St Agnes Medal

2.5cm long x 1.5cm wide

St. Agnes

Facts

Feastday:

January 21


Patron:

of young girls, chastity, rape survivors, and the Children of Mary

Birth: 291

Death: 304

St. Agnes of Rome was born in 291 AD and raised in a Christian
family. Agnes was very beautiful and belonged to a wealthy family. Her
hand in marriage was highly sought after, and she had many high ranking
men chasing after her. However, Agnes made a promise to God never to
stain her purity. Her love for the Lord was great and she hated sin even
more than death!

Whenever a man wished to marry Agnes, she would always say, "Jesus Christ is my only Spouse."

According to legend, the young men she turned away became so angry
and insulted by her devotion to God and purity that they began to submit
her name to authorities as a Christian follower.

In one incident, Procop, the Governor's son, became very angry when
she refused him. He tried to win her for his wife with rich gifts and
promises, but the beautiful young girl kept saying, "I am already
promised to the Lord of the Universe. He is more splendid than the sun
and the stars, and He has said He will never leave me!"

In great anger, Procop accused her of being a Christian and brought
her to his father, the Governor. The Governor promised Agnes wonderful
gifts if she would only deny God, but Agnes refused. He tried to change
her mind by putting her in chains, but her lovely face shone with joy.

Next he sent her to a place of sin, but an Angel protected her. At
last, she was condemned to death. Even the pagans cried to see such a
young and beautiful girl going to death. Yet, Agnes was as happy as a
bride on her wedding day. She did not pay attention to those who begged
her to save herself. "I would offend my Spouse," she said, "if I were to
try to please you. He chose me first and He shall have me!" Then she
prayed and bowed her head for the death-stroke of the sword.

Other accounts of Agnes' life hold the Prefect Sempronius responsible
for her martyrdom. It is said he condemned the young girl to be dragged
through the streets naked. Some versions of the legend state that
Agnes' hair grew instantly to cover her entire body and all the men who
attempted to rape the beautiful virgin were immediately struck blind.

The stories go on to explain that another man presided over Agnes'
trial after Sempronius excused himself. The new man sentenced Agnes to
death. At first, Agnes was tied to a stake, but either the wood would
not burn or the flames parted away from her. This prompted an officer to
draw his sword and behead the girl. It is believed that her blood,
which poured out to the stadium, was soaked up with cloths by
Christians.

She died a virgin-martyr at the age of 12 or 13 on 21 January 304.

Agnes was buried beside the Via Nomentana in Rome. Her bones are
currently conserved beneath the high altar in the church of Sant'Angese
fuori le mura in Rome, which was built over the catacomb that held her
tomb. Her skull is preserved in the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone in
Rome's Piazza Navona.

In 1858, Father Caspar Rehrl, an Austrian missionary founded the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

St. Agnes is widely known as the patron saint of young girls. She is
also the patron saint of chastity, rape survivors and the Children of
Mary. She is often represented with a lamb, the symbol of her virgin
innocence, and a palm branch, like other martyrs. She is shown as a
young girl in robes holding a palm branch with the lamb either at her
feet or in her arms.

Her feast day is celebrated on January 21. On her feast day, it is
customary for two lambs to be brought in to be blessed by the pope. On
Holy Thursday the lambs' wool is removed and woven into the pallium the
pope gives to a newly consecrated archbishop as a sign of his power and
union with the pope.