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 ■ . -a. ■ i 
 
 ! m. 
 
 ST, AGNES, 
 
 Plrgivi and J\£arzyr. 
 
 BY 
 
 MOST REV. CORNELIUS O'BRIEiW 
 
 Archbishop of Hat.ifax. 
 
 K 
 
 " Nil noli pudicum (.st, quod pia Vi.sen* 
 Digimris, rtlmo vel pede tangere." 
 
 Pkudkntil.s IIym. 
 
 Nothing is impure upon ■which tliou dost lovingly (b-ign li> l^tik. 
 or to touch with thy holy foot. 
 
 ISST- 
 
 JIALIFAX, N. S. : 
 Halifax ritiMTiNO (!o., IGl Uoi.i.is STitKii. 
 
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 N the preparation of this short account 
 of St. Agnes, Virgin, Martyr, authen- 
 tic narratives have been carefully 
 consulted. Nothing has been taken second- 
 hand. The glorious example of the lovely 
 maiden who generously gave up all the goods 
 of this world, and her own life as well, rather 
 than offend her God, should excite noble aspi- 
 rations in every rightly constituted heart. 
 
 To young girls she is a model for imitation ; 
 to all who believe in God and in virtue she is 
 a noble ideal ; to devout clients she will be a 
 tender helper on the rough road of life. 
 
 That she may be widely known, loved and 
 imitated, is the object of this work. 
 
 HALIFAX,^ BASTER SUNDAY, 1887. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ■^h:^:^^i:^*^jr: 
 
 i^A*M.fXii*l'li^'^:K!^iL-J.'h^'^-'-'''-'iJ.'^ 
 
v's--: .r T3;Sf •■©fjl 
 
 The net proceed^ of this Edition 
 will be given to t!{e buildinq fund 
 OF St. Aqnes' Church, Halifax. 
 
 •■•;f 
 
 ^t«i- i^itAf ^>«MI 
 
 .. » •* 1 
 
JlPpmUJUJlil, -miMliWWM(||pp|lipBi|l I I IJ IIIMIII II III 
 
 rTgwnii|j»ii!pi!nwHW?jwjjt'.i»^^ ,'■ i 
 
 it. Agnes — Virgin, Martyr. 
 
 I DEALS. 
 
 We WMW iudji'e of a Jiation bv' tlie cliariieter 
 fot' its lievoes : and ^ve uiav take the morsiire 
 [of a mail by his ideals. A Avarlike people 
 Avill lioiior those Avhose aehieveineiits on the 
 field of battle have been dai-ing and bi'illiant : 
 an intellectual one, on the otlier hand, Avill 
 seek to plaee in niches, in its national temple 
 of fame, those who in science, art or literature 
 explored new regions, or invented more suit- 
 able methods of cnltivatinu* the old ones. 
 The actions of an individual are corelative 
 to Ills ideals. Principles tliat guide conduct 
 usually take concrete foi'm in some personage 
 icither personally knowji, or of whom wc read. 
 'Our imaginaticm is impressed with his person- 
 
 ^» 
 
•^m 
 
 9 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 ality ; our heart is won by some special char* 
 acteristic of his nature ; and he seems an 
 embodiment of all that is brightest and best 
 in human nature. We have thus our ideal. 
 Now, ideas assume, sooner or later, the form 
 of action ; but this action 2an never be 
 greater, or more noble, than the ideal model 
 after which it ir? fashioned. Could we succeed 
 In giving lofty ideals to mankind, vice and 
 crime would cease ; mercy and truth would 
 abound ; justice and peace would meet and 
 kiss. 
 
 Our Divine Saviour gave us Himself and 
 His Heavenly Father as models. " Be perfect 
 as your Heavenly Father is perfect," and 
 " Learn of Me because I am meek and humble 
 in heart," clearly point out to us our rule of 
 conduct, or real model in shaping our actions. 
 Striving to imitate this eternal ideal, men 
 renounced all worldly goods, all the allure- 
 ments of life, all the comforts of Jiome, all 
 the benefits of society, and gave themselves 
 up to prayer, mortification, and unceasing 
 labour to subdue themselves, and to attain, in 
 
i 
 
 ST. AGNES — MHGIN, MAUTVii. 
 
 n 
 
 as much as it is possible, the perfection of 
 God. Who but God can tell the unnumbered 
 blessings brought down on humanity through 
 their tears and prayers ? Who but He can 
 tell the benefit of their example ? One drop 
 of water set in motion communicates that 
 motion to innumerable pai'ticles in the lake ; 
 and the example of one noble fellow-being 
 stirs up and animates to emulation many 
 others ; those in their turn react on others ; 
 the action and reaction will go on till the end 
 of time. Hence even those who may, in their 
 foolishness of heart, and in their intellect 
 warped by prejudice, and blinded by material 
 comforts, laugh at the ascetics of the desert, 
 or the monks of LaTrappe, are influenced in 
 some measure by their example. 
 
 But human nature is weak and prone to 
 discouragement in spiritual things. The infi- 
 nite distance between us and our Creator casts 
 us down ; the difficulty of realizing God as a 
 personal being is a great barrier to our imita- 
 tion of Him ; and consciou&ness of our imper^ 
 fections dims our hopes of success. Only 
 
4 ST. A<JNKS™VrKOlN, MAItTVR. 
 
 uuuih of the loftiest mould have the courage 
 and perseN^erance requisite to aspire after the 
 highest model, God. The loving care, how- 
 ever, of Holy Church has not left us to 
 despondency. If our God is too far removed 
 from our weak nature, His sainted ones, flesh 
 and blood like ourselves, may surely invite 
 our imitation. Like us, they were subject to 
 the trials of life, its temptations and miseries. 
 Passion was not dead Avithin them ; it fought 
 fiercely for the mastery ; the " body of this 
 death " under which St. Paul fretted, weighed 
 heavily on them. But they did not lose 
 courage ; they did not remain idle ; they did 
 not expect to conquer without fighting. They 
 girded on the " armour of faith ;" they put on 
 the "helmet of truth;" they grasped the 
 swoi'd of grace and went boldly forth to the 
 battle. One by one they cut down the ene- 
 mies that opposed them — these were the same 
 three who surround us, the devil, the world 
 and the flesh. In some cases the battle was 
 short, and the Saints were victors without a 
 scar. Often, however, the.fight was for years, 
 
ST. A(;nks— Miuax, majitvu. 
 
 i} 
 
 or even for a whole lifetime, and the Saint, 
 though victorious in the end, was frequently 
 wounded and bruisei?, But lie never threw 
 down his arms ; lie nevdr despaired ; he never 
 made a truce with the enemv. This was the 
 secret of his success ; in this he differed most 
 from us. 
 
 Now our Holy Church, tho fruitful Mother 
 of Saints, in order to encourage lier weakei* 
 children, is accustomed to remind them of 
 their heroic brothers in lieaven. Hence from 
 the earliest days of Christianity the anniver- 
 sary of a martyr's death was solemnly cele- 
 brated, their example held up for imitation, 
 and their praises propagated throughout the 
 Church. Eusebius,* speaking of the burial 
 places of the Saints, si\ys : " We are accus- 
 tomed to honour their sepulchres, to pour forth 
 our prayers and vows, and to venerate their 
 lioly souls ; and justly is this done by us." 
 And nearly a century before that St. Cyprian 
 had said : " We offer sacrifices as often as we 
 
 (De Tnep. Erang. L. xiii.) 
 
"ISli^PPii? 
 
 (; 
 
 ST. AGNES — VlRCllN, MARTYK. 
 
 v^^- 
 
 celebratc the pviiision of the iimrtyrs, and their 
 annual common loration." 
 
 We know from autlientic history that many, 
 even pagans, were led to proclaim theit readi- 
 ness to die for the true God, from being wit- 
 nesses of the constancy, under sufferings, of 
 the martyrs. Whilst the recital of their 
 glorious deeds may not aftect one as sensibly 
 as would the sight thereof, still a consideration 
 of their fortitude and burnin^c love for God 
 must always move a generous heart to higher 
 and nobler purposes. This, of itself. Would 
 be a sufficient vindication of the practice of 
 the Church in lionouring the memory of the 
 sainta, and in proposing them as models for 
 our imitation. Nations have their heroes : 
 families have their honoured members; so, 
 too, the Catholic Church has her valiant sons 
 and daughters, whom vshe delights to point out 
 to friends and foes. They are her glory and 
 her pride; they are her testimony before 
 men ; thej' are visible proofs of her possession 
 of sanctifying grace; they are at once an 
 example and a hope to mankind. For if they, 
 
||piiPPilAiiippi^M%i 
 
 ( ' 4f«,r', .! J*^_,»-^ ■^^.,-ef^ 
 
 at 
 
 fy' 
 
 vST. AGNES — vmOiN, MARTVa. 7 
 
 frail mortals, could be so endued by heavenly 
 strength through her, we, too, may aspire to a 
 glorious victory over ignoble passions, and 
 seductive pleasures. We can have the arms 
 witli which they fought — for faith and trutli 
 are indefectible in the Church : we can be 
 strenjjtheneil as thev were — for God's <:frace 
 flows as freely through the Sacraments now 
 as then. What -vo require is the will, the 
 strong, generous, unwavering will to love 
 our God with our first and best love. If we 
 have this will the Church offers us, througli 
 her faith and means of grac(^ tlie weapons 
 that will make us victors in the iight. 
 
 There are any number of saints wlio might 
 be taken as models. One, however, there is, 
 tlie spoilt darling, so to speak, of Holy 
 Cluirch*s children, whose gentle nature, in 
 tender years, gave proof of firmest constanc}* 
 and heroic endurance in such a striking man- 
 ner as to make her a noble ideal of Christian 
 perfection. Thf name of St. Agn^s, Virgin, 
 Martyr, has been praised and honoured for 
 more than fifteen centuries. Her gloiy filled 
 
•4?:.-, 
 
 8 
 
 St. A<;NES — VIRGIN, MAKTYR. 
 
 the early Church, and has coiiie down undi- 
 uiinishcd to our da\'. After our Blessed Ladv 
 no nol>ler t\pe ot* womanhood could he pro- 
 ])ose<l to tlie women of to-day. We shall 
 endeavour to iiive a brief account of the life 
 and happy death of her whom we commend 
 to all as a ujodel, an ideal, and a patroness. 
 
 
 - -I'M 
 
 
 
 *J- ■'.. , r^ .Ml :' ^.. . J. 
 
n'^f^ i^ff^ -^ "**i!f~^v K V* y^^ 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIROrX, MAHTVJt. 
 
 
 
 II 
 
 ■^ ; 
 
 ST. AGXHS, 
 
 The Book of Wisdom tolls \is that 1 if o is 
 not to be counted by vears, nor venerable old 
 age by length of time. But the inspired 
 writer is not speaking after the fashion of the 
 world ; he is looking at man in his relation to 
 God, and considering in what measure he has 
 approached to His Maker by the practice of 
 virtue. For he adds : '* The understandinfj of 
 man is grey hairs ; an<l a spotless life is old 
 aije."* Even in a worldly sense length of 
 years is not synonymous with amount of life. 
 The more we think the more we live. Intel- 
 lectual activity is the true measure of a 
 
 * 
 
 natural life ; and intensity of love for God 
 that of a reliLnous one. It is not years so 
 much as work that count in any service ; not 
 time but the manner of spending it. Hence 
 
 Wis. iv. 8, 
 
1 
 
 ■ r irnin liifff; 
 
 i!^ J;r :- 5r'-.'3n%rt3e;"y^ 
 
 10 
 
 ST. AGNES— VIRGIN, xMARTVK. 
 
 it is that the same inspired writer says, 
 speaking of the just who die yoting : " Being 
 made perfect in a short space, lie fulfilled a 
 long time." In treating of an intelligent 
 Ijcinjr then, we are not to ask how many vears 
 did he live, but how much did he do ? 
 
 Counted b}' years the life of St. Agnes was 
 sliort ; measured by a supernatural standard 
 it reached a venerable old age. She had the 
 '*grey hairs" of understanding, in that she 
 placed God before all this world could offer, 
 and reputed as detriment what many hold 
 as lucre. She had the old age of a " spotless 
 life/' for she was the chaste spouse of Christ. 
 Her pure soul knew no love but that of Him 
 of whom she could say : " Wlien I love Him 
 I am chaste ; when I touch Him I am pure ; 
 when I receive Him I am a virgin." She did 
 not live for herself but for Christ ; her lan- 
 guage was that of one inflamed with love for 
 Jesus, for whom she lived, to whom she com- 
 mitted herself, with whom she kept faith. 
 
 She thus " fulfilled a long time," because she 
 was made " perfect in a short space," It is 
 
 ■■ 
 
 ,:. 
 
^//'C'^'*' •""'^**^-'^' ■"•:"^''' 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MAllTYK. 
 
 11 
 
 not uufitting, then, thai she should have 
 excited the admiration of all ; that the fflorv 
 of her beautiful life and triumphant death 
 should have filled the early Church, and her 
 shrine have become a rest-spot for hearts that 
 vearn to burst the shackles of the flesh, and 
 to rise into the pure atmosphere of chaste 
 love. The glorious child-saint, with all thi^ 
 perfections of womanhood, was faithful to 
 God under trial, was generous in suffering, 
 was chaste amid the allurements of her pagan 
 surroundings, and was constant unto death. 
 In these is she found w^orthy of praise ; in 
 these she is a hope and a model for us. 
 
 We have no certain dates regarding her 
 birth or death ; still enough may be gathered 
 to enable us to fix her ]nart\rdoui about the 
 year 304. As she was only young when she 
 suffered, her birth must have been somewhere 
 near the year 290. In order to understand 
 some passages relating to her, which seem 
 inconsistent with her youth, we must bear in 
 mind that, under the Roman law, the mar- 
 riaijeable air<? foi* irirls was the twelfth vear. 
 
 I 
 
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 12 
 
 ST. AGNES— VIKOEN, MARTYK. 
 
 Hence a Roman girl of fourteen was, in all 
 respects of womanly nature, on a piano with 
 those of seventeen or eighteen in our colder 
 climate, and changed surroundings. This 
 must be borne in mind, botli for the intelli- 
 gent appreciation of her history, an<l for the 
 due glory of lier victory. 
 
 The authorities on wliom we shall relv in 
 weaving this short sketch of our Saint, are 
 venerable for sanctity and ](.'ai*ning. St. 
 Ambrose of Milan, St. Augustine, Pope 
 Damasus, Prudentius, St. Jerome, and some 
 others who lived within less than fifty years 
 of her death. We have also the domestic 
 history and tradition of the iloinan Churcl). 
 A few rears after her death Constaiitine trave 
 peace to Clu'istendom, and a cliurch was 
 erected over her tomb. From that day to the 
 present the Romans have celebrated her Feast 
 as a familv event. Thev lovintjlv treasured 
 all that related to her. Even in our day, 
 three vears ayo, thei'c was In-ouirht to lijxht 
 evidence of the love of the earlv Church for 
 her tomb, and a proof of the correctness of 
 
 -i;> 
 
 %j^ 
 
 tf- 
 
t 2 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR 
 
 1.1 
 
 domestic tradition regarding it. This con- 
 sisted in tlio nptnrning of a portion of a 
 beautiful marble rood screen, with a figure of 
 the Saii\t in sculptured relief. It evidently 
 dated from the fourth centurv. 
 
 The parents of Agnes were wealthy Roman 
 nobles, and were Christians. Thus from her 
 earliest years she was taught to know and 
 love her God. Although in this she was as 
 much privileged as the Catholic girls of to-day, 
 ill many other respects she was at a great 
 disadvantage. The public life of Rome was, 
 in her time, pagan. It was a sceptical pagan- 
 ism that was rife ; it had none of the natural 
 virtues inculcated bv the reli^ifious observances 
 of the early days of Rome. The implicit 
 lielief in and reverence for a Supreme Cause, 
 and the real devotion to that cause, which 
 were so characteristic of Romans in the first 
 centuries of their national historv, had dieil 
 out. Little bv little the orioinal faith in one 
 God whom Numa learnt to reverence, proba- 
 bly from the Jews, and whom he taught his 
 people to adore, liad been overlaid with error, 
 
 •1 
 
/ 
 
 14 
 
 ST. AGNES— VIRGIX, 31AIITYII. 
 
 if 
 
 f 
 
 and poetic fables. As the Romans extended 
 their conquests they brought back to their 
 city not only the spoils of the vanquished, 
 but also whatever of religion and ^earning 
 they may have had. Thus, by degrees, idola- 
 try, in all its revolting forms, was introduced. 
 With its establishment as the religion of Rome 
 l>egan the decadence of the people. The 
 religious system inaugurated by Numa, the 
 good old king, recognized the one true God, 
 the immortality of the soul, freedom of will, 
 and future rewards and punishments. Its 
 effects were beneficial ; it gave a hope to man, 
 it stimulated virtue, and it was a check to 
 vice. But the idolatry that succeeded engen- 
 dered a scepticism like to that so prevalent in 
 our age ; and, like to it, too, took away all 
 incentive to self-restraint, extinguished hope, 
 made faith a mockery, killed charity, and had 
 no ideal to encourage and to incite to noble 
 action. Degradation and vice succeeded as a 
 natural consequence. Even with the leaven 
 of Christianity at work to-day, we see how 
 degraded, sensual, how thoroughly animal^ 
 
 11^ 
 
 K&r, 
 
 -s't 
 
 i 
 
• <<,]r.- '-"-•'W'^^J^iS'"- 
 
 vST. zVGNES— VIRGIN, MAllTYK. 
 
 15 
 
 ra^ become when they give up belief in God, 
 imiiortality, or liberty of the will. How 
 miidi more direful must have been the eonse- 
 quetiees of unbelief before the Act of Redemp- 
 tion had renewed the earth. 
 
 Public life, then, in the days of Agnes, was 
 corrupt and degraded. The atmosphere was 
 polluted by the ribald jests and vile conversa- 
 tions of the pagan masses. The sanctity of 
 home was almost forgotten; the marriage 
 bond disregarded. Turn where you would 
 the eye encountered some object to disgust or 
 shock Christian, aye, natural modesty. The 
 manly sports of former days had been suc- 
 ceeded by demoralizing plays and cruel games, 
 at which human blood alone could satisfy the 
 brutalized spectators. Society was a festering 
 mass ; no ordinary remedies could cure it. 
 Blood, the blood of the innocent and noble of 
 heart, shed in testimony to the blood of Christ; 
 could alone, under God, cleanse and purge away 
 its loathsome impurities. And this remedy 
 the vice of the times was, unconsciously, has- 
 teniiig. The hatred^ of our religion whiclx 
 
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 10 
 
 ST. ACiNES — VIRGIN, MAUTY«. 
 
 ".1 
 
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 exists now, existed then with greater intensity. 
 Our forefathers in the faith had, for the most 
 part, to worship God in soeroey. They could 
 not trust their intimate pagan friends in inan\^ 
 instances ; for sometimes a son bctra^'od liis 
 father, or a brother his brother. This hatred 
 of the Christian name, whilst it rendered 
 difficult the practice of religion, was contin- 
 ually bringing innocent victims to the 
 slaughter, whose blood was slowly, but surely, 
 purifying the city, and pleading for its con- 
 version. 
 
 From this it can be seen that our cr^ntle 
 Agnes labored under greater disadvantages 
 than the Catholic girls of this city. She was 
 like a lovely lily growing in marshy ground. 
 Stagnant pools of putrid water surround the 
 frail flower, emitting a poisonous vapor that 
 threatens to blight and sear it. But tlie deli- 
 neate plant hedges itself round with the odour 
 of its own sweetness, and thus protects itself 
 against the noxious gases that would otherwise 
 destroy its growth. Not otherwise did St. 
 Agnes ; the corrupt atmpsphere of the degraded 
 
 v^l 
 
 
 v,-_ ,.'^.^V^*iS?^i.■^*J♦;.v• 
 
/ ' "•'■pp 
 
 ppff^— 
 
 ^HBWMMaaiiaappBVB 
 
 
 
 ST. a(;nes — vrurnx, martyii. 
 
 17 
 
 city did not infect her soul, or tarnish the 
 beailtiful bloom of her virgin heart ; for she 
 siiriVmded herself with the magnetism of 
 her own p\u'ity, tluis sulxhiing and eonfound- 
 ino- tl^e nnholy, and ever looking* through that 
 mediim of magnetic purity to Clu'ist, lier 
 lieavenly spouse. Hini only she loved ; and 
 Him <Sn\y, not the dangerous objects around, 
 she contemplated. She was of those of whom 
 it is said : " Blessed are the pure of heart, for 
 they shall see God." 
 
 
 
 ki.a.f'' -•&:>.w 1 .> ^. ,..-w- Mi^<* AjS^i .IhSj-^A-jtfflL'ft.fSt^. f^<t4n. *JeiMSb*»^ i*.ii. «. 
 
- 'T.f. '■ "rri ^7^■vt '.T7:/" *^* ;/: 
 
 18 
 
 ST. AGNKS— VIllGIX, MARTYK. 
 
 CX'3:-^:pte:r. III. 
 
 .V T. A GNES — VIR GIN, \ 
 
 The great and learned St. Jerome, vriting- 
 to Demetrias, says : " If the example of men 
 do not move you, be strengthened and con- 
 firmed by the blessed martyr Agnes, who 
 conquered both the timidity of youth and the 
 tyrant ; and consecrated lior title of virginity 
 by martyrdom."* This was written within a 
 century after the death of our Saint, and by 
 one who had spent years at Rome, and who 
 was the most renowned scholar in an age 
 when learned men were plentiful, both in the 
 East and the West. We shall see later on 
 how this testimony is confirmed by various 
 
 thorities. The young life of the lovely 
 girl, though short in years, and hidden by her 
 innate modesty from the public, had not been 
 allowed to be forgotten. God delights to e^.alt 
 
 ui 
 
 (Epist. ad Deraetriadeni, No. 5.) 
 
\ 
 
 ST. AGKES — VIRGIN, MAllTVll. 
 
 19 
 
 the humble, and to show his eternal power in 
 the weak. 
 
 Nolle and pure lives arc lights kindled by 
 divine grace in Holy Church. They are not 
 to be stowed away under a bushel ; they are 
 placed on a candlestick so that their light niaj* 
 l)c seen of men. They arc beacons of hope to 
 the weary and discouraged ; they show the 
 true path to those who seek in sincerity of 
 heart; they proclaim the strength, the joy, 
 the peace that divine grace bestows on all who 
 live for God in our Church, holding its Faith, 
 and devoutly receiving its Sacraments. 
 
 Hence, though taken away from this earthly 
 scene, St. Agnes lived on, in her virtues, in the 
 souls of the faithful, and as an ideal of 
 wmnanly purity and a model to be imitated 
 in her gentle firmness and unswerving love 
 She was true to her name — for Agnes in 
 Greek meaHs chaste, in Latin a lamb, the 
 symbol of innocence and piety. She proved 
 her right to the titk of Virgin, for she conse- 
 crated it by her martyrdom. And St. Am- 
 brose, Bishop of Milan,, vvriting to his sister 
 
 ■11 
 ^1 
 
20 
 
 ST. AGNES— VIBGIX, MAKTYK. 
 
 on virginity, brings forward Agnes as a true 
 model. He, like us, celebrated her Feast with 
 rejoicing, calling it lier natal day, for on that 
 dav her true birth, viz. : Jier birth for heaven, 
 took place. He says : " It is the natal Jay of 
 a Virgin ; let us strive to imitate her chastity. 
 Tt is the natal dav of a martvr : let \m offer 
 sacrifice. It is the natal day of 8t. Agnes ; 
 let men admire and let not the vouthful 
 despair; let married women wonder, and let 
 the unmarried imitate her. But what can we 
 say that shall be worthy of her? Piety 
 beyond her years ; virtue above nature ; so 
 that slie seems to me not to have borne so 
 mucli the name of a human being as the fore- 
 shadowing^ of a martvr, indicatino- what she 
 would l>e."* This is tho testimony of one 
 who lived shortly after her death; who, 
 doubtless, conversed with some who knew 
 her, and who knelt bv her tomb where her 
 name and her actions were repeated. From 
 it we can form some idea of her beautiful life, 
 and of the impression it left on those with 
 
 (Do VirgiiiiUus, Lib. I., C. Tl.) 
 
 ' y, *■■•'. .jy-- . .\ ^/.i . V .■.^i.'-...---^ivi.,At..'.I,- '-.. -. 
 
 v>'^^>r 
 
V 
 
 
 + >« rv^VSf^v 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIKGLV, MAKTYR. 
 
 1>I 
 
 whoi\i sh(3 h^lcl come in contact. All ascribe 
 
 to her a double crown — that of chastity and 
 
 of martyrdom. 
 
 When ^ve speak of her as a virgin we do 
 
 not merely mean that she was unmarried : Ave 
 
 mean that she cunst^crated herself, body and 
 
 »• 
 
 soul, to (Jotl l](ir Savioni'. Not only had 
 earthly love never en;i/aged her mind, noi* 
 rutfled the calm depths of her tranquil spirit, 
 but she was resolved that it never should. 
 Her soul was a sanctuary sacred to God nlone ; 
 only He might enter therein. Her heart was 
 a temple dedicated to His service ; in it wor- 
 ship to Him alone could l)e offered. Her 
 whole l)eini^ was an altar on which onh' the 
 pure offerings of chaste love to her Divine 
 Saviour could l)e lai<l : onh' to Him should 
 the atlections send up the incense of holy 
 aspirations. She was a bride beti*othe<l to 
 Jesus ; His abundant graces, and her pure 
 love, were the mutual pledges of this mystical 
 and hcdy union. She aspired to be (me of 
 that chosen band who shall be near the Lamb, 
 and follow Him " whithersoever H<'. goeth," 
 
 I 
 
 i.iM^' ■.■■■liiiW^LJM V..'.f .'i 
 
/ 
 
 -<&1 
 
 ^2 
 
 ST. AOXES — VIRGIN, MAKTYI^. 
 
 and shall sing a " new canticle " that no one 
 else in heaven can intone. But to attain to 
 that she should be a virgin ; she should be 
 uudefiled ; she should be " without spot before 
 the throne of God."* 
 
 There are those who decr\' a life of celi- 
 bacy, and call it unnatural, or pretend that it 
 is impossible. Well, these do not " know the 
 gift of God." It is not unnatural, it is rather 
 above nature ; it is impossible, certainly, 
 without divine grace ; with it there is no diffi- 
 culty, except that of jealously guarding within 
 ourself that grace of continence which God 
 bestows on those whom He calls to lead, on 
 earth, the life of an angel. Without doubt 
 pure human love is good ; matrimony is a holy 
 state, and the one intended for the vast ma- 
 jority of mankind. This the Church teaches 
 and defends. She is the upholder and un- 
 compromising defender of the sanctity of the 
 marriage tie ; at the same time she extols, as 
 did Christ and St. Paul, the state of virginity 
 as higher and holier. A life of celibacy 18 
 
 * (Ai>ocalyi>se \iv.) 
 
 i'.'uiiji;.-.". . \v 
 
, ;^T 'i sv^fif i'j^wyis^^ -'h 
 
 r^<:vj'Vt>:^-^;y,^i^t^"--' 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIX, 3IARTYR. 
 
 28 
 
 certainly not commandea, but it is counseHrd 
 as being more perfect. To any one who will 
 f Gael the seventh chapter of the first Epistle 
 to the Corinthians tliis will be quite apparent. 
 After giving various reasons in favor of celi- 
 bacy, to those who have the gift, whilst 
 leaving freedom to marry if persons so will, 
 the Apostle sums up : " Therefore both he that 
 j/iveth his virorin in marriage doeth well : and 
 lie that giveth her not doeth better."* Thus, 
 then, in choosing a life of virginity St. Agnes 
 had the open counsels of St. Paul and the 
 authority of our Divine Saviour Himselff 
 on her side. 
 
 It is a mistake quite common among the 
 
 unthinking that human sympathy is frozen to 
 death in the breast of a true virgin. To those 
 
 who know anything of the religious life this 
 
 mistake appeiirs most grotesque. Human love 
 
 is restricted ; it may even be said to be selfish, 
 
 that is, confined to the immediate olyects 
 
 beloved. The love of a mother for her chil* 
 
 ..■*■.■ 
 
 •ST 
 
 •^ (1 Gor. vii. 38.) 
 t (i6itt. xix. 12,) 
 
 .Jfe 
 
 A&«t'B.<i!H^Li.^& -f'i,- \ ''4«J 
 
 p .L . ,. -"''^'^ ■^■\u: ■.■^■.\ ■:.,:■ .■'...•::■ ■...'i' , Wv' 
 
24 
 
 ST AONES — VIRGIN, MARTYIl. 
 
 
 1"^ 
 
 
 dren is beautiful and unselfish in the sense 
 that she would cheerfully wear out her life 
 for them ; hut viewed in its relation to man- 
 kind it is selfish, because concentrate<l on her 
 own and not extended to them. On the other 
 hand the true priest, tlie true reli^^ious has 
 world-wide sympathies. Divine love lias 
 replaced, or rather elevated and ennobled, 
 human affection in his heart. He sees a soul 
 to be saved under the garb of the beggar, as 
 well as beneath the costly apparel of the 
 wealthy ; the halt and the blind are as mueli 
 his bi'others as the strong and vigorous : 
 loathsome diseases cannot make him stand 
 aloof from the sufferer, in whom he recognizes 
 <me redeemed bv^ the blood of the Savii ur. 
 The l)onds of earthlv ties, alwaA's narrow and 
 restricted, have been l)roken : freed from them 
 the virgin soul is linked by the golden chain 
 of divine charitv to the sori-owful, as well as 
 to those who rejoice. With these it joins in 
 smiles of congrattilation ; with those it min- 
 gles words of comfort with its tears. Take 
 away celibacy and you deprive the world of 
 

 
 
 St. Agnes — virgin, martvi?. 
 
 
 its fairest flowo's, vou rob mankind of its 
 most tender comforter, and you leave a terri- 
 ble blank on the page of lofty heroism. But 
 whilst the gospel message continues to l)o 
 preached there will always be noble souls 
 enamoured of tlie Virgin Lamb, panting and 
 aspiring to offer themselves as virgin victims 
 on tJie altar of His ete\*nal love. 
 
 Our gentle Agnes was one of that chosen 
 band. The unspeakable impiety of pagan 
 Koine moved lier to sorrow, and made lier 
 long to sacrifice herself for the salvation of 
 her fellow-citizens. Innocence, holy purity of 
 soul and body, was required to stem the tide 
 of depravity that rolled onward througli 
 degenerating generations. Hence she vowed 
 lierself the chaste spouse of lier Lord ; blood, 
 tho blood of an unpolluted l^ody, was 
 needed to cleanse the moral rottemicss of 
 society ; this she was willing, even anxious to 
 gi\e. Beauty of person, wealtli, i-aiik, youth, 
 health, all were hers. All tliat makes life 
 most alluring, and secures for its possessor the 
 homaofc and ready service of societv, had been 
 
 
 ■'*ii^M"'"t'.'-.f^«Va*Pt.'isi,>i' 
 
 ^.zA ' h ._i.»" ;^". 
 
