Child saints

In addition to Mary the mother of Jesus, who was probably a young teenager when she said "Yes" to God and gave birth to the Savior of the world, there are other young saints to be remembered.

Today is the feast day of Agnes of Rome, martyr A.D. 304. Here is a blip of history about her, gleaned from Lesser Feasts and Fasts, pages 134-135:

Agnes was twelve years old when she suffered death for her faith, in Rome, during the persecution brought on by the Emperor Diocletian. After withstanding threats and tortures by her executioner, Agnes remained firm in refusal to offer worship to the heathen gods, and was burned at the stake, or, according to another early tradition, was beheaded with the sword. The early Fathers of the Church praised her courage and chastity, and remarked upon her name, which means "pure" in Greek and "lamb" in Latin.

Pilgrims still visit Agnes' tomb and the catacomb surrounding it, beneath the basilica of her name on the Via Nomentana in Rome that Pope Honorius the First (625-638) built in her honor to replace an older shrine erected by the Emperor Constantine.

On her feast day at the basilica, two lambs are blessed, whose wool is woven into a scarf called the pallium, with which the Pope invests archbishops. Pope Gregory the Great sent such a pallium in 601 to Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury. A representation of the pall appears on the coat of arms of Archbishops of Canterbury to this day.

I have heard that the finished pallium is laid on the tomb of St. Peter overnight before being sent on to its destination.

Almighty and everlasting God, you choose those whom the world deems powerless to put the powerful to shame: Grant us so to cherish the memory of your youthful martyr Agnes, that we may share her pure and steadfast faith in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Vicar, Holy Cross Church Episcopal
Billings, MT
406-208-7314
artwork: http://members.chello.nl/~l.de.bondt/AgnesofRome.jpg