Saint Agnes

Saint Agnes seems to be one of the best known of the Roman martyrs, yet she is one of those saints about which very little is actually known. She was martyred for her faith during the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian, and so this could have happened during the last half of the third century, although a date for her death has been suggested as 304 or 305, i.e. early in the fourth century. It is also known that she was very young, somewhere about twelve or thirteen years old. As to the mode of her death there have been varying suggestions, beheading, burning and strangling being the main contenders. So once again we have to rely on legend for the story of Agnes.

The stories of her martyrdom date from the 5th century, about one hundred years after her death, so it is not surprising that there are not many details known about her life. It is certain though that young noblemen of Rome, attracted by her youth, wealth and beauty, courted her, asking her hand in marriage. Don't forget that at this time in Rome girls could be married at the age of twelve, though boys had to wait until they were fourteen. However, she declined all their offers, saying that she had chosen a Spouse who could not be seen with mortal eyes.

One of her important suitors was Procop, the Governor's son. He became very angry when she refused him. He had tried to win her for his wife with promises, rich gifts and more promises, but the beautiful young girl kept refusing him, insisting that she was married to Christ. This annoyed Procop so much that he accused her of being a Christian. And so Agnes was brought before a judge who at first treated her gently and kindly because of her young age, offering her freedom if she would sacrifice to the goddess Minerva. In spite of his kindness, she refused his offer. Nothing would induce her to offer incense to the Minerva. He then promised Agnes wonderful gifts if she would only deny God, but again Agnes refused. Then the judge tried to frighten her with threats of torment. She was put in chains and shown terrible fires and tools of torture, but she remained calm and steadfast in her loyalty to Christ. Finally, angered by her stubbornness, the judge ordered that she be sent to a public brothel. Here, the sight of Agnes struck respect and awe into most of the customers, but one youth, bolder than the rest, attempted to molest her. He was struck down, as if by lightning, and fell to the ground, blind. A friend of his picked him up and brought him to Agnes, whose prayers restored him to sight and health.

The judge, finally realising that little or nothing would sway her conviction, condemned her to be beheaded. The executioner had secret instructions to induce her to change her mind when faced with death, but Agnes answered that she would never betray Jesus Christ and serve another god. Making a short prayer, she knelt and allowed the executioner to carry out his work. The young saint was buried in her parents' household cemetery which was located on the Via Nomentana, a short distance from the city limits of Rome. At first a modest chapel was placed over the saint's grave. After Christianity became one of the lawful religions of the Roman Empire, Agnes's shrine was enlarged and transformed. According to legend, Constantina, Constantine's eldest daughter by his first wife, Fausta, was afflicted with leprosy. She was reputedly cured of the disease after she had prayed as a pilgrim at Agnes's tomb. The shrine, now known as the Basilica of St. Agnes Outside the Walls, is famous for its mosaics and galleried nave and for housing the relics of St. Agnes in an ornate silver sarcophagus solidly encased beneath the altar.

Agnes has played a prominent role in Christian art. She has been represented as a young woman bearing a palm leaf or sword and holding a lamb. The symbolism of the lamb is suggested both by her innocence and purity, and also by her name. The Latin word for "lamb" is 'agnus'. There are many old customs prevalent on the Eve of St. Agnes that concern rites in which the young village maidens discovered their future husbands. Dreams were also important on the Eve of St. Agnes. If a maid went supperless to bed or fasted all day and ate only a salt-filled egg at night, she would certainly dream of her future husband. Another custom was to take a sprig of rosemary and a sprig of thyme, sprinkle each three times with water, and put one in each shoe. Then a shoe with its sprig was put on either side of her bed while she slept. She then was certain to dream of her future husband. Yet another custom was for a young woman to take a row of pins, pull them out one by one, and stick them in her sleeve, while singing a Pater Noster. Other customs included an unmarried woman going into a different district from that in which she lived to spend the night. Before going to bed, she was to take her stocking from her right leg and put it into the garter on her left leg, singing a special song as she did so. Then she was to lie on her back in bed with her hands under her head. She was assured that her future husband would appear to her in a dream and press a warm kiss upon her lips. The poet John Keats founded his romantic poem, "The Eve of St. Agnes" upon some of these superstitions.

Bill Hutchings