21
January 304 A.D. Agnes—She
Glorified Christ & Died under Diocletian
Christ has the power to turn even a young teenager
into a heroine. Agnes (also known as Ines) was just twelve or thirteen when she
was dragged before a Roman judge. The accusation against her was that she was a
Christian. It seems that she came from a well-to-do family and that several
youngsters from noble families looked at her as a prospective mate. In those
days of youthful marriages, she was not considered too young. However, she
rejected all proposals. In anger, one of the rejected boys denounced her to the
authorities.
Aat that time, the dreadful persecution of
Diocletian raged. Tens of thousands of Christians suffered for their faith all
across the Roman Empire. The pagans were determined to break Christians to
their will.
A wicked judge ordered Agnes to sacrifice to the
pagan gods. She was hauled before idols, but instead of pouring out libation,
she made the sign of the cross. Furious, the judge threatened her with fire or
torture on the rack. Agnes said she welcomed torture. She meant to remain pure
for Christ.
Tradition says that the exasperated judge then
tried to break her by throwing her into a public whorehouse. At the very least,
he embarrassed her by publicly stripping her naked. Ambrose of Milan (who lived
in the same century) mentioned this in his writings. In spite of everything,
Agnes clung to her integrity and her faith.
Finally the judge ordered her head cut off. Agnes'
death may have been a key event in ending the persecution against Christians.
It shocked the pagans. That a beautiful young girl could be killed simply
because she refused to marry made them ashamed. After all, their own law
forbade execution of a virgin. Furthermore, although they were used to seeing
adults die fearlessly for the faith, they were impressed that faith could put
the heart of a brave man into so young a girl. And, of course, they wondered
what could be so threatening about an innocent thirteen-year-old girl that Rome
found it necessary to execute her.
Soon after her death, Agnes became a favorite
saint. One of Emperor Constantine's daughters built a church at the site of
Agnes' grave. A Pope wrote an epitaph for her. Her bones have been examined and
show that she really was as young as history says. Someone composed a hymn in
her honor and legendary acts appeared which told about her. She was probably executed
on this day, January 21, 304. At any
rate, she is remembered on January 21st. (The Romantic Era poet, John Keats,
wrote a poem called "The Eve of St. Agnes" about a girl who elopes--a
work completely contrary to the spirit of the martyr).
Agnes' symbol is a lamb, because her name means
"pure" in Greek and is similar to the Latin word Agnus, which means
lamb. When popes confer a portion of their power on bishops, they send them a
woolen cloth called a pallium. These are woven from the wool of lambs consecrated
on St. Agnes' day.
Bibliography:
"Agnes
of Rome." http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta05.htm.
Butler,
Alban. "St Agnes, Virgin, Martyr." Lives of the Saints. Various
editions.
Kiefer,
James. "St. Agnes of Rome." http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Agnes.htm
Kirsch,
J. P. "St. Agnes of Rome." The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York:
Robert Appleton, 1907.
"St.
Agnes of Rome." Catholic Online Saints.
Last updated June, 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment