had for nothing human glory and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace

(mention your request).

Day 5 The goal of the life of a Christian

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

When I decided to completely give myself to God, I felt a deep relief in my heart. I was no longer afraid that I will go down the wrong path, that I will be swallowed by the world of games and pleasure, or the love for a man will take away from me the love for God. I chose the purpose of my life and I strove towards it without looking back. The purpose of the life of man on Earth is the Salvation of his soul. Thus, it is totally not worth it to involve ourselves in matters that distance us from this goal (Compendium IV, p. 154).

From the teachings of St. Agnes

When we choose a road leading to a goal, we should never look back, because then we can lose sight of the goal and never reach it. However, you can not risk the loss of Salvation; so you also should not put yourself to trial, meditating upon the validity of your decision. I decided that I will forever belong to Jesus and never to anyone else. This decision cost me my life, but I have gained eternal life, and so I have reached my goal (Compendium IV, p. 156).

Prayer

Saint Agnes, who recognized the salvation of the soul as the only goal of your life and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace

(mention your request).

Day 6 The futility of the world

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

After completing my 13th year of life, I have been summoned to the prefect so that I could see better how my future life would look like. (…) everything there was so nice that I was filled with fear that I could take part in these wonders, which really are the excesses and vanities of the world. Yet, I was frightened that Satan could easily deceive me if I remained there, so my decision was only reinforced within me and my resolve to remain faithful to my only Spouse (Compendium III, p. 118).

From the teachings of St. Agnes

All people, even though they know that someday they must die, rather believe that they will live a very long time, and even when they are old, they think that they still have time. And I lived the other way around. I always felt that I had little time to prove my love to God. One should expect death at any moment; then it is not a surprise and man is able to accept it, because he lives in anticipation of it. This is not sad, it is true. After all, our destiny is another life, and in this other life we should already rejoice during the earthly life more than in the present life. Each day can be the final day.

When we look in this way at life, we pay no attention to unimportant things and we have no desire to sin, because who would want to sin just before his death? Also, there is no way to fall out with someone, because before death everyone wishes to reconcile with everybody (Compendium IV, p. 157).

Prayer

Saint Agnes, who was in a hurry to prove your love to God and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace

(mention your request).

Day 7 The temptation of Satan

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

Satan deceived me in multiple ways. First, he wanted to get close to me through flattery. Then he tried to bribe me. Then he set before my eyes the image of my heartbroken and unhappy parents who suffer so much because of me; how ungrateful I am by showing them a lack of obedience, because they have sacrificed their life for me, and I only think about myself. And finally he started to frighten me with the most brutal torments. When I was already on the verge of exhaustion, I saw the sweet Face of Jesus, and then all the fears and concerns melted away from me (Compendium III, p. 119).

From the teachings of St. Agnes

I can say that I have tried to live as if I was a one-day’s human, as if every day I had to die and was ready for death each night, and in the morning I woke up again to life, in order to die in the evening. Such was my life, but thanks to this, I did not waste time on superfluous things, and just tried to do as much good as possible, believing that this may be the last day of my life. How valuable then the day becomes; how much one loves it, because it is the last. No matter how hard it is, one loves it anyway. By acting and thinking in this way, we can free ourselves from an awful lot of temptations, truly giving our life to God, and not gaining attachment to anything, even to our own life (Compendium IV, p. 157).

Prayer

Saint Agnes, who readied yourself each day for death and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace

(mention your request).

Day 8 I would not give up my martyrdom for anything

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

Only suffering (…), if you knew how happy I am now, what a beautiful crown of glory all the martyrs receive, I would not give up my martyrdom for anything. These were moments of great suffering and fear, but the thought of Jesus did not leave me, that I am suffering martyrdom for Him and this is the greatest honor for a Christian. I wished to die so and God fulfilled my desire (Compendium III, p.119).

From the teachings of St. Agnes

Firstly, during the entire life one should await death; and secondly, during the entire life one should await rebirth, rebirth for the true life. Saints are able to deny themselves everything, because they believe that after death, they will be satiated to the extent to which their faith was strong. They are able to wait for this fulfillment entire years, denying themselves everything.
Those who do not believe are unable to wait. They want to experience everything in this life, fearing that they will not have enough time to enjoy life. However, life starts after death and then comes the time to enjoy life, and on Earth great work awaits man.

For those who worked hard during life, after death comes eternal rest. Without faith, this reality is reversed and people wish to enjoy and to rest on Earth, and after death they pay for this very severely (Compendium IV, p. 158).

Prayer:

Saint Agnes, who by nurturing true hope, denied yourself everything on this world and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace (mention your request).

Day 9 Testimony through signs

From the remembrances of St. Agnes

As if that was not enough, at the moment of my death, God still testified about His love for me, strengthening me through signs; and, thanks to that, arousing faith in all those who witnessed these events [1]. How great a testimony I bore with my existence, so that God may be recognized and His holy Name may be known in the whole world. From up here, after one can see exactly how many souls were later nourished by this hope, which God deigned to show through my martyrdom (Compendium III, p.119-120). It is said that the miraculous signs that took place during the tortures, caused the conversion of 160 pagans.

From the teachings of St. Agnes

Achieving holiness after the death requires enormous and long-lasting sufferings, while during lifetime the worst sufferings would be considered the lightest punishment in Purgatory. Also, not everyone gets this chance. Many souls will never again sanctify themselves and will never reach the state of eternal joy. Eternal suffering awaits them.

I could never understand how one can take such risks, to risk such a cruel eternal fate for a moment of sin. Therefore, the whole wisdom of man lies in this: to deepen and to strengthen his faith, thanks to which it is increasingly easier to deny himself for the cause of his future life (Compendium IV, p.158).

Prayer

Saint Agnes, who never risked the loss of eternal life for a moment of sin and with joy suffered death by martyrdom for the One, who died for all of us, I ask you humbly, deign to intercede for me in every minute of this day and obtain for me the grace

(mention your request).

Litany to St. Agnes

Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison, Christe eleison, Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Christ, hear us.Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, the Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, consecrated to God in your youth, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, lily of virginal innocence, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, rose among the thorns of paganism, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, inflamed with the love of God, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, defender of the faith, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, adornment of the Christian nation, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, loathing the lure of the world and all its vanity, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, by the particular grace of God protected by the angel from the stain of sin, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, singular model of virginal purity, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, mirror of piety, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, example of obedience and mores, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, invaluable treasure of the Church of Christ, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, victorious over all temptations, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, adornment of the female gender, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, consolation of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, guardian of all virgins, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, virgin in soul and body, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, bride of the Savior of the world, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, betrothed to God with the ring of His Faith, Hope and Love, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, despising the earthly bridegroom for the love of God, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, reviving the dead young man through your prayers, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, not afraid of terrible torments, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, wishing with joy for death by martyrdom, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, condemned by the enemy to be burned, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, perishing from a murderous hand armed with steel, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, unparalleled in martyr’s patience, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, rare example of bravery and consistency, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, adorned with the palm of victory, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, rewarded with the crown of martyrdom, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, included in the fellowship of the martyrs of Christ, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, placed in the tabernacle of eternal glory, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, experienced Patroness in various adventures, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, consolation of God the Eternal Father, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, dwelling of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, our Patroness, pray for us.
Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.Christ, graciously hear us.
Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison, Christe eleison, Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison.

Almighty eternal God, who in the midst of pagan darkness, having in particular care your faithful servant Saint Agnes, preserved her in innocence and gave her the crown of martyrdom in Your glory, we ask You humbly to deliver us through her intercession from the darkness of sin, and bring us through the road of virtue to the glory that she shares forever with You, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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