M 
 
 ST. AONES--^VIRGIN, MABTYK. 
 
 
 f 
 
 if" 
 
 f. 
 
 liestowod upon her with/a lavish hand. God 
 gave her much so that her renunciation of the 
 world miofht be more meritorious, and thus 
 ensure for His beloved spouse a higher degree 
 
 of glory. 
 
 Her childhood was passed in the safe pre- 
 cincts of a Christian home. Out on the 
 Nomentana Way her parents had a villa, dis- 
 tant nearly two miles from Rome. In these 
 grounds, probably within the enclosure of t})e 
 liouse, there was a descent to the Catacombs 
 beneath. These, as can now be seen, were of a 
 yavy early date, long prior to the da3\s of our 
 Saint. As a child, the fair Agnes was accus- 
 tomed to frequent these silent homes of the 
 dead. Possibh', in one of the chapels of this 
 lioly ground, she first received her God in the 
 Blessed Eucharist. As she advanced in vears, 
 she was obliged, in order to divert suspicion, 
 to show herself in public occasionally. Her 
 l)eautv and wealth, to sav nothino- of her 
 sweet amiability, won her many admirers. 
 Their sincere praises, equally with their idle 
 flatteries, were unable to affect her calm self- 
 
>-,*»« •-W»V^^ J^ -1" it.. 
 
 Sf^. f-f g "-t^+v' "• I f 
 
 ST. AONKS — VlllGlN, MAHTYll. 
 
 27 
 
 unconsciousness, or to trouble the clear depths 
 of lier holv affections. She was in the world, 
 but not of it. She walked the streets of 
 Rouie, but her soul was ever contemplating 
 the heavenly Jerusalem. Hideous public vice 
 stalked through the squares, and flaunted 
 under the porticos of baths, and theatres : 
 but the modest eyes of the virgin Agnes 
 looked not on it ; they were gazing far away 
 through the light of lier own purity, to the 
 eternal face of her beloved Redeemer. Revolt- 
 ing songs and speeches filled the air of the 
 city ; but her ears were closed to them : she 
 only heard the words of her chasen spouse — 
 " My beloved to me, and I to my beloved." 
 Gems and costly ornnments were oftered her ; 
 but she said she was betrothed to One? to 
 whom she kept faith. He had enriched hei* 
 with pearls and precious stones ; He had set a 
 mark upon her, and she could admit no other 
 lover. Sweet of disposition, gentle in manner, 
 tender of speech, modest in every movement, 
 she lived the life of an angel, in a city of sin 
 and corruption. 
 
 <~.^ «A ..ItmOtL 
 
'V ' "'•3 ^ ' 
 
 * y fcf "^ i^tnt/jf ' 
 
 28 
 
 ST. AGNES — VTlUaX, MAinVR. 
 
 
 ST. AGNES — MARTYR. 
 
 St. Ambrose says that "no oue is more 
 praiseworthy than tlie one who can be praised 
 by all ;" and that the one woi'd, niartyi*, is a 
 sufficient eulog}'. And lie adds that there will 
 l)e as man;y glorifiers as there are persons who, 
 ill speaking, proclaim one a martyr.* It is of 
 our dear Agnes he is writing ^vnen he makes 
 use of this language. We saw that she re- 
 solved to li V e a virgin ; we shall see that she 
 was ready to die a martyr. Our Blessed Lord 
 told His disciples that they should bear wit- 
 ness to Him in Jerusalem and Judea, and 
 throughout the w^orld. This they were to do 
 by preaching to men His lawS and by testify- 
 ing to the wonderful miracles by which He 
 had confirmed His divine mission. They were 
 also to bear witness to Him by cheerfully 
 
 ■'■m: 
 
 Cx3:.jl.:ptei^ I"V". 
 
 ■^ 
 
 ^ (l)e Virgin, Lib. I,, C. 2, N. 0.) 
 
■ '■ Il l I I I .^ .1 J i j i .. i' i| ' "I II ,, r^. ' ^.v^.. 
 
 W^^^ 
 
 ST. ACjIXES — VIRCJIN, MAllTYJ^. 
 
 20 
 
 
 8iifiering death tor the truths He had taught. 
 This would be the grand test of their sin- 
 cerity, and a proof! beyond contradiction of 
 their love. " Greater love than this no man 
 hath, that a man lay down his life for his 
 friend,"* are the words of eternal wisdom. 
 How great, then, must be the reward, how 
 dazzling the glory of one who lays down one's 
 life for God. This is what the martyrs did. 
 Clu'ist shed his blood for our redemption ; 
 and many of the faithful in return shed 
 theirs to bear witness to Him. Very shortly 
 after the Ascension of our Saviour the glorious 
 St. Stephen eiiriched the infant Church witli 
 his blood. Stripes and blows, and persecu- 
 tions of various kinds were the lot of the 
 early believers. A vicious world hated their 
 doctrine, and raged against themselves. The 
 pure morality of the gospel was a rebuke to 
 the licentiousness of the age, hence the unholy 
 sought to destroy it by torturing and slaying 
 its professors. In vain. The blood of martyrs 
 
 * (John XV. 13.) 
 
 I 
 
 .1 
 
 I 
 
 ,1 
 
 # 
 
 m 
 
 
 -f. 
 
 ^.^i 
 
 J'^^s t f . "lift, w 
 
■."'■■' 'f- f.'"*^;^^.*'.' r-';'.;vX'.v,*^' 
 
 30 
 
 •ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYH. 
 
 was the fruitful seed that brought forth 
 innumerable souls to God. You cannot kill a 
 true principle. Men die, but principles live 
 on. The word of God once sent forth by our 
 Lord could not be stayed by the efforts of 
 man, nor be rendered unfruitful by the malice 
 of demons. It was confirmed in the soul of 
 tlie child by the blood of the martyred parent, 
 and was propagated by tlie testimony thus 
 publicly given. 
 
 We need not pause to consider the various 
 persecutions that raged against the Church. 
 For three centuries the record of our holy 
 religion is made up of short intervals of peace, 
 violent persecutions, dying slowly away, the 
 glorious triumphs of many, occasionally mar- 
 i-ed by the lapses of a few. Before the days 
 of St. AgneS three general persecutions had 
 swept over the Roman Empire. Many thou- 
 sands had fallen, noble victims to their devo- 
 tion. During the first years of the reign of 
 Diocletian there was no general persecution. 
 He appears to have been averse to it, and to 
 have been gradually spurred on by some of 
 

 
 ■■*7;-^'3a 
 
 ■r.'i>xi;u y-i-s.r.'.";:'5'<^ 
 
 
 ,W 
 
 ST. AGNE8 — VIRGIN, MARTYR. ;U 
 
 Im.LL* 
 
 his colleagues in the Empire. It is true that 
 the acts of souie Saints place their martyrdom 
 in the earlier years of his reign. But we 
 must bear in mind that these sporadic out- 
 bursts of furv mav have been the work of 
 some over-zealous, or envious officials, in vir- 
 tue of an unrepealed, though dead law, of a 
 former Emperor. That this must have been 
 the case, we have pi-oof in the History of 
 Eusebius. According to him, and he was a 
 contemporary author, in the first years of the 
 reign of Diocletian, the devil, who had received 
 power to persecute tlie Saints, appeared to be 
 asleep, — the name of the Christian Religion 
 was esteemed, — new Churches had to be built, 
 and old ones enlarged, the Prelates w^ere 
 honoured by the Governors of Provinces, and 
 the wives and children of liigh officials were 
 instructed in the Christian Religion.* 
 
 But this bright picture, whilst true of the 
 eastern part of the Empire., does not correctly 
 represent the state of the western world at 
 
 ... j; 
 
 I 
 
 ■|! 
 
 lli.st. Lib, 8 and 0. 
 
 
 ■ ^^■^^^ .•^i'-ykn'i-L f.: ■^^.S'^.'l'iff ■'?: i"":' f': ■:'^;-(rt\.iS^i'Jti/;i:^r,?'4ji;-l.:.ifc:.Jti);ff r%, ^^-^^ '■:£.'. . ■_'.T^\»^.L\-iirv,?/,i^'.;'-L'jv, .■..■^■■^;l-_'.^^ii-vc-'''jts"^ !x.i.-:j'-,S^y.r^.* ■^.:' 
 
V-'>S J,-y-,^«r7-;.S3-',^ ,-^^^/;-,-^^^;iTp-'-v,.T;:-., -|^*?_r- >,^ ^..■■. ^^■^'' ■ \^-_ 
 
 
 82 
 
 ST. AGNES— VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 -1 
 
 that date. It seems quite certain tlmt inauy, 
 l>oth in Gaul and in Home, suffered for the 
 faith about, or sliortlv before, the; time 8t. 
 Agnes was l)orn. Dui'ing tlie years of lier 
 vounof life, the rumblini»* of the coming storm 
 was heard. Isolate*! martvrdoms were tak- 
 ing place in various parts of tlie Empire. 
 Tlie passions of tlie pagan mob were being 
 aroused ; tlie thirst for blood was increasing ; 
 the old blind liatred of Christian itv was burst- 
 ing forth, and gathering strength. Many 
 Christians were wealthy, and greed of accjuir- 
 ing a sliare of tlieir riches prompted some to 
 denounce them ; wliilst private spite, or desiru 
 of revenge, urged on others. Hence tlie 
 Christians well knew tlie deceptive nature of 
 any apparent calm. They lived in the con- 
 tinual presence of danger, none the less real 
 because impalpable. At any moment they 
 might be called upon to chof^se l)etween apos- 
 tasy and torments. It was not so much death 
 they feared, as the inhuman tortures, inge- 
 niously devised, and prolonged not to death, 
 but only to bodily prostration, in the hope 
 
 
 Hialikii i^iilX^i^' IJ'JLKiuK" 
 
r"r> 
 
 ■.■,r ips,.:,-., / ■... 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIllGIX, MAKTYR. 
 
 33 
 
 i'm 
 
 that courage and constancy might fail. It 
 was not th^ath tlic v^irgins ot* Clu'ist dreaded ; 
 it was the exposure to tlie danger ot* contami- 
 nation to wliicli they were frecjuently suV)- 
 jected, in tlie fiendish hope of defiling theii* 
 consecrated virgiiiity. Well the pagans knew, 
 as our modern pagans know, tliat Catholic 
 maidens value chastity more tlian life. 
 
 It was then in the midst of a corrupt city, 
 in this atmosphere of dread, and with a possi- 
 bility, nay even a probability, of subjection to 
 trials worse than deatli, that St. Agnes passed 
 her few vears of earthlv existence. Was she 
 happ\^ ? Who can doubt it, for all her 
 thoughts and aspirations w^erc of heaven ; all 
 the longings of her young and loving heart 
 W'cre to be with her spouse in glory. For her 
 death would be a welcome friend who would 
 lead her into tlie presence of her Beloved. 
 No transitorv t>ood ccjuld move her from her 
 holy purpose ; no dangei's daunt her soul, in 
 w^hich the firm resolution, the unwavering 
 courage of the lion, were veiled and made 
 amiable bv the <:^entleness of the land). And 
 
 2 
 
 
 h i^Ui^H^ i::^y^:?*'>-"i?»'4i' i'tii^ 
 
■■--.yi;:^--' 
 
 ..3 ■.,.v^.^..^y5j.V^i^:^;.;!fi^>.= 
 
 tU 
 
 ST. AGNES — VlilGIN, MAllTYK. 
 
 yet, in her sweet luimility, tear was not 
 iinkuown ; not tlie fear of torture or death, 
 not the fear of «nfterinu\s aii<l caUiiiniv, hut 
 tlie ]ioly fear lest sIh* )iiii>lit, hv an a- frailty, 
 render lierself unworthy of tlie martyr's palm, 
 or dhn on(5 slio-ht leaf in tlie virgin's lily 
 erown. Hence her fervour in prayer, lier assi- 
 duity in fulfilling her duties, her frequency of 
 receiving the Sacraments, her careful vigilance 
 in guarding against occasions of, or tempta- 
 tions to sin. The public games of Eome were 
 probably not so dangerous to young girls as 
 the rinks and ball rooms of to-day. They 
 were not exposed to the indiealthy excitement 
 now so connnon ; and the Roman amusements 
 took place in the broad light of day. Still St. 
 Agnes guarded herself against these, and 
 sought for pleasure and recreation in less dan- 
 gerous places. She was gay and cheerful at 
 all times. This is the blessed privilege of the 
 pure of lieart. A soul unclouded by sin 
 always gleams thi'oagh a face bathed in sun- 
 shhie. The clu'onic, artificial smile of tlie 
 " society " girl, compared Avitb this, is as the 
 
 t 
 
■ -jS^-' ■■.'A;r>/'-,-^.- ■: ". ■■'■"''jjf/ ,.v.^=^:^' 
 
 ST. A(JNi:s — viu(;ix, martvr. 
 
 :3o 
 
 A' 
 
 l)hosphorescent glow of decajdng wood to the 
 beams of a siuinner .sun. One is all wanntli 
 and brightness, glad in itself ai'id dittusing glad- 
 ness on all objects around ; the othri* is cold 
 and evanescent, l)orn of, and endeavouring to 
 iirraee with mimic iioht, the drv rot that is 
 defacino' all its ori^dnal l)eautv. 
 
 A sermon, attril>uted ))V manv to 8t. 
 Aml>rose, speaking oi Agnes, says, tliat the 
 life and examples of holy ones are wi'itten so 
 that each one, in any state, and of any age, 
 may find a model. He further says : " Maid- 
 ens, draw near this maid (Agnes) and learn 
 what flames of love for Christ she kindled in 
 her heart in her tender years. She protests 
 that she will keep faith to her lover, and w^ili 
 desire only Him wlio gave His life for the 
 love of all. Learn, ye virgins of Christ, the 
 love glowing in the breast of this maiden, and 
 I'ejecting as dross the riches of this w^orld. 
 
 * * * Brou^dit face to face with one 
 tr^nng to win her by flattery, she refuses ; 
 she despises his threats, awaits the kindling of 
 the fire, and smiles, No transitory crood can 
 
 %,,Mi 
 
 .Lt'l' -Iji^^xdiS'-M . li-'J 
 
■, , -SJfJ- !>••,"-- 
 
 m 
 
 ST. A(;INES — A'rUOlX, MARTYR. 
 
 'M, 
 
 ctaiiii her liearfc, and whilst she loves chastity 
 so much slie does not fear opprobrium, nor the 
 flames, nor torments, nor the executioners."* 
 Our Saint, then, desiring the glory of bearing 
 witness to Christ by a martyr's death, strove 
 to render lierself worthy by bearing witness 
 to Him in her dailv life, by imitatino- His 
 purity, His humility, and His obedience. 
 
 (StT. xlviii., Tom. 4 E<lit., .Mi<j;n<\) 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 ij; 
 
 M\ 
 
 >: 
 
 i">' 
 
 (d 
 
 
 /I if 
 
 i\ 
 
 H 
 /' 
 
 •^'''^-' '■ -•'^— - ■■■■ i ;"-|[V'Hir i ■ 
 
'"■;;-;;**«>'■(-*■' ■'.S7'*r^-;<i[ ;s-r')^#*T^TV''^'i'*'"jSv^.^"'^-*-T";*-^,'' 'li.-^^^Tl'i.'^iv^-v?' .'_ 
 
 
 '•,^?'y"l^,' 'V; '< y-; 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIUOIN, MAllTYU. 
 
 m 
 
 TNB INNER LIFE OF ST. AGNES. 
 
