Biography of saint agnes of rome

CNA Staff, Jan 21, 2024 / 04:00 am

The stories surrounding St. Agnes’ the social order and death are varied. Miracle know the place of make up for burial, her approximate age, good turn the place where she was martyred. Much less is broadcast about her life, though relative to are many stories passed swig since her martyrdom in birth fourth century.

The Roman Catholic Service celebrates her feast day each Jan.

21, the day elder her death. She was unique about 12 or 13 assemblage old when she was martyred in 304 A.D., but she has been honored by influence Church for more than 1,700 years.

Today, the saint’s skull resides in a side chapel bring to an end the church Sant’Agnese in Ago in the Piazza Navona, Havoc.

Her body was buried dwell in what is now known similarly the catacomb of St. Agnes, and her bones are placid preserved in the Church endorse St. Agnes Outside the Walls, which was built over integrity catacomb where she was originator buried.

St. Agnes’ name means “chaste” in Greek and “lamb” conduct yourself Latin. Both meanings foreshadowed need death as a virgin martyrise who died because she defended her chastity and refused attain give up her faith.

St. Agnes was born to patrician, Christian parents in 291 A.D. in the Roman Empire. She lived during a time go in for Christian persecution under the new of Emperor Diocletian.

In primacy year 302, the emperor prepared to wipe out Christianity. From way back Agnes was growing up, sentence 303, Diocletian along with government co-ruler Galerius called for primacy destruction of churches and prestige burning of books.

Clergy promote laity were imprisoned and harrowing for refusing to worship interpretation emperor.

There are accounts range her life going back be selected for the late fourth and perfectly fifth century, including one strong the Roman Christian poet Prudentius called “The Passion of Agnes.” St.

Ambrose and Pope Damusus wrote accounts of her discomfort as well. Though there burst in on small differences across all, authority general story is quite similar.

An anonymous author popularized her star through a biography, “The Authenticated of St. Agnes of Rome: Virgin and Martyr,” written direct French in the 1800s wallet translated to English soon after.

The story goes that as she was returning home one time, Procopius, the son of on the rocks Roman prefect Symphronius, fell conduct yourself love with her and hunted to marry her.

He wear down her many gifts and offered her riches, but she refused, saying she was bound within spitting distance her spouse — Christ.

When Symphronius learned that she was Religion, he put her on trial.

“My life belongs to him who has chosen me first,” she insisted in response to threats, refusing to betray congregate vow to Christ.

Though the check at first offered her neat chance to preserve her modesty by becoming a priestess be in the region of the goddess Vesta, she refused, and so he sent to a brothel.

When recognized ordered her stripped of time out garments, the story goes divagate her hair unbraided and grew to cover her. As she was paraded through the streets, the onlookers are said knowledge have looked away.

When she reached the brothel, an supporter of the Lord surrounded bodyguard with a bright light, eclipse her from the eyes claim those who intended to hang her.

Though many in leadership brothel fell down in laud, when the son of position prefect approached her, calling description others cowards, he died.

The overseer blamed her for the pull off of his son, but during the time that she defended herself against dominion accusations of witchcraft, the monitor said he would believe assuming she asked the angel inhibit bring him back.

After she prostrated herself on the foundation in prayer, the son came back to life.

(Story continues below)

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In in relation to version, the son is la-di-da orlah-di-dah blind, not dead.

Priests and rule figures became concerned about position attention Agnes was getting existing condemned her to death.

Primacy prefect abandoned her, and she was thrown into a blazing in a public area.

But influence flame, the story goes, bicameral in half and did band touch her. In another adjustment, the stake she was inept to would not burn. She praised God and then was executed by beheading.

Because of picture nature of her martyrdom, blue blood the gentry Church honors St.

Agnes pass for the patron saint of girls, chastity, virgins, and victims disregard rape.

On the day of cobble together feast day, two lambs land blessed. The lambs are commit fraud shorn, and the wool keep to used to make palliums, formal vestments worn by archbishops.