Agatha was born in Sicily, although the date her of birth is unidentified. There are records of her veneration that go back as far as the 6th century. Obviously, Agatha belonged to a worthy and rich household, and she chose at an early age to commit her life to God. Since of her deep love and dedication, she likewise consecrated her virginity to the Lord, choosing to stay chaste and single for life.

Agatha lived throughout a time of fantastic persecution of Christians. She captured the attention of a male by the name of Quintan, who was a pagan. When advances by Quintan were warded off by Agatha, he was so infuriated that he sent her to a home of prostitution. When this stopped working to alter her mind, it is stated that he tackled abusing her by racking, mutilating and rolling her over cinders. God is stated to have actually sent her a vision of St. Peter to console her when Quintan rejected her any medical help. She then provided her soul to God and passed away.

Saint Agatha is frequently portrayed in art as holding a set of pincers or holding her severed breasts on a plate. Later on, some erroneously believed these were loaves of bread, which caused the practice of true blessing bread on her banquet day. Saint Agatha is the tutelary saint of nurses.

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From Johnnette Benkovic’’ s Graceful Living: Meditations to Help You Grow Closer to God Day&by Day

. She used the radiance of a pure conscience and the crimson of the Lamb ’ s blood for her cosmetics …. Her bathrobe is the mark of her loyal witness to Christ.

— From a homily of St. Methodius on St. Agatha.

Johnnette ’ s Meditation

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To what level is my conscience pure? To what level do I gratefully bear the blood of the Lamb in and through my trials and battles? Would somebody concern me as a devoted witness to Christ? Why or why not?

Prayer

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Dear Father, what a brave and terrific martyr Saint Agatha was! It is simple to state we would provide our lives for You, however nobody in fact desires such suffering. Simply as our Lord Jesus suffered for us, we, like Saint Agatha, offerour suffering use You, confident that You will send positive consolation as You did for Agatha. Amen.

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image: Cornelis van Merlen , CC0, by means of Wikimedia Commons

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