 Our outward life, our manner of acting in 
 our intercourse with others, is easily known 
 bv our friends. It falls under their observ^a- 
 tion, and we cannot, even if we would, deceive 
 them in this reoard. The motiv^es, however, 
 that prompt our actions, the principles tliat 
 underlie our conduct, may be hidden from 
 their knowledge, and may be quite at variance 
 with our external life. The world is full of 
 hypocrites ; some unoonsciously so, others so 
 of a set purpose, and others again l)ecause of 
 easv-u'oino' ij:ood nature. It is onlv in the 
 perfect Christian that the outward life is a 
 rue reflection of the inner. But in the per- 
 ^Jct Christian not all the inner life is i-eflected 
 in action. There are waves that never i-each 
 the shore : theie are thoughts too sublime to 
 l)e winged with wt)rds ; emotions too exquisite 
 for expression; lights and shades of feeling 
 
:]S 
 
 ST. ACJNES — VllUiTN, MAHTYH. 
 
 too delicate for other canvas tliaii tliat of tlio 
 pure soul in which they are engendered. Tho 
 copy can never equal the original ; the shadow 
 must be always fainter than the real. Beau- 
 tiful, then, as the outward life of St. Agnes 
 was, it fell far short of that inner one which 
 was lived for and witli lier God. Outward 
 pietv without inner sanctitA' is Inpoerisx' ; 
 exterior cleanliness (imoid of interior purity 
 is a wliited sepulchre filled witli dead men's 
 lunies : ceremonial observance uninformed bv 
 the spirit of true devotion is (mly a hi<leous 
 skeleton of religion. By contemplating the 
 iimer life of St. Aij^nes we ma\' learn man^' 
 salutary lessons. 
 
 How shall we attempt to miveil, for consid- 
 eiation, tliis sanctuary of the soul of oui* 
 gentle Agnes i We find wi-itten over the door 
 " sncred to God," and our liand trend)les as we 
 stretcli it forth to draw aside the curtain. 
 But if it l)e " good to liide the secret of a 
 king," it is " honourable to reveal and confess 
 the works of God."* And this soul of Agnes, 
 
 (ToIh'us xii. 7.) 
 
 \ :;f 
 
 f^ 
 
 '.\^..i&„ 
 
 ■^<M 
 
'''ff^^>^-'f'^i*'^-T*''V^''^'^--'~^-'-''f''^^-'-' '.' . y'^^^Trv^'.vi'PT"."!-';! ; '--■"■;"' "'■;■ ' 
 
 ST. A(;NKS — VIHGIN, MAllTVK. 
 
 • >'/ 
 
 -m 
 
 {KloriMMJ with manv vi]-tnes. riclv in ^ood (lords, 
 
 and beautified l>v urace, is ;i noble uork of 
 
 His. He is tln' author of its existeiie*', and 
 
 the sauetitiei' of its esst^nec From Him is the 
 
 i)eaut\' of its flowers, and to Him does their 
 
 perfume ascend, (jrazing* on its beauty, liear- 
 
 ino' the soft music of its words of rapt love, 
 
 l)reatliino- its o<lour of sauctitv, our hearts will 
 
 1)0 raised in tenderness towards tlie author of 
 
 this work : our weak nature will ])e encoura<^ed 
 
 bv the sii»ht of the perfection to which fidelitv 
 
 to God can lift it u]^, and St. Aoncs will seem 
 
 to stretclv fo}t]i liei* puj'e liands to hel}) us on 
 
 (»ur wearv road. 
 
 Tlie i»reat cliarm in the character of our 
 
 Saint was her modestv — refined, thouuli feai'- 
 
 less : )*etirini2", but couraueous. Slie avoided 
 
 dangei's, but wlien, against lier will, she had 
 
 been brouglit face to face with them, she was 
 
 not weakened bv terror. ({ii'din«'- on the 
 
 armour of faith, al)andoning- herself to (jrod, 
 
 lier protector, she contennied tl)c devices of 
 
 her tem])ters. Hei' r/assionateh' tender love 
 I. » •• 
 
 for Jesus, her chosen spouse, was at once the 
 
 m 
 
 MBt-,. - .;jrji " ~r 
 
V, -;^ .j.^ 
 
 , r-"-^*. r>^*HLi^ 7-Ti*'~*.'-C »IV>A«. Iljj^'^'^-* ■■ 
 
 40 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIX, MAKTYE. 
 
 cause and tlve promoter of this modesty ; lier 
 great faith in God was, for lier, its certain 
 sliield in time of trial. >She was His; He 
 would protect her in unsought dangei-s. This 
 was hei* unshakeable trust ; this the source of 
 }>x'r lofty courage. Her own words as i-elated 
 in her acts heautifully express this. When 
 threatened In' tlie iudi»e with worse than death 
 if she did not sacrifice to the idols, she replied : 
 " If thou didst know mv God thou wouldst 
 not speak thus. Hence I, because I know the 
 power of my Lord Jesus Christ, securely 
 despise thy thieats, believing that I shall 
 neither saeritice to thine idols, nor be brought 
 to shame bv others : for I have with me an 
 angel of die Lord who guards mv bodv. For 
 the only Son of God, whom thou knowest not, 
 is to me as a wall that cannot be cast down ; 
 He is a sentinel Avho never sleeps, a defender 
 A^Olo never grows weary."* 
 
 But in order to have this unswerving- confi- 
 dence she knew it was necessarv to belonir to 
 
 4 
 
 (S. Aiiil». Tr.iii. 1, p. 7:J1>, Edit. Mi'.'iin.) 
 

 ST. A(jlNES — VIllGIX, MAllTYll. 
 
 41 
 
 her spouse body and soul, in thought as well 
 as in deed. That she did thus belong to Him 
 we have her own words in the acts just quoted, 
 in which she says : " (io<l sent His angel wlio 
 clothed nie with this gannent of mercy, and 
 protected my body, which was consecrated 
 and offered to ( -hi'ist fVom the verv cradle." 
 Her cliarmino* modesfcv" of maimer was not, 
 then, a mere outward mask ; it was the l)eau- 
 tiful soul, revealino- its chaste love throui»'h 
 the bodv consecrated to (Christ, that shone on 
 all, delijihtino- tlie virtuous and abasliino- the 
 vicious. It feared notliing except sin ; its only 
 love was God and tlie salvation of souls. It 
 need not surprise us to learn that she appeared 
 more like an anyel winoino- its tiiuht to heaven 
 than a mortal destined to die. Walkino- 
 througli the streets she gave edification by her 
 deportment, rejoicing and strengthening the 
 hearts of her Christian friends, who saw in 
 her the power and triumph of maidenly 
 purity, and impressing the pagans with a 
 sense of awe and reverence tliat made tliem 
 yearn for an uiilvnown good, To }lQ^Y nuinv 
 
42 
 
 ST. AONKS— VnuaN, MARTYR. 
 
 was she the iiistruuieiit, in God's luiiiJs, of 
 energizing tliat grace of pi*ayer, given to all, 
 and of movinor their wills to use that grace in 
 aspirations to a God whom, as yet, they knew 
 not. Who can tell tlie nnnibers slie disposed 
 to accept jox'fuliy the truths of Christianity, 
 as from the imirr sanctuary of her soul, glow- 
 ino- with <aaierous lo\ e, she diffused an air of 
 heaven around, (juelling the grossness of theii" 
 nature, awakening the latent nobility of their 
 ])eing, and flashing a light into the darkness 
 of their un<lerstanding. 
 
 Hei* disposition was genial and kindly: her 
 conversation ahvaxs edifving, cn en wlien she 
 could not converse on holy things in the pres- 
 
 'iice of pagans who might betray her. She 
 knew how to speak of the world, and on 
 subjects of daily occuiTcnce, without woun<ling 
 charity, or forgetting the pi-esenci^ of her 
 Spouse. In dress slie avoided all unnecessary 
 oivnaments : and whilst neat in everytliing, she 
 ]'ejected with horror sucli adornments of her 
 person as weie not in conformity with Ghris- 
 tian modesty. We need not stoj) to ask how 
 
St. AGNES — viiujix, MAirrvu. 
 
 4:^ 
 
 n 
 
 ail 
 
 slie wuukl act it* slic, wejv livini'" in our <lci\'. 
 She would iM-'ViT f'ojm?t that tlie laAVs of 
 modesty do not clian<>e ; that fashion is not 
 synonymous with propi'iety ; and tliat custom 
 cannot excuse anv foi*m of dress wliich viohites 
 the instincts of maideidv delicacv. Her oen- 
 tie spirit would he arouscul to l^oly indignation, 
 her pure womanhood would feel itself outraged 
 hv certain forms of evenino- costume which 
 some women affect to consider in keeping with 
 modesty, l>ecause in touch with fashion. We 
 can assui'e our readei's that many men of the 
 w'orid look upon some of those dresses — or 
 ]*atlier undresses — as most unseemly. 
 
 This chai'actei'istic of maideidy modesty 
 Avas with her to the end. So mucli did .lesus 
 love it in her that He performed a stupendous 
 miracle to shield it from outward profanation, 
 as Prudentius and Pope Damasus attest. 
 Perhaps no more l)eautifully expressed, • or 
 truly poetic sentiment, can be found in the 
 whole range of literature than the last strophe 
 of the hy an of St. Ambrose on our dear 
 Agnes, wherein he speaks of the survival in 
 
44 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIKGIX, MARTYR. 
 
 death of that charming modesty so conspicuous 
 in life. He says, after telling she had been 
 given her deatli wound : " In death modesty 
 survived ; covering her face with her liand, 
 hending lier knee slie came to the ground, 
 falling in a modest posture."* It was tliis 
 quality of soul, this habit of mind, and out- 
 ward expression in word and act, that is so 
 praised l»y Prudentius, the poet, by St. 
 Ambrose and 8t. Augustine, the great and 
 holy bishops, and which has been innnortal- 
 ized bv the Church in the Office of her Feast. 
 It would seem to be worthv of imitation bv 
 the o'irls of our da v. 
 
 An ardent love for (Jod, and that i>'enerositv 
 wliich is boi'u of love, and endues with heroism 
 in suffering for the Beloved One, was another 
 chief trait of her character. To her it seemed 
 notliing to suffer for one who loved her with 
 His.eternal love. The authors already^ referred 
 
 In iiiorte vivebat itiulor, 
 VultiuiKnie t(!xerut niami, 
 Torram g('mifl<^x(> i)ctit 
 Lapsu vcrocumlo cjxleiis. 
 
 
 I "1" ■ 
 
 -St. Ami.. Toin. 4, p. 1211. Edit. Mii,'iio. 
 
 #: 
 
ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 45 
 
 m 
 
 m. 
 
 Ill m 
 
 m 
 
 to speak of this generous disposition, and 
 glorify it in one so young. In the hymn 
 quoted above St. Ambrose tells us that her 
 parents, terrified at the persecution, sought to 
 shelter their darlinj*' bv increased bolts and 
 bars; but her "faith, which nothing could 
 restrain, opened the doors of her prison." As 
 we shall see later on, she suffered with alacritv, 
 with joy, with thanksgiving. 
 
 Fair in person, amiable in manner, gentle in 
 action, endowed with wealth and rank, modest 
 in heart and soul, filled with generous love for 
 her God, bringing a breath from heaven 
 Avherever she appeared, w^ith calm trustfulness 
 in her chosen spouse, in whose j^resence she 
 lived, young in years, but with the glorious 
 old age of a " spotless life," and the venerable 
 gray hairs of " understanding," this is the 
 picture of St. Agnes, as presented by those 
 who must have conversed with manv who 
 knew her. This was the Lady Agnes who 
 walked the streets of Rome in the year 804, 
 but whose heart was in the heavenlv Jeru- 
 salem. 
 
 :i 
 
 "'"^ 
 
40 
 
 ST. 
 
 AON 
 
 ,,,«„viuc;iN, Mv.n-vn. 
 
 1 
 
 ,,^;,yTA'/;0.1/ 0/.- ST. AGNES. 
 
 chiiptev, are— li^t. i- 1 , ^^^ ^^.^^^ j,„t a 
 
 the tiiuc of ^^g"^\ '^"',,,,.0 ccnue thither at 
 native ot Ro,uc, he '^^^ j^is fifth year, 
 a very early age, r^^ ^^^ j,, ^s 
 
 IX-aicated t(, t'^'--;^-^^*^^ ";^.^^i,,i,,ticallci>o 
 hovhoodJle^vastramea^ c^^^^ ^^..^,^ ^,^^. 
 
 ledge, and ^va^ *''"''' fi,;,nTst have conversed 
 ,ets of the martyv. He ^^' ^^^^,^ ,,.,,^ 
 
 with luany who '>f >"^^^ ' ^^, adorned the 
 
 '-'^ -^r th u - tin ":rUe sla.s, in 
 catacombs AMth ;^'^"' . . and amongst 
 honour oi \aiiou^ ^ T^i^ere cau^)^ 
 
 others, lie celeb. attU ^^ j ^^.^ verses. 
 
 The stob m«y b. »«•" ;, Tillcmo»t, »!» 
 
 TiS'. 
 
 .li.^^ 
 
,.-'■(■■ 'I •-•-4"4'-«7'",<;'-c "T' r-v<^y;'"'-ff, '■•':• 
 
 *-T;'^'^,-'"'V"^"'; 
 
 *■.,% "-y.;t. 5 '■■■*«; ff^—rv : 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MAUTYR. 
 
 47 
 
 jible.* There is no doubt, now. 2nd. St. 
 .mbroso. He, als(), must have spoken with 
 hose wlio liad known oiir uentk' Aonos. Wo 
 A'o an undonbted woi'k of Ins, " Do Virgini- 
 is," tVoni whicli alone wo shall cjuote in this 
 lapter. :h'd. Prudentius, in '' Pori Steph- 
 lon," hvmn I3th, in some editions, 14th. 
 [o is the (Christian Poet of the early ages, 
 native of Spain, he spent some time at 
 )me, and in all probability gathered his 
 ^formation regarding St. Agnes from eye- 
 •^itnesses. 4tli. St. Augustine, who lived at 
 [le same period as the oth* r three, and must 
 Lve known, intimately, the histor\^ of Agnes, 
 sermon 27'S, C. G, lie speaks her praise, 
 [hese grave and, practicalh% contemporary 
 uthorities are surely sufficient to put l^eyond 
 he possibility of doubt, or cavil, the wonder- 
 iil storv of Aonos' trials, sufferino-s and 
 L'iumph. 
 
