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Saint Agatha of Sicily (Credit : Francesco Guarino, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Saint Agatha‘s is one of the most beautiful testimonies of faith in the early centuries. The Church celebrates her memory on February 5, the day she died a martyr in Catania, Sicily. The impetuous young Sicilian, subjected to horrible torture, proved a brave fidelity to Christ. She is one of several virgin martyrs who are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.

Life and Martyrdom

Agatha was born in Catania, Sicily, in southern Italy, around the year 230. Like many women of her time, she decided to consecrate her life to Jesus Christ by remaining a virgin.

In the days of the persecution of Decius, the proconsul Quintianus, the governor of Sicily, fell in love with Agatha and sought her in marriage. However, the young woman rejected each of his proposals.

The constant refusals greatly annoyed the proconsul, who ordered her to be taken to a brothel as punishment. Contrary to what Quintianus expected, in that sad place, Agatha managed to avoid any occasion that could jeopardize the promise she had made to the Lord. And, as if this were not enough, many women subjected to that world that treated them as merchandise converted to Christ.

Quintianus then ordered Agatha to be subjected to a series of taunts and insults, and then ordered her to be tortured. Her executioners, in a fit of insanity, cut off her breasts.

Tradition has it that Agatha miraculously survived the horrors and cruelties committed against her, and during the night while she was bleeding to death, St. Peter the Apostle appeared to her to heal her wounds and encourage her to remain steadfast.

At dawn, when the guards realized that the woman had recovered, the executioners resumed the tortures and Agatha gave up her life. It was the fifth day of the second month of the year 251.

Patronage : The miracle of the lava

One year after the martyrdom of St. Agatha, the volcano Etna erupted. The lava that spread along the slopes of the volcano threatened to destroy Catania. Then, some of its inhabitants who remembered the young martyr asked for her intercession to stop the fury of nature.

Miraculously, the sea of burning rock and ash that began to move never reached the city. In gratitude, Catania and other surrounding towns chose Agatha as their patron saint.

Today, devotees of St. Agatha ask her to intercede for women who have complicated childbirths or problems with lactation. She is also invoked by those who suffer from breast ailments. She is considered the protector of women and patron saint of nurses.

Relics

Today, the most important relics of Saint Agatha are in the Basilica of Saint Agatha in Catania, Sicily. The basilica was built in the Middle Ages on the site of the former prison where Agatha was incarcerated before her death, and it houses many of her relics.

Iconography

In traditional iconography, St. Agatha is usually shown with the palm of martyrdom, the palm of victory, in her hand; or she is holding the tray on which her breasts were placed.

Festival of the Saint

The Festival of Saint Agatha in Catania is a major one in the region, it takes place during the first five days of February.

Article by Catholic Time Staff