Saint Agnes
- Feast
- 21 January
- Patron of
- girls, chastity and engaged couples
Agnes was a Roman girl of about twelve or thirteen who was put to death for her faith early in the fourth century, most likely in the persecution under Diocletian. Tradition says she refused every suitor because she had given herself to Christ. She was buried beside the Via Nomentana, where a basilica still stands over her tomb.
Saint Ambrose wrote about her within a century of her death, and her name is said at Mass in the Roman Canon. Because Agnes sounds like agnus, the Latin for lamb, painters show her holding a lamb and a martyr’s palm. Each year on her feast two lambs are blessed, and their wool is woven into the pallia worn by archbishops.
She was about the age of many confirmation candidates when she chose Christ over everything the world offered her, and did not bend. A saint for a young girl learning that faithfulness can be quiet and still be brave.
The print of Saint Agnes
Questions
When is the feast of Saint Agnes?
The feast of Saint Agnes is kept on 21 January.
What is Saint Agnes the patron saint of?
Saint Agnes is the patron saint of girls, chastity and engaged couples.
Is Saint Agnes a good confirmation saint?
She was about the age of many confirmation candidates when she chose Christ over everything the world offered her, and did not bend. A saint for a young girl learning that faithfulness can be quiet and still be brave.
Is Saint Agnes the patron saint of people named Agnes?
Yes. Saint Agnes is the traditional name saint for anyone called Agnes, Agnese, Inés, Ines and Agnieszka, and the feast on 21 January is their name day.
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Other patron saints
AnneAnthony of PaduaAugustine of HippoBenedict of NursiaBernadette SoubirousCarlo AcutisCatherine of SienaCeciliaChristopherClare of AssisiDominicDymphnaFaustina KowalskaFrancis of AssisiFrancis XavierGeorgeGerard MajellaGianna Beretta MollaIgnatius of LoyolaJoan of ArcJohn of the CrossJohn Paul IIJohn the BaptistJosephJosephine BakhitaJuan DiegoJude ThaddeusKateri TekakwithaLucyMartin de PorresMary MagdaleneMaximilian KolbeMichael the ArchangelMonicaNicholasPadre PioPatrickPaulPeregrine LaziosiPeterPier Giorgio FrassatiRita of CasciaSebastianTeresa of ÁvilaTeresa of CalcuttaThérèse of LisieuxThomas AquinasJeromeCatherine of AlexandriaMartin of Tours