 There is, moreoxor, a hymn on St. Agfles, 
 Ixlwavs attributed to St. Ambrose, and no 
 
 (Tlllcinonl, vol. v., \kv^v ;i44.) 
 
u 
 
 p 
 
 1 1 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN. MARTYR. 
 
 reasonable objection can be offered against its 
 authenticity. Also, a sermon on our Saint, 
 which the editor of Migne rejects, although 
 he admits linding it in three manuscripts, all 
 bearino- the name of Ambrose as its author. 
 Why lie should rc^ject it, is a puzzle to a care- 
 ful reader. It is quite in keeping with his 
 gemtine work, although more extended ; its 
 style and sentiments are thoroughly Ambro- 
 sian. It is in accord with the verses of 
 Damasus, regarding the subjection of our 
 Saint to the test of fire. For our own part, 
 we ai'c convinced that it is the work of St. 
 Ambrose. This sermon is not to be con- 
 founded with an epistle attributed to St. 
 Ambrose, in which are very fully narrated her 
 various trials. The epistle, although in har- 
 mony with known facts, is not from the hand 
 of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan. It is a later 
 compilation from ,'incient documents. Its 
 rejection, however, nmst be sustained by other 
 reasons tlian the very futile ones often 
 advanced. These are chiefly two. The epistle 
 speaks of Constantia, daughter of Constantine, 
 
 >-., 
 
"T^|f5i^??P^^' 
 
 V5>?v *VT«v /^^"y- "-J:^^^, -^T 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 40 
 
 laving, after her cure at the shrine of Agnes, 
 
 remained in virginity, and by her example 
 
 lany others took the veil. It is pretended 
 
 *st tliat nol)le ladies, ai that time, did not 
 
 'corne nuns in Rome, A single sentence 
 
 ^•om 8t. Jerome is th<^ sole support of this 
 
 Assertion, so contrary to. well-known facts. It 
 
 \s true, St. Jerome says, " no noble w^omen," 
 
 >tc., follow^ed the monastic life ; but this is 
 
 to be restricted, like his famous expression of 
 
 ['all the w^orld" finding itself Arian. Both 
 
 )ropositions are too sweeping in their gene- 
 
 ralitv. At tlie time Jerome wrote that " no 
 
 loble women" at Rome weiv followino- tlie 
 
 nonastic life, Pope Damasus was writing tlie 
 
 epitaph of Ins sister, Irene, in wliich he tells 
 
 lis she " had vowed herself to Christ durino- 
 
 r ~ 
 
 [ife, so that holy chastity might obtain for liei* 
 
 virgin's crown.'* The other reason is 
 
 lat Constantia was espoused to (iallican. 
 
 L'ue ; ]>ut it is not proved that they were 
 
 [terwards marrie<l. We know, moreover, 
 
 (Cnnneu xxi, Kdit. MIljih', 
 
 
IV 
 
 ST. A^"^*" 
 
 ^oues, ao\vua^»^-, ^Ut»uoh 
 
 : enuinc souve.s tivst n " ^^^ ^^ j,,,g luU 
 
 J'eTeva^ P-ec«t 7^;^.^,^ about to 
 lU aud uM'st violent - ^^ ^^ ^^,, to 
 
 vSv hop. to otVaee tW. -^ ,^____to aostvoy 
 Ic avU of saWat... ^ ^ V, his pvide and 
 
 ,^,, „,y have hoped t« ;" ^. tu,. awvoa'^h- 
 i,>o; storm ■.Wu(rtlu>><^. 
 
ST. A(tNE.S — N'lUGlX, MARTVK. 
 
 51 
 
 u»* lull 
 ,t now 
 bout to 
 
 nst tW^ 
 
 aid ^^^' 
 rist,— to 
 
 ^^Acstvoy 
 vicar of 
 Kvido ana 
 ;t heaven, 
 Wkepv'iar, 
 
 I appvoaeli- 
 r-upvayevs 
 
 1(1 alnisdecM.ls. Faithful vin-ins like Au'iies 
 i\ tli(,'ir lamps always trimmed • thev wei'e 
 er listening for the voice of the Bridegroom, 
 ke a spirit from heaven, Agnes moved 
 ongst the Christians, when they assembled, 
 assist at Mass, in the catacond)s. She spoke 
 ouragingly to the poor an<l lowly, and her 
 rds fell as sweetest nuisic on their ears; 
 smiled serenely on her, companions, and 
 ir fears vanished before the l)eam of calm 
 tidence that ixleamed in her tender eves : 
 spoke with grave accents of i-espect to 
 old, and wavering hearts grew firm witli 
 w-l)orn courage. Her pure voice rc^se above 
 e others, in the pleading invocations of our 
 )ly Church for grace aud perseverance, and 
 nv a hardene<l heart softened, and manv a 
 1 seared b\' sin felt the refreshing; dew of 
 l^ine grace, and sought i-econciliation in the 
 V Sacrament of Penance, 
 atan was filled Avitli wrath at the sin-sub- 
 g power of Agnes ; he hates most those 
 do most good. The edict of persecution 
 t foi'th, and <leath oi* apostacy, wer(» the 
 
?K'^-?T*5"??wT' 
 
 ''^;"'wm 
 
 52 
 
 St. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 i 
 
 
 alternatives for the accused. A certain young 
 pagan had seen and loved Agnes ; he sought 
 her liand in marriage. But she had given her- 
 self to Christ, and could not admit any other 
 lover. 8t. Ambrose relates, that when urged 
 by many to marry ]n*m, slio r(3plied, " tliat 
 would be an injury to my spouse." It is iiot 
 certain, from St. Ambrose, tliat tliis young 
 man denounced her to the tribunals as a 
 Christian, although it seems to be insinuated. 
 In any case she was denounced. In time of a 
 general persecution, one thus accused, was 
 summarily dealt with. Agnes was brought 
 before the judge, and as Prudentius tells us, 
 she '• was tried bv manv arts, — now bv the 
 bland words of the judge, — now by tlie threats 
 of the cruel torturer. But she remained stead- 
 fast in her firm purpose, and, ready to die, 
 willingly offered herself to be tortured." Let 
 us endeavour to idealize this scene. Here is a 
 young girl, tenderly nurtured, of gentle man- 
 ner, of refined feeling, with all the weakness 
 of human nature, with all the natural desire 
 of life connnon to the vouni'' and healthv, 
 
 
7^i'^i^°^'T^r«5>^'~^f'-^Wv;^'='v'""-' 
 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIX, MARTYU. 
 
 5.*^ 
 
 ^gi>en tlie alternative ot* sutterings and death, 
 
 )j* to deny lier God. She is human : she is at 
 
 m age when, as St. And)rose says, "girls fear 
 
 )he stevrn eonntenanee ot* tlieir parents." 
 
 jiMTy t'aees surrouml her: liarsli voices 
 
 ilvreaten lier : tlie bloody instrnuierits of tor- 
 
 ure seem to ghire at her. She is in the power 
 
 f these lieartless nven : the soft voice of the 
 
 l<lge pleads with lier to save liei'self. After 
 
 jl, what is she asked to do ^ To cast a grain 
 
 incense on the tire before the statue of 
 
 inerva. If she will but do tliis, she nu)\' 
 
 hvalk away unliarmed, live in the honour of 
 
 tlie Emperor, enjoy her wealth and station in 
 
 life. Tt seems a liai-ndess act: and so mnch 
 
 [depends on it. But Agnes had long Kwrnt 
 
 [that no ])ain is too great to bear for (Jod ; 
 
 Jiat no earthly good is to be pui'chased by the 
 
 smallest sin. To her God was the ioy of her 
 
 leart, the life of her soul : and to offend Him 
 
 ^ould be the direst of evils. No ; come what 
 
 ^ould, she would never renounce her Faith. 
 
 IFearlessly she stood," says Ambrose, "in the 
 
j-^r; ' *^t;f1' 
 
 ,^,r^'"'^^^-^j7 '^'*^~V^^y^'' 
 
 .U 
 
 St. A(iNES— VlHCaX, MAKTVR. 
 
 midst of tlu' cruel (.'xoeutioners, knowing little 
 ot* death, but ready to die." 
 
 We know from Pop(^ Daniasus that she was 
 subjected to the Hanies ; and this throws liglit 
 on the passage in St. Anibrose, in which lie 
 ]-eters to this trial. We gather from l)oth 
 that she was taken before the altar of* the 
 
 fal 
 
 se isoi 
 
 Is, and, refusing' to sacrifice, was hei- 
 
 o 
 
 self placed in the flames. But that (lod Avh 
 preserved the tliree Hebi-ew boys in the Chal- 
 dean furnace, preserved our Agnes in the 
 nndst of this tire. She stood, as St. Anda-ose 
 attests, ' in the midst of the fianu's, and even 
 in these sacrilegious fires forme<l Avith her 
 outstretche(l arms the sign of her victorious 
 Lord." \ es : it was a iinracle : fait the juiii 
 f Ood is not shoi'teued. Auues, with ev 
 
 o 
 
 es 
 
 upi 
 
 aised to heaven, and arms formino- a cross. 
 
 stood unhai-med in the nndst of the flames, 
 praying to her God, whose angels Avei'e pro- 
 tecting her from evil. " Behold," she said, " 1 
 am suffused with the heavenly dew of the 
 Holy Spirit ; the fire dies out around me : tho 
 flauic is divided, and the heat of this IjuiMn'm* 
 
 / 
 
 
*7'-'*',"?f-ff''?''' •' '''?""^" '-^ 
 
 ST. AfiNES — VnUJrX, MARTVH. 
 
 oo 
 
 is turned aoainst those who ai*e feedino- it. 1 
 bless Tliee, adoi'able Father, who dost permit 
 iiie to come to Thee inti-epidly, in the midst 
 of the flames. Beliold, wliat f liavi^ believed, 
 I now see : wliat T ])a\ e hoped for, I now 
 liold : Avliat I luive <k'sired, I now end)race." 
 Tliese ai'(^ the words of lier prayer as i*ecorded 
 in tlie epistle attributed to 8t. Ambrose ; and 
 we can see liow appropriate they were. God 
 would not permit the fire to sear a ]iody so 
 pni'e ; moi'eover, He wished to sliow His lovini;" 
 care for tliose who trust perfectly in Him. 
 Tlie fires died out around tlie youthful viroin, 
 but tlie hatred of the pei-secutors was un- 
 ([uenched. They wei*e l>affled, laughed at, 
 oN^ercome hv a child : but maHce sui>m'sted a 
 more outraocous torture. 
 
 The V saw deat^^ ^A no terror for Aunes : 
 they had proved that the thi'eat of pmilsh- 
 |meiit by fire had not appalled her, and that 
 ni unseen power protected her. They knew, 
 lowever, that a Christian \ iriiin valued some- 
 hino- moi*e than life. Tliev woidd torture 
 [ler throuu'h her modest v : they would bi*in<»" 
 
 .,«4»|^#. 
 
W--^ 
 
 r>G 
 
 ST. A(iNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 the blush of shame to a cheek that blanched 
 not in the presence of rack, or burning coals. 
 The}' would expose lier to the scot!', and jeer, 
 and contumely of the basest of mankind. 
 This, Prudentius tells us, was tlie wicked sen- 
 tence of the exasperatcMl judge, unless she 
 '• bowed her head to the altar, and asked pai-- 
 don of Minerva/' Did the noble girl tremble { 
 Did she liesitate for an instai^t ? Did she lose 
 confidence in her spouse, and entertain, even 
 for a moment, the thought of escaping this 
 new danoer In' renouncinof her Faith ? Oh, 
 there is no cowardice in the love of Aonos. 
 The lion's couraoe is behind the i^-entleness of 
 the laml), nurtured and confirmed by her trust- 
 ing love for Jesus. Her reply was worthy of 
 herself, and that is sa'^ Ine: much. " Christ is 
 not so unmindful of His own as to desert us, 
 or to suffer us to lose our pi'iceless pearl : 
 He watches over tlie pure, and will not permit 
 their chastitv to1)e stained. You inav imbrue 
 your sword in mv blood, if vou will, but voii 
 shall never defile my virginity." Pi'udentiiis 
 hei\ describes the visible protection of the 
 

 ST* AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR, 
 
 .•)7 
 
 Almighty as displayed in regard to Agnes. 
 Her confidence was not misplaced ; Christ 
 does not desert tliose wlio reallv love Him : 
 He is the strong guardian of tlie pure, when 
 they have not souglit tlie danger themselves. 
 He can and will, when necessary, protect, even 
 hv miraculous means, the innocence that has 
 
 ft. 
 
 ])een consecrated to Him, and never witli- 
 di-awn. '' Triumphantly the virgin went, 
 siniiino' a sacred son*** to God the Fathei* and 
 to Christ, " as relates Prudentius. The worst 
 resource t'aik^d : Allies had )*eceived a ne>v 
 H'lorv, avid Satan had suftered another defeat. 
 One would think that seeing thus the pro- 
 tection accorded our Saint her persecutoi's 
 Avould cease, and let her depart in peace. 
 Manv hearts indeed melted : manv souls 
 acknowledged the true God, and sought 
 admittance into the fold of Christ. Her 
 ])lood, however, was asked for; the cruel edict 
 of persecution exacted apostasy or blood. 
 Apostasy could not be wrung from Agnes : 
 torments and itinominv had been l^«<saved in 
 vain, tlie sword must do its woi'k. St. Am- 
 
 ,d 
 
 «*.,*• 
 
 ..■^• 
 
 
 p-"t 
 
 1 ■! 
 
 
y — " 
 
 ,.^l^, ■^■■fc-. ■ "-,■.; 
 
 !'\';,i";;rr'"''»' j'^ry";';'''.':''''j'»'i.''/.;-\'^'^;.r;v5'p5?;^?#''^>i'^i^^ 
 
 
 ST. A(JXES — VIKGIX, MAUTYK. 
 
 In-ose vividlv Jesci'ibes the scone: "With a 
 luoic joyful ste]^ <h*(.l slie go fortli to the place 
 of jiuiiishiiu'nt than others to tijeir weddiii;^*, 
 hasten inu" alonu', lier liead not adorned with 
 coils of hail, but Avith (/hi-ist : not cnnvned 
 with Hovvei's, but with virtue's. All wept ; slje 
 aloiu^ was tearless. Manv wondered tliat slie, 
 who had scarcely tasted life, should l)e so 
 reach' to cast it awav, as if she had finished 
 it. * * * * How the executioner strove, 
 now to terrify, now to persuade her by soft 
 Avords : liow manv besought lier to niarrv. 
 '' This," she said, '" would be an iniui'V to niv 
 spijuse, to look upon another as pleasing. Let 
 Hin» who first chose me receive me. Whv <lo 
 \'ou delay, executioner .'' Let this body that 
 can be lo\'ed by eyes that please nu.' not, perish." 
 She stood : she prayed : she Ijent her neck. 
 The executioner trendjled as if he were the 
 condennied : his right hand shook, his face 
 blanched at the si<»ht of another's dano-er, 
 whilst the gii'l did not fear for her own. You 
 have thus in one victim a double martyrdom, 
 
 '■m ; 
 
'"nfXJlfiT-'?:;*-- -^'iv^cy- 
 
 ST. .UiNKS — VFROIX, MAirrVH. 
 
 5!) 
 
 of chastity and of faith. She rt'iiiaiiied a 
 virgin, and she won the martyr's pahn." 
 
 Pope Damasus says tluit when the sentence 
 of deatli had l)een announced 1)V tlie bhire of 
 trumpets, of her own accord slie went to meet 
 her fate. And Prudentius speaks of her joy 
 at seeing the executioner, for slie said : '' This, 
 this, I confess, is a lovei' who j)leases me ; J 
 shall go Torth to meet him. * * * Eter- 
 nal Rider, open wide the gates closed formerl}' 
 to mortals ; call to thee, O Christ, my lonoino- 
 soul, a virginal victim, and one of faith 
 divine." With such love in her heart, with 
 these holy aspirations on her lips, the pur(^ 
 soul went forth to the bosom of its (Jod. 
 
 i 
 
 w-'X 
 
 I 
 
 I! 
 
 ■■4F 
 
 V it', 
 
 
 ii'&xki*Z-%r 
 
T 
 
 V»?J>T5'.^?''".ty'"ff"^'?C»^f^>'T?i'S1!»J!W 
 
 ii t 
 
 i'A) 
 
 ST. A(;\Ks — vriKux, MAirrvn. 
 
 THE SHRINE OF ST. AGNES. 
 
