T

HE story of Saint Agnes is one of the oldest and most authentic, as well as one of the most beautiful, in religious history. There is none, next to the Evangelists and Apostles, whose effigy is more ancient, for representations of Saint Agnes are found on glass and earthenware vessels used by Christians as far back as the early part of the third century. In these early portraits the lamb, which later became her inseparable emblem, does not appear, but there is no doubt as to their identity, for they are inscribed with her name. It is not known just when the lamb was first employed, but all the later painters used it as an emblem of the virgin-martyr's innocence and meekness. It is probable that the similarity of her name to agnus, Latin for lamb, led to this as sociation, the more so on account of her chaste and gentle disposition.

When about thirteen years of age, Agnes was so unfortuate as to attract the admiration of young Sempronius, son of a prætor of Rome, by reason of her wonderful beauty. Infatuated with her loveliness and purity, the young man lavished magnificent gifts of jewels and ornaments upon her and sought her hand in marriage. But the maiden repelled him, as she refused his gifts, saying that she was betrothed to another and a greater, one whose wealth and love were boundless and whom she worshipped in return. Not comprehending her words, young Sempronius grew mad with rage and jealousy, working himself into such a fury that he became ill. The physicians who were called in said: "This youth is sick of unrequited love, and our art can avail nothing." Then the young man confessed his passion to his father, telling him of Agnes' wondrous beauty and her refusal of his love, beseeching him in these words: "My father, unless thou procure me Agnes to be my wife, I die." Now the prætor Sempronius loved his son dearly; so he sought out the parents of Agnes and begged them and the maiden

that she become the wife of the young man, but Agnes refused the father as she had the son.

Then the proud Sempronius grew indignant that another should be chosen before his son, whose blood was as patrician as any in all Rome, so he inquired who was the noble betrothed of Agnes. It was soon disclosed to him that she was a Christian, and that the royal lover was none other than the Lord of Heaven. It happened that Sempronius, as prætor, had just issued an edict against all Christians in Rome, so this information placed Agnes in his power. Sending for the maiden, he craftily said: "Since thou art so resolved against an earthly husband, thou shalt enter the service of the goddess Vesta." On her refusal to worship the heathen gods, Sempronius became furious and threatened her with death in terrible forms, even dragging her before the altar in chains; but she remained steadfast in her faith. She was then carried by rough soldiers to a place of infamy and stripped of her garments. Bowing her lovely head in shame, she prayed for protection, and immediately her beautiful golden hair became of great length and thickness and covered her. This miracle so startled the people that they dared not look at her, and for the time being she was unharmed. Then she was shut alone in a chamber, and while praying for assistance a shining white garment appeared before her-the raiment of God's elect-and the room was filled with a miraculous light. The young Sempronius soon came to the chamber to again beseech her to become his wife, but as he approached her the heavenly light struck him blind, and he fell down as one dead. Greatly startled, his family, physicians, and servants ran to and fro, filling the air with lamentations, and cursing Agnes for the evil she had brought upon them. Touched with pity for their sufferings, the gentle maiden raised her voice in supplication, and the young man's sight was restored.

SO

Sempronius, the prætor, was grateful for this blessing that he would have let the maiden go unharmed, but the people, urged by the priests, cried out for her destruction, calling her a witch "who killed men with a look and restored them to life with a word." As she boldly declared herself a Christian, there was no hope for her, and Sempronius sent a deputy to judge her. The deputy ordered a great fire built of faggots, and Agnes was thrown into its midst.

So

fierce were the flames that the executioners fell dead from the heat, but when the fire died away Agnes stood on the pyre unharmed. This convinced the people more than ever that she

was a sorceress,

and the deputy commanded a soldier to dispatch her with a sword. So perished the chaste and gentle Agnes.

She was buried in the cemetery outside of the city, on the Via Nomentana, and her tomb became a shrine for pious Chris

From the time of her death Agnes became the patron saint of all Roman women, and deep reverence is still paid her by them in the Eternal City. A church was erected in the city on the west side

tians. One day, while her parents were praying and weeping at the grave, Agnes appeared to them in a vision, enveloped in a shining light, accompanied by a lamb whiter than snow. She uttered words of comfort to them, telling them to rejoice for her happiness and not weep. Then they departed peacefully to their home.

of the Piazza Na

vona, on the spot where stood the house in which she was so shamefully treated and then protected by the miracle. The chamber in which the heavenly light appeared is now a subterranean cell, owing to the change which time has brought about in the level of Rome. This room is a chapel of special sanctity, and a bas-relief over the altar shows her completely enveloped in her long hair. The floor is of old mosaic, and descent into the shrine is made by a flight of stairs, lit by torches. The church is architecturally beautiful, and is rich in handsome antique marbles and mosaics.

