St. Agnes of Rome

St. Agnes of Rome belonged to a wealthy Roman family and early in life decided to dedicate her virginity to Christ. Renowned for her beauty, thirteen year old Agnes had numerous young men seeking her hand in marriage, but she stood firm in her resolve to not marry. An infuriated suitor reported her to the Roman authorities during the persecution of Diocletian. She was arrested and threatened with torture. When nothing could make her renounce Christ, she was placed in a house of prostitution; here a miracle prevented her from being assaulted. The judge then ordered her to be beheaded; some sources report that she was stabbed in the throat instead. While parts of Agnes’ story are not clear, it is definitely known that she suffered martyrdom under Diocletian and was buried on the Via Nomentana. A cemetery was named after her and her name is inscribed in the ancient Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I). Agnes was one of the early Church’s most popular saints and she became a symbol of virginal purity. Her symbol in art is a lamb and her feast day is January 21.