 Tlio beautiful lit'o oi Ai»iies was iiloriouslv 
 oiultxl. We could uot wisli it to liave l)een 
 otherwise. She tauglit us liow to live uncou- 
 taminated in an atmosphere ot* iuipiety ; she 
 showed us liow to unite graet^ful manners witli 
 charming modesty ; she gave an example of 
 the lovable chai'acter that arises from a happy 
 mincjlino' of s^entleness in action with un- 
 daunted resolution in principle ; she made us 
 realize that youth counted b\' years may have 
 the venerable <«:rav hairs of understandino', 
 and the honoured old age of a '' spotless life." 
 Having given \is these valuable lessons how 
 to live, it was only natural that she should be 
 called upon to teach us ho\v to die for God. 
 The close of her short earthly career was what 
 all deaths are — a compendium of her life. In 
 it we see ardent, tender love for her spouse, 
 perfect confidence in His protecting care, and 
 
; in«-,Vr;,'^-«i-ir'?ni, ■ 
 
 ST. AdNKS — VIIKIIN, MAllTYli. 
 
 01 
 
 sweet modesty triumphant to the end. She 
 had fought bravely the good fight ; slie harl 
 kept the faith ; she liad been true to her 
 phghted troth with our dear Lord. We can 
 feel the beauty of the closing scene, as well as 
 the liarmony of the preceding years. Those 
 wlio witnessed her death mioht well fancy 
 
 CJ I. 
 
 they saw lior diseml^odied spirit soaring aloft, 
 as Prudentius sinos, Jiemmed round by ano-els 
 as it moves on its brilliant path ; looking down 
 on the world beneath its feet, on the lower 
 darkness, and passing the sun's orbit in its 
 coui'se, until it arrives at its heavenly home, 
 there to receive its double crown. 
 
 The martyr's death gives no cause for 
 mourning; it is always celebrated by the 
 Church as a birthday. The Te Deitm is sung 
 in action of praise. Tears are out of place at 
 the burial of our Agnes. Her noble parents 
 lovingly cared for her holy body, assisted b}' 
 admiring friends. To them she was not dead, 
 she only slept, whilst her spirit hovered near 
 to bless and console them. Tenderly they bore 
 the sacred remains to the villa of her parents, 
 
 
 .am-. 
 
' 
 
 •: .^ p ■ '■(■^''^^'^'■^''.'^^Jf.f.^ci.'^^ 
 
 {\'2 
 
 ST. A(^XES — VllUaX, MAIITVH. 
 
 a mile bevoiid the NoKieiitana (Jate. Tlu le 
 she vv^as laid "in peace" in her narrow cell, 
 near the inoutli of the catacomb that has since 
 borne her name. It became at once a sacred 
 f^pot, — a shrine of grace, — a resort for tlie 
 pious. In her acts we arc tolvl how the crowd, 
 a few days after lier death, wei-e praying at 
 her tomb, when tliey wei'c set upon by tlic 
 pagan mob, and liei fostei'-sistei', Emerentiana, 
 was murdered at her feet. 1'h() first victoi"\' 
 of a Diartvr is to win the orace of martyrdom 
 for others. Aii'nes was dead : a oreat light 
 had o'one out of the lives of manv : all missed 
 her graceful form at the Mass in the cata- 
 combs, where they now regularly assembled. 
 But she who had been a support to them in 
 life, was now transformed into a model for 
 their imitation. In her they saw all the best 
 qualities of a noble Christian nature, sancti- 
 fied and elevated by grace, and tlie practice of 
 loftv virtues. She was an ideal fitted to win 
 generous hearts, and to incite to emulation. 
 As such she was not dead, and the liolv bond 
 of " C 'Ounnunion o^* Saints " united lier to tlieiii. 
 
(0^;<■■^m!■i^;i^^l^ . , ■,■.■ 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIllCUN, MAUTYJ{. 
 
 ().'] 
 
 She co\iI<l pray for them, and 1)l' tlie ])lea(ler 
 (►f their cause at tlie Saviours feet. In the- 
 cruel (1m;s of pej'secution th<Mi U])on tJjeni tliey 
 could ' k to lier example, and gain strength 
 
 tl 
 I 
 
 irouiih her intercession. 
 
 ''i^ 
 
 ri 
 
 )us nei 
 
 li 
 
 torn I 
 
 M'caiiie a sanctuary and a place of ])ilgi*iinage 
 Ahout tift\' veai's aftei* lier death Prudentiu.^ 
 
 write 
 
 T 
 
 Tlie tond) of Ai»iies, the nohle \y\y\ 
 
 tlie ilhistrious martyr, is at Kome. Buried 
 there Avithin sight of its towers, tlie >irgin 
 watcJies ovei- the safet\' of tlie Komans, and 
 also protects pilgrims who supplicate with a 
 pui-e and faithful heart.' 
 
 one 
 
 ^1 
 
 J)j 
 
 vmasus also 
 
 has put on record the sentiments of the age, 
 as well as jiis own, when he wrote : *' Oh illns- 
 trious \ ii'gin, venerated 1)\' me, holv beauty, 
 and swi'et linage of purity, I pray thee he 
 favourahh^ to tlie prayers of Damasus. " And 
 St. Augustine* in his seivmons extols her., say- 
 ing: "Blessed is St. Agnes whose passion 
 celebrated to-da\'. She was what she was 
 , a vij-oin. Amn's in I^atin signiti<'s ;i 
 
 JS 
 
 VAX 
 
 llrd 
 
 (S.T. :j7;!.) 
 
04 
 
 ST. AGNES— AMHG IX, MARTYR. 
 
 lamb; in Greek chaste. She was what she 
 was called ; hence she merited to he crowiied.' 
 A holy lite is never spent in vain. Thiviv is 
 in human nature noble instincts, even wbcn 
 degraded bv sin. Weeds ma\' urow tliick and 
 (Umk in the soul and choke, for a time, man's 
 l)etter nature, l>ut a generous act of heroism 
 seldom fails to awaken a sentiment of admi- 
 ration, and a desire of emulation. Hence, 
 though the persecutors succeeded in taking 
 the life of our Saint, she lived as a model in 
 the hearts of the faithful, and has been, 
 through all ages since, the ideal maiden of 
 song, and story, and Church history. 
 
 When peace had been restored to the Church 
 
 and Constantine liad broken the shackles of 
 
 oppression, Christian piety soon disphiyed 
 
 itself in its works. Jn the jov of oeneinl 
 
 peace and security the victorious victims of 
 
 persecution were not forirotten. (Jver the 
 
 remains of Agnes a public church took the 
 
 place of the underground oratory <lui'ing tlie 
 
 reign cf Constanthie. With a sliojit change 
 
 of form, and somewhat enlarj»e<i, it exists now, 
 
 bf •^ 
 
 m 
 

 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MAUTVl^. 
 
 65 
 
 and is looked upon as one of the most inte- 
 resting of all E-onie's churches on account of 
 the preserv^ation of the form into which it was 
 reduced by Pope Synnnachus in 498. In order 
 that the sacred remains of the virtiin martvr 
 should be immediately under the high altar, 
 the earth was excavated to the depth of the 
 coftin, thus briML!;in<4' the Hoor of the church 
 several feet l>elow the level of the surrounding 
 soil. You enter b\' descendiiii]: a lon^' Hij^ht of 
 marble stairs, Avhich leatl to the atrium of tho' 
 church. The nave is separated from the aisles 
 by graceful marble columns of various (juali- 
 ties, and finished in different styles. Over the 
 top of the circular arches that spring from 
 these columns a second tier of smaller pillars 
 arise and support the roof. The ceiling is flat, 
 andvichly finished in car\ed woodwork, pro- 
 fuselv adorned with u'old. The vault of the 
 apse, or tribune, s both interesting and beau- 
 tiful. It is covert I with mosaic work repre- 
 senting St. Agnes between l\ipes St. Synnna- 
 chus and Honorius, and is of the time of the 
 lattei' pontirt* ihM). It is, conser|uontly, more* 
 
 .«■ 
 
()0 
 
 8T. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYII. 
 
 than twelve hundred years old, and speaks to 
 us in the same mute language as our churches 
 of to-dav, and it tells of the same faitli and 
 hope, of the same form of worship, and the 
 same devotion to the Saints. Standing in 
 such a place one realizes, more fully than else- 
 Avhere, the unbroken line of our Church's 
 history, its unchangeable faitli, its continuity 
 of devotional practices, the heroism of its 
 Saints and Martvrs. One can look back 
 through the restless years of our century, 
 back through misty years of centuries long 
 dead; away beyond the beginning of the cru- 
 sades, beyond the civilization of England, to 
 the first ages of the new-born Churcb, and 
 find, amid all changes and dissolutions of 
 states, tlie Roman Catholic Church always tJie 
 same. Almost every pontitl*, from Sylvester 
 in the time of Constantine to tlie late Pius 
 IX., had a tender care for the tond) of Agnes, 
 and for tlie beauty of the church. Why i 
 Because slie died for the faith of which they 
 were the guardians ; she was one of the fair- 
 est children nurtured at the breast of Holv 
 
■.^fii^,"^^^.^^;^^;..'. . *.::^. .^y^.-f- -'. 
 
 yvrzf; 
 
 ST. MINES >'IU(;iX, MAKTV1^ 
 
 (i7 
 
 I 
 
 Church, and they, its head on eartli, should 
 embahu her niemorv in tlve liearts ot* the 
 faithful. Here we can look upon material 
 proofs of the gran* I unity of our faitli, its 
 identity with that of tlie earh' niartvrs, its 
 indestructil )le power. But even as many 
 remained blind to the witness borne l)\' Aones 
 to our faitb ; so many, jilas ! (Mlucated in pre- 
 judice, deceived by false \'ersions of history, 
 and unwilling* to face manfullv the stern looic 
 of facts, turn away their eves from evidences 
 such as these, and do not see, because they do 
 not wish to see, the light. 
 
 Beneath the high altar repose the remains 
 of the gentle Saint. A rich canopy, or bal- 
 dacchino, supported by four porphry columns, 
 form a fitting cover for the chastely designed 
 altar. Many lamps, set in silver sconces, burn 
 day and night around the shrine, typical of 
 her virtues, which outlive the grave, and shed 
 a sweet light over the rougli places of life, 
 revealing a path whereby virginal modesty 
 may safely walk. 
 
 The Feast of our Saint is celebrated on 21st 
 
08 
 
 ST. AGNES— VIRGIN, MARTVll. 
 
 January, the anniversary of her precious deatb. 
 It has ever been a family festival with the 
 Romans. Old and young, the wealthy and 
 the poor, all endeavour to visit her shrine on 
 that glad day. It is in the heart of the short 
 Roman winter; yet it is always bright and 
 cheerful. There is no gloom in the air; no 
 Vn'ooding sadness lianging over the ruins that 
 mark the site of the ancient villa of Amies. 
 Death has no victory over the pure ; it cannot 
 dim the after-glow of their example, nor rob 
 them of the admiration of the just. 
 
 During the celebration of High Mass on tlys 
 day two snow-white lambs are brought up to 
 the altar, at the offertor}^ and blessed by the 
 officiating Cardinal. Then they are handed 
 over to the care of the Nuns in a neighboring 
 convent, who tend them until their wool is 
 shorn. From this wool is made the Palliums 
 sent by the Pope, as the badge of jurisdiction, 
 to Archbishops. 
 
 How beautiful and how expressive are the 
 ceremonies of Holy Church ; how instructive 
 in their symbolism. Here, on the Feast of the 
 
 &~ ■ 
 
 
'-."Iff"^'''-. ■">7' "•■'''■.•^ i^T''-"*.' ' . "-'"'jft"; '. 
 
 ST. A(;NES— \']1U;[N, MARTY1{. 
 
 00 
 
 4 
 
 gentle virgin whose name, as St. Augustine 
 says, expressed what slie really was, viz. : 
 chaste, these lambs, the chosen symbols of 
 purity, ai*e blessed, and the stuff' woven from 
 their wool made into a l)adnfe of ecclesiastical 
 jurisdiction, a reminder of the spotless purity 
 of the Church, as well as of wluit the wearer 
 should exemplify in his conduct. This cere- 
 mony proves better than words the peculiar 
 glory of St. Agnes in the Church's touching- 
 symbolism. 
 
 The catacomb adjoining this church can be 
 entered from the sacristv. It was a favourite 
 burial place after the interment of Agnes. 
 Descending into the earth you can pass along 
 narrow passages, cut out of the soft rock, that 
 intersect one another like streets in a city. 
 On each side of these passages tondjs have been 
 hollowed out, tier above tier, like shelves. 
 Here the dead were laid to rest, and the 
 entrance blocked up with a slab of marble, or 
 with l^rick. Now and then vou can read a 
 name cut in the slal), or seratched on the 
 mortar. The trade mark, too, is sometimes 
 
'^<'^/-:*-'-'-''v-.\Y'r^r}2'.^^l'^i^^'^^^ 
 
 70 
 
 ST. ACJNKS — VIIKIIN, MAHTVlt. 
 
 seen on a brick. But most interestino- of all 
 are the small vials oceasionallv seen attached 
 to a gi'ave ; they are discolored with the blood 
 of a martyr, and were affixed as a mai^k to 
 his tomb. 
 
 Opening out of the main passage, or gallery, 
 are laroe rooms hewn out of the rock, and 
 letaining traces of ornamentation and paint- 
 ing. They were used as churches in time of 
 pei'secution. Tlie place for the altar an<l the 
 credence table are there ; the Bishop's chair 
 and the seats at each side attest the uses for 
 which this underofround room was desiscned. 
 We have paintings on the wall of Christ and 
 some of the Apostles ; the Good Sheplierd ; 
 Moses striking the rock ; and the Blessed 
 Virgin with the infant Jesus. 
 
 These oloomv recesses were the homes of 
 the most noted Christians in the days of per- 
 secution, and their burial place after death. 
 In them they set up an altar, and the Adora- 
 ble Sacrifice of the Mass was otiered, shorn, 
 doubtless, of mari}^ ceremonies, but substan- 
 tially identical with our Mass to-day. Those 
 
 .,/ ^' .■•■tjl:;-' ■il^lCw*'. ]^'.''t-'Mt?:}'r)i'A'i:.i'.'^t,'^.'j,-.' •£ 
 
' ^•»?i^'S'"^?"'^'(''-?'v ., •>-^;r'" ^. 
 
 ST. AGlNES— VillGiN, MAUTVK. 
 
 71 
 
 moimiiiuuts arc there to give witness in an 
 unbelieving age that the Church of the Cata- 
 combs is i<h3ntical in faitli, in worsliip, and in 
 obedience to tlic Roman Pontiff, witli the free 
 and widespread (-atliolic Clurrch of to-day: 
 and that St. Agnes, tliouglv separated from us 
 bv more tlian fifteen centui'ies, is but our dear 
 dead sister of \esterda\'. 
 
 •*9 
 
 i"^'«4 lb* iifth 
 
■ ■€'ff''/"'~7^-<i-.K-'- - ;.V'; ';:;r^>'.*' .'';v','^'\;v7?J?^:'.-^''"'^''-y. 
 
 7:1 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIHCMN, MAHTYK. 
 
 fOOTPRINTS OF ST. AGNES. 
 
 ->y 
 
 
 The desire of fame, and the ainbiti(jn of 
 heiiio' enrolled in a nation's catalotiiie of heroes, 
 have been powerful motives in inspiring men 
 to deeds of valour and arduous enterpris(\^. 
 It is an honoural>le position indeed, an<l one 
 not unwortliv of a noble mind's exertion, to 
 be written down in the records of oi. s eountrv 
 as a hero in upholding its rights, or a generous 
 sutterer in its cause. When the principles 
 that guide action are sound, and the conduct 
 has been disinterested, national gratitude and 
 national recognition are justly due the valiant 
 defender, and, as a rule, are cheerfulh' 
 accorded. Hence ^vc find that each nation 
 has had its illustrious men, whose memorv is 
 held in leverence. In great national emer- 
 gencies they are pointed out as worthy of 
 imitation ; and their names are invoked as an 
 incentive to courageous deeds. This confirms 
 
 -■f'-m-:^ 
 
^iw-:.': 'tri*-" 
 
 ST. AC^NES— VUKUN, MAUTYIt. 
 
