Dear Friends in Christ,
“I am already promised to the Lord of the Universe. He is more splendid than the sun and the stars, and
He has said He will never leave me!” These are the words of a young, saintly maiden who is the
patroness of our church: Saint Agnes. This Wednesday, January 21 , is the feast of one of our
churches; Our Lady of Hope is made up of Saint Agnes Church and Saint Jude Church. We are
preparing to celebrate the feast of Saint Agnes. When one walks into the foyer of our church, we are
greeted by her statue which is dedicated to this youth martyr. We also have a statue of Saint Agnes in
front of the church and a smaller version on the church side near the Pieta. Like so many things, we
become overly familiar, and we probably do not take a moment to look at her image. It may not catch
our eye as readily because it is a metal statue rather than a painted one. Yet, it is very beautiful. Who
was Saint Agnes? This young girl, who is one of our youth saints, was born in 291 AD in what is today,
Italy. Her very name describes a lot about who she was. The name Agnes calls to mind the Latin word
for “lamb” and her name in Greek, “Agnus” comes from the word for “chaste or pure.” In art she is
often seen holding a lamb, as does our statue, along with holding a palm branch which symbolizes
martyrdom. Every year on her feast day, January 21 , two lambs are blessed by the Pope. These lambs
have their wool shorn on Holy Thursday to be woven into strips of cloth worn by archbishops. These
strips of cloth called a pallium are then placed on the relics of Saint Peter in Rome until they are
distributed on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul to the new archbishops who were named that year.
Her relics are kept at the church of Sant’ Agnese in Rome’s Piazza Novona. This young lady was a noble
woman and known for her beauty. Her hand was sought by many a man, but she had promised her
virtue to the Lord and would not give in to any of the men who pursued her. In their anger they
condemned her to the government as a practicing Christian which was forbidden. They attempted to
humiliate her, dragging her unclothed through the streets to a brothel. The story says that she prayed
and her entire body was covered in hair! Any attempts to assault her brought misfortune to those
men. One would be rapist was struck blind. After her trial, found guilty, she was tied to a stake to be
burnt. The wood refused to catch fire. Finally, an officer beheaded her. She was only 12 or 13 years old.
This little lamb was fierce against the onslaught of evil. What a great patron we have in Agnes! She
refused to compromise to the men of this world. Her purity was something to protect and not to throw
forth cheaply for the pleasure of another. In the First Eucharistic Prayer or Roman Canon during the
Holy Mass Saint Agnes and Saint Jude are both mentioned! Two very different people, yet as martyrs,
one in the Lord. Matthew 10:28 tells us “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they
cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” We can learn so
much from the little saints who are giants in the faith! Saint Agnes, pray for us!
God bless you,
Father Szolack