Saint Agnes of Rome

Today the Church commemorates Saint Agnes of Rome. Like Saint Prisca, Agnes was little more than thirteen years old. She had chosen a life of service to Christ as a virgin, despite the Roman emperor Diocletian’s ruling that had outlawed all Christian activity. The details of her martyrdom are unclear, but she gave witness to her faith and was put to death, most likely by the sword, sometime between 291 and 304.

Prayer of the Day

Eternal God, shepherd of your sheep, whose child Agnes was strengthened to bear witness in her living and her dying to the true love of her redeemer: grant us the power to understand, with all your saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love that surpasses knowledge, even Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever and unto ages of ages.