JANUARY 21 - ST. AGNES
St. Agnes was a Roman girl who loved Jesus so much that she chose only him for her husband. She was very beautiful and when she was just twelve years old, many young men wished to marry her. But as Agnes had given her heart to Jesus, she would always say, “Jesus is my only husband.”
She even turned down the governor’s son, who became very angry. He tried to win her affection with gifts and promises but Agnes said to him, “I am already promised to the Lord.” Agnes was accused of being a Christian and brought to the governor.
Then she was taken to a Roman temple in Minerva (Athena), and asked to sacrifice to pagan gods. When Agnes was led to the altar, she made the Sign of the Cross.
The governor tried to scare her by putting her in chains, but even then she refused to turn against God. Agnes suffered other tortures. Finally, she was condemned and killed for her faith at the young age of twelve in 304.
St. Ambrose and other well-known early Church saints have written about this brave girl. Agnes is buried in a cemetery named after her. In 354, Emperor Constantine’s daughter built a large church there and had Agnes’ body placed under the altar.