Biography
St. Agnes has been venerated since the 4th century in Rome. Various early legends make it difficult to determine the details of her martyrdom, but it’s clear she was young and heroic. After her death, Constantina, Constantine’s daughter, had a basilica erected over the young virgin’s grave. St. Agnes’ name is included in the Roman Canon of the Mass and early Church Fathers and Christian poets, including St. Augustine and St. Ambrose, praised her virtue.[1][2][3] Written by Sarah Ciotti Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD [1] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “St. Agnes of Rome.” [2] F.L. Cross and E.A. Livingstone, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (London: Oxford University Press, 1974), 25. [3] Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, The Martyrology of the Monastery of the Ascension, 2008. Thank you for praying with us. If you feel called, your Lenten offering helps carry this prayer to more hearts and languages. Contribute now