St. Agnes - Patron Saint

                                          ST. AGNES – PATRON SAINT

Died c.305

Photograph by Rosemary C. Hanna

Feast Day - 21^st January

Agnes was a thirteen-year-old virgin who was put on trial for being a Christian in the early fourth century.  During his reign from (284-305) the Roman Emperor, Diocletian ordered the last great persecution of Christians.  During her trial Agnes was told of the good life she would have if she gave up her Christian faith and married.   However, she refused to give up her faith, and also refused the offers of marriage from several young men including the son of a Roman official.   She was threatened and subsequently tortured; however, she still refused to deny her faith and was prepared to die as “the bride of Christ”.  She was taken to the Roman temple to offer a gift at the altar of the goddess Minerva, but instead she made the Sign of the Cross and accepted death at the age of thirteen.

 

The name Agnes means "chaste" in Greek.  The name also closely resembles the Latin word for lamb (agnus) and St. Agnes is usually depicted in pictures with a lamb in her arms - the symbol of purity and innocence.  St. Agnes is known as the patron saint of young women.