Description

St Agnes Healing Oil (Patron for Maidens)

St Agnes Healing Oil, also called Saint Agnes of Rome, (flourished 4th century, Rome [Italy]; feast day January 21). Virgin and patron saint of girls, who one of the most-celebrated Roman martyrs.

According to tradition, Agnes a beautiful girl, about 12 or 13 years old, who refused marriage. Stating that she could have no spouse but Jesus Christ. Her suitors revealed her Christianity, which then condemned as a cult. And in punishment she exposed in a brothel. Awed by her purity and presence, all but one of the Roman youths left her untouched. In his attempt to violate her, the sole attacker miraculously struck blind, whereupon Agnes healed him with prayer. Later, after refusing to renounce her faith, she was murdered during the persecution of the Christians by the Roman emperor Diocletian and was buried beside the Via Nomentana.

On her feast day two lambs are blessed in the Church of Sant’Agnese in Rome, and from their wool are made the pallia sent by the pope to archbishops as tokens of jurisdiction.

Whenever a man wished to marry Agnes, she would always say, “Jesus Christ is my only Spouse.”

According to legend, the young men she turned away became so angry and insulted by her devotion to God and purity that they began to submit her name to authorities as a Christian follower.