 7:\ 
 
 what we said in tlie beginning of this work 
 i*e,;'ar(lino' the influence of ideals on the action 
 of mankind, and the benelit of noble models 
 in shaping onr course in life. 
 
 Now, all who bi'lieve in Christianity recog- 
 nize a spiritual as well as a natural life, or a 
 natural and a supernatural order of actions. 
 We are not mere animal men ; W(» are beings 
 with many animal passions, interests and 
 pleasures, but with a supernatural end, to l)e 
 attaine<l through divine aid, and a right use 
 of our faculties and powei-s. In the gospel 
 dispeilSation this supernatural end, viz., the 
 salv^ation of our souls, is put before everything 
 else : '' What shall it profit a man to gain the 
 whole world and lose his own soul," is the 
 keystone of the Christian arch. Men may 
 differ, as unfortunately they do, on tne nature 
 of the means to be employed, but all agree in 
 admitting this principle, and all agree that the 
 supernatural life has its battles, whilst its path 
 is beset with pitfalls and ambuscades of the 
 enemy. 
 
 It follows from this that there is room for 
 
..-JKS.'- 
 
 • ■/>•■<■-. -i(,-^,v 
 
 74 
 
 ST. A(JNKS — VTR(4]N, MARTYH. 
 
 heroism of a very elevated kind in tlie life of 
 i»Taoe, and tliat tlu' influence of i<leals is no 
 less needed and no less powei-ful than in the 
 natui'al order. ( )ui- Holv Cliureh lias always 
 been alive to this. Slie is the great kingdonj 
 of the supernatural life; her hnttles have 
 been numerous, her enemit^s legion, lier victo- 
 ries innumerable, and her hei'oes many and 
 valiant. Lovingly she treasures up their 
 memory, and proudly she points them out to 
 mankind as a ])roof of her spiritual fecundity. 
 \\\ j'eason of her um* versa) ehai'acter her 
 heroes are not the hei'oes mei*<dy of one^iation 
 or elan, thev are th(^ heroes of the whole 
 world : tlieir achievements are the heritage of 
 all lier ehildren, and their praises will go down 
 to the latest time. No olory can bt} so u'reat 
 as theirs: the ])raise of none other's can be so 
 universal. Tlie Saints are the heroes of 
 Cliristianity : they should be ideals and models 
 for Christians. 
 
 Our lovely Aijnes was one of these heroes 
 of the supernatural life ; she bore witness to 
 its teachings by her death ; her title cannot be 
 
 P 
 
 '^%t, 
 
■v'-irfff^':';'';'^'^-' 'i^'^t^^i'v^f ''■ ■•" -;'.' 'r' " '■ ' ^■'' \ 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MAKTYK. 
 
 75 
 
 of 
 lit) 
 hi' 
 
 >in 
 
 to- 
 
 to 
 
 y\ 
 
 iV 
 
 disputed. Let us trace her footprints in the 
 liistorv of the (Church, and we shall see how 
 great is lu'r glory, and how powerful her hold 
 on the hearts of men. We have already 
 spoken of her shrine, hegun at once after her 
 niartyr<loni, and eidarged when peace came to 
 the (christians. Those who desin^ more infor- 
 mation on this ]ien<l can consuU. Aringhi,* 
 where much interestini*; matter ma\' he u'leaned 
 regarding the church and its adjoining cata- 
 comb. It is our intention to sliow the rapid 
 spread of rlevotion to our saint; to follow her 
 footprints, not only in Rome, hut throughout 
 the whole Christian Church. The tender care 
 of lier shrine, and the uninterrupted celebra- 
 tion of her Feast as a fann'lv one, are suiiicient 
 indicatioiis of tlie permauent traces she has 
 left in the cit\' of lier hirth, and tlie scene of 
 her triumphs. 
 
 Before proceeding further in this inv^^stiga- 
 tion, it may bii well to explain just what we 
 mean by devotion to St. Agnes, oi* to any 
 
 7 
 
 • (rioma Hnl)it>rr. Tom. H., p.l .V_\) 
 
i 
 
 
 \ \ 
 
 7(1 
 
 ST. AGXES — VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 Saint, and what measure of good we expect 
 to gatli.er therefrom. We honour the Saints 
 as Gou's special friends ; v/e ask the assistance 
 of their prayers ; but we never give them 
 supi-eme honour wliich is due to God alone ; 
 nor do we ask them to i>'ive us o-race. Thev 
 cannot oive it ; but thev may obtain it for us 
 Iv their in'avers and intercession before God's 
 tlirone. This all Catholics know : and tliose 
 who crv out aoainst invocation of tlie Saints 
 sliould first learn what we l)eliev'* and teach 
 or. tliat point, and also \vJiat meaning is to be 
 attaclied to tlu- phrase " Conununion of 
 Saints," in which they profess to believe 
 wlieiH^N er tl^^v recite the Creed. St. Auous - 
 tiin', wlio l»elie\ed wliat we liold. explains 
 all tliis \rvy full v. Amonast other thing's 
 lie savs : " We do not adoi-e the martvrs 
 as gods. "•••' '•'' * Sacrifices are not oliei'ed 
 to them. Tlie pi-iests do not ofiei* (sacj'itice) 
 to them ; God forbid. Even when we cele- 
 brate at die places sacred to tlieir memory 
 (Apud Afemorh'.^) is it not to God we offer ?"* 
 
 t 
 
 (Sor. 2~^, oap. 7.) 
 
 
^ I' "■'*^-'rf -'-■ 
 
 m 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIKGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 77 
 
 ct 
 
 ts 
 ee 
 in 
 
 ^ ; 
 
 US 
 
 r.s 
 
 xse 
 its 
 
 1^ 
 
 Here we find that Mass was offered on the 
 Feast of tlie Martyrs, and bv their tombs ; and 
 tliat the Mass was for St. Augusthie what it 
 is for us, a real sacrifice, but ofiered to God 
 alone. In cliapter 7 of same discourse lie 
 adds: "Tlieiefore, dearly beloved, rejoice on 
 tlie festivals of tlie martyrs ; pray tliat yon 
 may follow theii* footsteps. * * * * 
 Venerate the martyrs, praise them, love them, 
 proclaim their deeds, lionour them ; adore the 
 God of the martyrs." This is the doctrine of 
 the Catholic Church : always the same, always 
 consistent. Gotl alone is to be adored ; but 
 His holy ones are to be praised, venerated, 
 loved and invoked, as was done by St. 
 Augustine, who, addressing Sts. Paul and 
 Stephen in their glory, said : " Tliere yuu two 
 see us: \'ou ho{]i aow Iwar nhv wordx; hoik i^f 
 f/oii pray for u>f. '^ * ''" May they com- 
 mend us in their prayers, and obtain a (juiet 
 and tran(]uil tiuie for the Church of their 
 Lord."* We thus see how devotion to the 
 Saints was imbedded in th(^ earlv (Jhurch. It 
 
 (Srv. n-Jti, fit p. ."..) 
 
7s 
 
 ST. KiNES — VllKil 
 
 MAHTVM. 
 
 If 
 
 is a UL'cessHi'y outeolju^ ol' tlic gospd l,<'>H'liJn 
 of Liu' Comimiijii)ii rA' Hnhitfi. 
 
 Now devotion to our Allies was wldcspnuid. 
 Certain Saints are revered in one loeality, l)ut 
 scarcely known elsewliere. With Agnes, liovv- 
 ever, tlie case was far obiierwise ; her name 
 and her fame went through the wholes Chui'cli. 
 The verses formerly in the apse of herelnncli, 
 atti'ibutcd to Constantia, seem prophetic when 
 
 they sp*'ak of \wv as tlic ' '»»'Pl'y viJ'K^^' *'^ 
 tlie memorahle nnme of Agnes." Wc hfivc 
 alreadx seen what Damasus. St. And»ros(' in 
 
 t. 
 
 Milan. J^-udentius of Spain, and Anp,M'<tinr in 
 Africa, said of liei' within seventy N'cnrs, or less, 
 after lur de-ith. Hrr foot|)rints an; drarly 
 \isihlcin tlieir writings : Ikm* exani])lr was put 
 iK'fori' their peopk} : and drvolicm In lnM' was 
 instilled into th''ir laiirtH )t\ tia' rccilal of lar 
 noble (KtmIh. 
 
 FiVen ))ef(ire tiMJi time, we find tin* great 
 St. Mai tin of Tours joverl and venerated our 
 Saint; and declared tliat ))er gentle spirit fr«'- 
 (juently a|)peared to In'm in a vJMion, and 
 
■'V^; 
 
 ST. AONES-r^VIROlX, MAllTYlL 
 
 7<k 
 
 ^ 
 
 •conversed witli him. * Not only was she 
 known cind honoui-ed in the M^cstern Church : 
 nlie Wcis equally celehrated in tlie Eastern. 
 Pni[iiti\r^ Kalj-ndars of Wm^. (Ireek (/hurcli 
 liave lier hstisjil set down for 21st Januarv. 
 TIm'J'c wjis also an rarls' translation of her 
 acts int<j Syi'iac, thus taking a knowledge of 
 lier short and heantiftil life to the extreme 
 Oriental races. Moreove)*, her name occnrs in 
 the Cnnon of the Mass, an lionou/' confined to 
 
 a ver^' lew. 
 
 Mot only was lier feast celebraterl in the East 
 and WcmI-, hut what is unique as regards Saints, 
 fihe liafl two Feasts on 21st ^annaiy, and 
 again on 28th. This latter is not nu octave ; 
 it in a distinct fcasi We ^in\ iSnm' iw/; feasts 
 hi the Knlendars of all fi^/' ^'Jiurch/'M; in the 
 (l)'eek, African, and Konian 'I'hi.s is a pecu- 
 liar glory of our Saint, and prov(\s oettertban 
 any othei- aru'ununt tla^ intensr love and 
 veneration had for her hv the (Jhujch. The 
 Liturgy is a saf< criterion for judging the 
 mind of the (linreh on all ohjcets of devotion. 
 
 (Snip. Sev. Dial.) 
 
80 
 
 ST. AONES— VIROIN, MAIITYR. 
 
 n i:l 
 
 The great Pope, St. Gregory, who sent the 
 light of Faith, and the principles of civiliza- 
 tion, to England, towards the end of the sixth 
 century, has left a work which differs hnt 
 little from onr missals of to-dav. It contains 
 Masses for the various festivals throuu'hout 
 the year, as well as Masses of Reqiiifra for 
 the <lead. In it are found the two Feasts of 
 St. Agnes, with a proper preface, in whicli Ave 
 read, amongst other things, the words : " It is 
 indeed becoming and right, just an<l salutaiy , 
 for us always, and in every place, to give 
 thanks to Thee, O Holy Lord, Omnipotent 
 Father, Eternal God ; and to solemnly cele- 
 brate tlie dav consecrated by tlui Martyrdom 
 of trie Blessed Agnes, who, despising the plea- 
 sures of woi'ldly riches, and renouncing' tlie 
 d(\sire. of human ties, has l)een admitted to 
 the consortship of tlu^ eternal king : and liav- 
 ing overcome tlie weakness of her sex, an<l 
 suffered a pi-ecious (h^atli for the Faith of 
 Christ, has ])een made a ])nrtaker of His 
 eternity and His glory."* 
 
 ^ (Lib, Sacr. ad diem, xii, Kal. Fclj.) 
 
 (^ 
 
 ^ 
 
"iiilli 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIUGIN, MAUTYll. 
 
 SI 
 
 he 
 fa- 
 tli 
 hit 
 
 J 
 
 The Kalendars of all the Churclies iu the 
 East have the Feast of our Saint ; at Constan- 
 tinople, beside the two feasts already men- 
 tioned, there was a third one, on oth July. 
 This was in eonnmMnoration of the hrinoino- 
 of some of lier sneriMl relies to tlie C'liureh of 
 St. Lawi-cnee, at (^)nstantinople, durini;* tlie 
 reit>*n of Tlieodosius tlie \'ounoer, as narrated 
 by Theodorus Lector.* Assemani, (Tom. vi.) 
 treating of the Kalendars of the whole Church, 
 o'ives much interesting' information concei-niro* 
 
 o O O 
 
 the Feasts of Agnes. (See 14th Jan.) From 
 it we can learn how univei-sal was the devo- 
 tion to hei* in the Christian world in the earlv 
 ages of the (Imrch, as expr(\ssed by the autho- 
 ritative \'oice <^f the Sacred liturgy, and how 
 li'reat tin* olorv that encircled her name. 
 
 That devotion did not die out, or grow cold. 
 it took I'oot wherever the (catholic Faith was 
 I'eceived, for the fame of such a heroine par- 
 takes of the universalitv and immortalitv <>f 
 tlu^ dnnx'h. Hence we find the Venerable 
 Bede eni'olling lier name in the list of feasts 
 
 (Lib. 2 sub linem.) 
 
Jm 
 
 82 
 
 ST. AUXES — VIIIGIX, .MAinVII. 
 
 for England ; and later on, this same feast was 
 a liolidav of obligation for women in the daxs 
 when Eno'land's Faith was identioal with that 
 of Home. Hnt the ghid fcstivnl of th«' noble 
 maidcMi ecased to be eelebi'ated when the 
 nation fell a\va\' from the lioht of trath, and 
 
 t. C" 
 
 obedience to the Supreme <'arthly Head of the 
 Cluirch. Enough, however, of ancient tradi- 
 tion survived the wreck of three liundred 
 years to inspire Tennyson's liymn, " The Eve 
 of St. Agnes." The aroma of lier sanctity 
 still lingers in (juiet valleys where she was 
 once the model and sweet patroness of English 
 maidens. 
 
 We have spoken of hei- two feasts ; why 
 •ire ther(^ two? Bevond doubt, that on 21st 
 Jan. is in eon nnem oration of ]u'v martyrdom. 
 There is no (juestion on this point. But why 
 the unusual lionour oV n secon<l one ? The 
 answrr to this is an ndditional proof of the 
 U'reat estimation in whieli shr was ]i<*ld as a 
 model ol* purity an<l jx^'fcet immoK'tion to 
 Ciod. Jt is, we maintain, in honour of hej' 
 birtli. Many authorities contend that it is 
 
ST. AUNES — VriiGlN, MAKTYlt. 
 
 88 
 
 not : but seemingly tor no ))etter reason than 
 the following": — The Church, tliey say, does 
 not celebrate tlie nativity ot* any Saint, except 
 that of the Blessed Virgin and of St. John 
 tlie Baptist ; lience this second feast is not tlie 
 nativity of Agnes. This reasoning limps ; it 
 assumes what is to be proved. We claim that 
 this is an exception to the rule : and we can 
 prove it ; hence theory must give w\ay to fact. 
 St. (jlreoorv the Great, who must have inti- 
 mately known all about St. Agnes' life and 
 deatli, is our authority. He w^as not separated 
 from her time by more years than we are from 
 the foundation of Quebec. Moreover, during 
 that interval learned and devout men abound- 
 ed : letters were flourishing : t1\e domestic 
 Instorv of the (^hurcb in Rome was carefulh' 
 garnered uj). Tlie barbarian iiTuptions that 
 devastated Europe, and destroyed its early 
 civilization, liad not taken place. St. Gregory 
 was of a noble Koman familv tliat had been 
 Christian for generations, and closely asso- 
 ciated wath the work of the Church. Hence 
 he must have known all local bistort' and tra- 
 
t'*.'-?t;?i'/'j;-!,-:fv' 
 
 -^ifrr^f^'v'r; .v, ';''^'r'':"7'y'\-'^>i]''^':^^i^j-'''''^f^;:-^'^'^K^^^^ "^mm^-jvr- '>v-**'Ty^^"^.^H(5i,'^-''fi 
 
 ><}:'{'■ i 
 
 84 
 
 St. AGNES — ViRGIX, MARTYR. 
 
