About St. Agnes
St. Agnes was a young Roman martyr who died defending her faith and purity during the persecution of Diocletian around 304 AD. Born into a wealthy Christian family, she attracted numerous suitors but refused marriage, having consecrated herself to Christ at an early age. When she rejected the advances of a high-ranking Roman official’s son, she was denounced as a Christian and condemned to death, though Roman law prohibited the execution of virgins. After surviving attempts to destroy her virtue in a brothel through miraculous interventions, she was eventually killed by sword at the age of 12 or 13. According to tradition, her hair grew miraculously long to cover her nakedness when she was stripped, and would-be attackers were struck blind. Her name, which means “lamb” in Latin, led to the tradition of blessing lambs on her feast day (January 21st), whose wool is used to make the palliums worn by archbishops. She is often depicted holding a lamb, symbolizing both her name and her innocence, and is considered the patron saint of young girls, chastity, and rape survivors. Her courage and dedication to Christ at such a young age made her one of the most beloved martyrs of the early Church, mentioned in the Roman Canon of the Mass.
Prayers & Devotions
