Saint Agnes of Rome was born in 291 AD into a wealthy, influential Roman family. Agnes rejected her peers' luxurious lifestyle in favor of a life devoted to God. When Agnes was a young teenager, she refused marriage and dedicated herself to a life of virginity. Enraged by her unwavering devotion to religious purity, the young men she refused to marry submitted her name to the pagan authorities as a follower of Christianity. The Prefect Sempronius condemned Agnes to be dragged naked through the streets to a brothel. As she prayed, her hair grew and covered her body. The son of the prefect who dared attempt to violate her modesty was miraculously struck blind, after which Agnes healed him with prayer.
Despite her pain and suffering, Agnes remained steadfast in her faith and refused to renounce it. She was finally sentenced to death and was martyred at the young age of 13. She has been a model of virtue and modesty. She maintained faith in the face of persecution until her death. Agnes is depicted in art and literature as a young girl with a lamb, symbolizing her innocence and purity. She is the patron saint of young girls, chastity, rape survivors, and the Children of Mary.
Saint Agnes, you entrusted yourself to God to the end; obtain for us the grace to choose the path of righteousness despite our trials.
Prepared and updated by:
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.
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