Another church built to the memory of Saint Agnes is outside the walls of the city, beyond the Porta Pia, and, according to tradition, was erected by Constantine the Great at the request of his daughter Constantia, only a few years after the martyrdom of Agnes. This church is supposed to cover the spot on which the saint met her death. In 625, then quite an old edifice, the church was restored, and, though often renovated since then, it still retains its antique dec

orations and form, being one of the most venerable in Rome. It also is entered by a downward flight of steps. Over the high altar is a beautiful bronze and alabaster statue of St. Agnes, and her bones are said to rest in a sarcophagus under the altar. An old mosaic in the apsis represents her crowned and holding a book, with a sword at her feet, where flowers are springing up. On her right side stands Pope Honorius, holding the church, and on the left Pope Symmachus bearing a book.

In Rome there is an annual procession in her honor on the feast of Saint Agnes, which occurs January 21st, and a lamb, highly decorated, is led through the city, and on this day occurs the blessing of the pallium.

Aside from the purely religious association of Saint Agnes's day, there are many pretty superstitions believed in even to this time, the chief of which is that, with Saint Agnes's help, a maiden may behold her future husband in her dreams on the eve of that particular day. One of the surest guides to this happy event was for a maiden to take a row of pins and stick them, one by one, in her sleeve, singing a paternoster. Then she should get into bed without looking behind her, and lie on her back with her hands under her head. Another superstition was to take the left garter and wind it about the right stocking, repeating these words:

I knit this knot, this knot I knit,
To know the thing I know not yet,
That I may see

The man that shall my husband be;
Not in his best or worst array,
But what he weareth every day,
That I to-morrow may him ken
From among all other men.

This done, the maiden believed her future husband would surely appear to her in her sleep and kiss her.

Saint Agnes has been immortalized in literature as well as in religion and art, by the exquisite poem, "The Eve of Saint Agnes," by John Keats, whose poetic genius is nowhere more graphically displayed. Do not these opening lines trace an etching as we read :

Saint Agnes' Eve-Ah, bitter chill it was!
The owl, for all his feathers was a-cold;

The hare limp'd trembling through the frozen And silent was the flock in woolly fold. grass,

The sweet story of young Madeline is told, the lovely maiden to whom the old crones whispered the legends of the eventful night :

They told her how, upon Saint Agnes' Eve, Young virgins might have visions of delight,

Upon the honeyed middle of the night,
And soft adorings from their loves receive
If ceremonies due they did aright;
As supperless to bed they must retire,
And couch supine their beauties, lily white;
Of Heaven with upward eyes for all that they
Nor look behind, nor sideways, but require

desire.

So the sweet maid follows their instructions, the while

Across the moors Had come young Porphyro, with heart on fire For Madeline.

After many vows and protestations of honor, he persuades the old dame to allow him within her chamber, and is there concealed, that he may actually appear to her and thus win her. The maiden enters, and makes her prayers to Saint Agnes; and when she finally sleeps he takes her lute and plays and sings until her "azure-lidded open in wonder, and he tells his love over again, and she confesses hers. Then he entreats her thus: Awake! arise! my love and fearless be,

eyes

For o'er the Southern moors I have a home for thee.

So the story ends, and

They glide, like phantoms, into the wide hall;
Like phantoms to the iron porch they glide;

By one and one the bolts full easy slide;
The chains lie silent on the foot-worn stones,
The key turns, and the door upon its hinges
groans

And they are gone! ay, ages long ago.

Long, long ago, Madeline and Porphyro fled away, and long ago the brillant genius who sung their story passed into the unknown world. Centuries ago the meek and gentle saint perished, and her image laid aside the brush. But the long ago the painters who preserved memory of the beautiful and the good lives, and Saint Agnes is enshrined in the hearts of her people for alway.