 (litions. Now, in his work already quoted, 
 there is a proper preface for the second 
 feast on 28tli January, as well as for that 
 on 21st. In this preface we read : " Truly, 
 indeed, her day should be honoured, wlio thus 
 from her earthly generatlov went forward 
 that she might attain the consortship of the 
 divinity." And in one of tlie prayers of the 
 Mass, lie says : " Be present with us, O 
 Almiglity (lod, celebrating again (or repeating) 
 the Feast of 8t. Agnes, whom, horn on the 
 rlmifij of this festival, Thou didst ennoble 
 with inettable gifts." This is surely clear 
 r'nough. Assemani, in the Avork cited above, 
 elaims that the second feast was in lionoiu- of 
 lier nati\'itv, and says tliat Mazocclii has 
 
 f,- c- 
 
 I ) roved it. To us it seems tliat we liave estab- 
 lished it buvond reasonal)le contention. This 
 is a crowning glory of our gentle Agnes, to 
 luive tlie day of her earthly, as well as that 
 of her heavenly, birth celebrated in the 
 C'hurch with rejoicing. The sweet innocence 
 of her brave soul, and her unshaken constancy 
 to liev spouse, Uieritrd tin's peculiar honoui*. 
 
•'-,(^\Jffjft ..»^r^'"V^^''''^''~-..";-.'^',:v'>-r.\;, '.^t rf/; T':f,r-^'- 
 
 .^^,..,.,^,.,...™.,^,J,, ,;_-.,,, 
 
 ;;^?fT»r 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 83 
 
 We have seen a few of the footprints of St. 
 Agnes down the ages ; many more exist, hut 
 these must sutRee for our purpose. Not in 
 the shifting sands of national hy- paths has 
 she left lier mark, but on the enduring high- 
 way of the Church's <>lori(jus career are 
 indelibly stamped the foot))iints of St. Agnes 
 — Virgin, Marty i*. 
 
;/"'^~; '■.',-»■'''; \^y;i 
 
 8() 
 
 ST. ACINKS — VIRGIN, MAKTYlt. 
 
 Ci-i:.i^:pa?E:R IIXI- 
 
 DE ivy VOX TO S7\ .ICX/tS. 
 
 From tlio tbreuoinii" pam^s wu ean Irjirn thu 
 holy innocence ofc' lite, tlie deep and tender 
 love of (lod, and the ^enei'ous covn'aue under 
 cruel trials, ot* St. Aunes. W(^ have seen her 
 a young gij-1, in the first hlooni of youth, with 
 wealth and position in society, with all worldly 
 advantai^'es, and su)Toun<led l>v the se<luctions 
 of a corrupt, t}\oug]j brillifint, pagan rehne- 
 ment, leading a life of Christian perfection, 
 unsullied ly thr impure atmosj)hei'e of Homes 
 and onh' intent on L»iorif\ ini'- her (Jod. She 
 knew how to he gentle without AVeakness ; 
 how to be amiable and \'et sweetlv modest: 
 liow to be tender towards the lowdv and weak, 
 
 t.' 
 
 and fiercely courageous in the presence of the 
 scornei'. Hers was not a hot-house virtue 
 safelv bloominj^' in the shelter: it was a viii'o- 
 rous plant flowering in the open ; sti'engthened 
 and nourished l)y prayer and the Sacraments, 
 
ST. AdNES — VIHGIX. MAHTVH. 
 
 87 
 
 and safeguarded by watchfulness (ner lier 
 senses. SIk; never forgot tliat she was made 
 for heaven, and tliat oidv hv lin- own fault 
 eonld she losr it. The woids of oin* Sasionr 
 '' what sliall it |)rotit m n)an if he ^ain tht^ 
 
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 evei' in her eaj's ; the tliouu'ht of eternal iovs 
 ever in her mind : in luvr lieart an entlnisiastie 
 love for her (iod. Slie felt, too, the i*esponsi- 
 bility of hei' position l)oth towards (liristians 
 and pao-ans. 'Die nobility of lier station, far 
 from givinii,' her any claim to exemption from 
 the rules of the (luu'ch, im]>osed upon her the 
 (}l)lio'ation of a njore faithful observance. 1\» 
 whom much is o'iven of them nuich is rtM|uii(Ml 
 — a Scriptural trutli too often, alas! relegated 
 to theory, and not honoui'ed in practice in our 
 day. To the pagans she owed example, a 
 pr 
 
 actical demonstration of the nobility of a 
 life moulded on the prhiciples of the (.'atholic 
 Church. She gavr' that exanipl*- by her 
 charmino- manner of lif<^ : sln' confirmed it bv 
 
 c5 « 
 
 her oflorious death. 
 
 Our lives are being passed in a different age. 
 
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 ST. AGNES— VIRGIN, MAHTY]I. 
 
 
 and in a dissimilar state of society. Yet the 
 ^reat truths of Christianitv are the same : 
 heaven can onlv he oained now, as then, by 
 faith and grace. Now, as then, it will avail a 
 man nothing to gain the entire world and lose 
 his sold. Puritv of mind an<l bodv, 2:enerons 
 love of our God, atid vigilance over our senses 
 are still essential. The rack and dungeon, the 
 Tmrning coals, or roaring beasts of the amphi- 
 theatre, are not threatened to make us abjure 
 our faith, or fail in morals. No ; but a more 
 subtle foe, or rather many foes, fa^* more dan- 
 gerous, are at work. Disbelief in the funda- 
 mental teachings of Christianity openly 
 preached, and those who preach them praised 
 as " eminent divines," " men of broad views," 
 " Christian workers !" Newspapers of the 
 English-speaking world exhaust the language 
 of hyperbole, in a manner that would be ludi- 
 crous were it not sad, in extolling as Christian 
 teachers those whose knowledge of Chi'is- 
 tianity appears to be scarcely less limited than 
 that of the persecutors of Agnes. And simi- 
 lar writings have been propagated for years. 
 
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 ST. AGNES — VIllGIN, MAllTYK. 
 
 89 
 
 '-.if' ■■ 
 -';&■•■ 
 
 Then wc have the worsliip of material goods, 
 the follies and vanities of those wlio have 
 money T)ut no t>;uiding principles, and tlie 
 insane desire (ui the part of many who have 
 not money, to imitate or surpass these frivol- 
 ities. In a word, all the wori^t vices of pagan 
 times survive, toned down, and r jndered more 
 dani>*eroush' seductive bv a thin veneer of 
 outward polish. We are not called upon to 
 die for Christ, hut something more difficult, 
 perhaps, is re<|uired oJi us — to live for him — 
 to bear witness to our faith in the midst of a 
 polished, good natured, l)antering world, super- 
 ficial in knowledge, effeminate in practice, and 
 amazingly pretentious. The martyr's palm is 
 not placed within our reach ; ])ut the martyr's 
 glory may still be won. Moral courage, how- 
 ever, is necessar\'. Manv who would face the 
 lions in the Coliseum rather than deny God, 
 lack moral courage to manfully uphold their 
 faith in the pres(*nce of a fashionable assembly. 
 They prefer to be cowaixlly disloyal to God, to 
 incurring the jeers or scornful smile of a dissi- 
 pated reprobnte. Many who would dare the 
 
 
■Ff^Wm: 
 
 90 
 
 ST. A(;}Xt:s — VIRGIN, MAKTYK. 
 
 
 -fc 
 
 ^/ ' 
 
 
 
 w- 
 
 A- 
 
 rack rather than oii'ei- incense on the altar of 
 Venus, pay ready court at her slirine in order 
 not to be out oY touch with " nice " peoph'. 
 Dear Ht. Aiiiics. could vou return to <'art)i for 
 a time, how vour tender heart would ache at 
 the siii'ht of so nian\' of the inheritors of vour 
 faith false to y(aii* noble ])rincipl('s of action. 
 Not because they are really bad at heart, but 
 because tlu:}' are too indolent to as])ire to lofty 
 ]:)urposes, and too cowardly to run counter to 
 the disbelief of the age. You, sweet Agues, 
 knew how to be a model daughter, an<l friend, 
 and ac(|uaintance, as well as a winning embod- 
 iment of Christian perfection. Many maidens 
 have vour faith, but vour ardoit, unseltish 
 h)\c. has no place in their hearts. Hence they 
 please the world, because they are occupied 
 with it; in thu siolit of (Jod, liowever, thev 
 give no pleasure. Wliat a valuable lesson 
 
 \'oiu' life on earth now would be. 
 
 »- 
 
 We cannot recall vou to earth ; but we liave 
 A'our memory to revere, your spotless life to 
 adniire, your victorious death to encourage us, 
 and your example to serve as our model. We 
 
 

 ST. AONES — VJRdIN, MAUTYIi. 
 
 01 
 
 ^■m 
 
 can, also, have the assistance of your prayers. 
 Immersed now in the unending beatitude of 
 heaven, your pure spirit is still linked to us 
 frail mortals by the sweet bond of Connnu- 
 nion of Saints. Enjoying face to face th(? 
 vision of the Eternal, in wJiom " we live, and 
 move, and have our beino," vou can s<h> in 
 Him. as in a clear mirror, the militant Cliurch 
 and its members; in Him, in wliom is all cause 
 and reason of V)eing, you can see tliose w1j<) 
 supplicate your aid, and their words ai"e known 
 to vou by the intuition of cpuse, not throut^h 
 material eiiect. Tliis thought is consolino-, and 
 iiives at the same time a urand idea of our 
 nearness to th<^ invisilje woi'kl 
 
 Devotion to St. Agnes, as we liave seen, 
 sprung u]^ wlierever the Catliolic faith was 
 preached. Sliall it not take root and produce 
 fruit in the Western workl ? We want her 
 graceful characteristics, her moi-al courage, her 
 perfect confidence in God, her firm gentleness, 
 her spirit of sacrifice. Shall we not take her 
 for our ideal ? Her heroic ingenuousness 
 appeals to the chivalry of men ; her beautiful 
 
^5^«r^ w^^fi:^. 
 
 
 ST. A(;NES — VTRdlX, MARTYIJ. 
 
 ^'ii;. 
 
 
 soul-loveliness claims fche aduii ration ot* women. 
 In lier we liave a model of Christian perfec- 
 tion in a restless and eornipt world. Courage, 
 generosity, endurance, purity, constancy, love 
 uncon(|uerable, all that mardvind most prize 
 and revere, are seen to meet and combine in 
 her winning personality. Her titles are not 
 empty ones ; shci purchased and consecrated 
 th(im l>v her martyrdom. 
 
 The foi-m of devotion most pleasing to St. 
 Agnes will be to strive to imitate her virtues ; 
 for in doing that we will be giving glory to 
 God. She wishes us to be courageous in pro- 
 fessing our faith ; pure in our lives ; diligent 
 in fulfilling our various duties of life ; seeking 
 in all things the kingdom of heaven. If we 
 ask her with proper dispositions she, the 
 double-crowned bride of the Lamb, will pray 
 for us before God, and obtain for us grace to 
 enable us to walk in her footsteps. Let none 
 be discouraged ; she knows the snares and 
 treaclierous paths of a life in the world. She 
 is full of gentle pity for the erring, and of 
 sweet tenderness for the weak. To*none who 
 
 ..-"'M 
 
 
ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MAUTYR. 
 
 1);] 
 
 invoke her will she turn a deaf ear ; to all 
 who desire to rise above the dust of the world, 
 and to serve God with a clean heart, she will 
 be a loving help and a faithful patroness. Not 
 without cause was devotion to her so general : 
 she justified it by the number of graces ob- 
 tained for lier clients. Let us, who cannot 
 visit at will her shrine in Rome, build her n 
 sanctuary here, which may l)e a reminder of 
 her example, a memorial of her glory, and a 
 spot wherein the pure may iraplore protection, 
 and the sinner obtain the grace of repentance. 
 
 : "Jj .''ii. '..S. -.-*-. 
 
 .■ i> v,.->i',^tyw'^-(;^>?.'t%.' jp;4' r--i. 
 
 ■.*'''f?^"ii.i>fe:t^^T^:ji?*iiSi'^J'^^ 
 
'■-" •••■■7'?^j'3sr,|ff'»s 
 
 9^ 
 
 ST. U;XKs-~-vm(;,x 
 
 AfAirrvif, 
 
 
 Hymn to St. Agne 
 
 BS, 
 
 B-. 
 
 I'K 
 
 O'FirgJu Marty,-; iuvvl,o.se breast 
 ;S«eh a.;d,nt Jove for Jcsu.s f.,„, . 
 
 fr;;;t;;£::;::r''- » 
 
 ThefinnnessofthyyonrhfulW 
 But van. the trial : for Jesas' sX 
 
 Thou spurned the tempter and :•: art. 
 J«;pIoi-e for me a constant love 
 
 -^er Jet t fall to ^in i "^"^ 
 
 But grant that I V Jesus Wd,, 
 May ever praise His holy nam! 
 
 t'-K 
 
:p^;^.„*-»^v^;-r--:_,-;t 
 
 
 ST. AGXES — A'llUnxV, MARTYR. 
 
 1)5 
 
 The Prayer op St, Agnes. 
 
 11 u; folUnvijig is the pniycr of our Saint 
 when in tlie Jiiiilst of tJie fiairuis. Her devout 
 clients should recite it to he preserved from 
 sin : 
 
 "Almighty, adoraljlo, worsliipful, Fatlier of 
 liiy Lord Jesus Christ, 1 bless Thee because, 
 through tlio power of Thy Son, I have escaped 
 the e^dls tlireatened by the impious, and witli 
 an unpolluted heel have trampled on the liltli 
 of the rtesh. Behold now I am suttused witli 
 the heaveidy dew of tlie Holy Spirit ; the Hre 
 dies out around me, the fianu' is scattered, and 
 tlie heat of this burnini'' is turned against 
 those who are feeding it. I bless Thee, O ! 
 adorable Father, who dost permit me to coiner 
 intrepidly to Thee even in the midst of flames. 
 Behold, what I have believed I now^ see ; what 
 I have desired I now embrace. I confess Thee 
 with my lips and my heart ; 1 long for Thee 
 
 
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 I* 
 
 
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 Uv- 
 
 
 f- 
 
 96 
 
 
 ST. AGNES — VIRGIN, MARTYR. 
 
 with iiiy whole being. Behold, I come to 
 Thee, the li v^iiig and true God, who, with our 
 Loi-d Jesus Christ, Tliy Son, and witli the 
 Holy Gliost, dost live and reign for e\'er and 
 ever. ~A)\u'ar 
 
 (Sail Our Father, Hail Mary, (rlory, ((x.) 
 
 Prav for us, O blessed Ai^nes : 
 That we may he made worthy of tlie j»rom- 
 ises of C^hrist. 
 
 Let as pfa/j. 
 
 O ! Almighty and Eternal God, who dost 
 choose the weak things of the world to i^n- 
 found the strong, mercifully grant that we, 
 who venerate thy blessed martyr, Agnes, may 
 experience the benetit of her protection, 
 tlmnigli Christ our Lord. Aiuev. 
 
 
 
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