E02475: The Latin Martyrdom of *Agnes (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00097), is written, presumably in Rome, during Late Antiquity, certainly before the late 7th c. It tells of how Agnes, a young woman of noble birth, embraces chastity, is exposed in a brothel, and is eventually martyred. She is buried on the via Numentana. Near her grave *Emerentiana (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00496) is also martyred; Constantia, daughter of the emperor Constantine, is cured there, leading to the building of a basilica for Agnes and a mausoleum for Constantia.

Martyrdom of Agnes (BHL156)

The Martyrdom is written in the guise of a letter from Ambrose bishop of Milan (374-97) to a community of holy virgins.

Summary:

§ 1: Ambrose writes to the sacred virgins. He exhorts them to celebrate the feast day of Agnes with psalms and readings (lectiones). He then recalls Agnes’ martyrdom. She died in her thirteenth year, young in age, body and appearance, but mature in mind, soul and faith.

§ 2: The son of the Prefect of the City sees Agnes returning from school and falls in love with her. He tries to tempt her with gifts, in particular precious stones, that Agnes refuses. He redoubles his efforts, offering her even more riches.

§ 3: Ambrose provides the text of her speech of refusal: she says that she is already promised to, and more richly adorned by, a far greater lover, who has offered her the most beautiful and precious jewellery and garments. He has placed his mark (signum) on her face so that she will accept no other lover. He has promised her treasures that cannot be equalled. She has already received honey and milk from his mouth, and he has chastely embraced her; her body has been united to his body and blood. He is born from a virgin and served by angels, he gives life to the dead and heals the weak, he has infinite riches. She is faithful to him. Her love for him will keep her chaste and virgin, and their children will be without painful labour.

§ 4: Hearing this refusal the young man falls sick: doctors diagnose love. His father, hearing this, asks Agnes to reveal to whom she is engaged, emphasising that he is the Prefect and there is no better match for a wedding. One of his hangers-on (parasiti) points out that she has been Christian from infancy, and occupied in magical arts which lead her to say that she is betrothed to Christ.

§ 5: The Prefect coaxes, then threatens, Agnes to come before the tribunal, but she scorns him. The Prefect Symphronius then appeals in vain to Agnes’ parents. He cannot compel them, since they are aristocrats (nobiles), so he summons her on the grounds of them being Christian. However, he fails to convince her. He therefore requires her to reject the superstition (superstitio) of Christians and suggests that she should become a Vestal Virgin.

§ 6: Agnes tells him that if she refused his son, a living and rational being, for love of Christ, she cannot worship dumb and deaf idols. The Prefect replies that he can excuse her blasphemy because of her youth, but that she should beware of the gods. Agnes remarks that she is is young in body but not in faith. She does not fear the gods and waits for them to speak for themselves.

§ 7: Symphronius orders Agnes to choose between becoming a Vestal Virgin or being employed in a brothel (lupanar). She responds that God will protect her from either: an angel of the Lord protects her body; the Son of God protects her as an impassable wall. The gods are made of copper and stone, materials that could be put to better use. Divinity resides in heaven, not in stone or metal. The Prefect should abandon such cult to avoid being punished by eternal fire.

§ 8: The Prefect orders Agnes to be stripped and taken to a brothel, but her hair hides her nakedness better than clothes. When she gets there, an angel envelops her in blinding light. As she prays to the Lord, a shining white and perfectly-fitting long robe (stola) appears, surely made by angels. She wears it and thanks the Lord Jesus Christ.

§ 9: The brothel becomes a place of prayer (locus orationis); everyone emerges purer than when they entered. The son of the Prefect comes with a gang of young men to insult and abuse Agnes. Seeing others who first entered come out with great respect and amazement, he mocks them and rushes into the place where Agnes is praying. He sees the light around her, rushes to it but dies before being able to touch her, suffocated by the Devil. Friends waiting for some time outside think that he is busy with obscene deeds; one of them enters and finds him dead. He accuses the prostitute (meretrix) Agnes of having killed him with magic.

§ 10: All gather at the theatre, arguing about Agnes’ guilt. The Prefect, hearing that his son died, comes to the theatre, sees the dead body and accuses Agnes of cruelty for having killed his son with magic. Agnes tells what happened: he was killed by an angel because he tried to touch her, while all others treated her respectfully. He challenges her to ask the angel to revive his son. She agrees but asks to go outside the theatre, where she used to pray to the Lord. All gather there, she prays to the Lord asking Him to revive the young man. An angel appears to her and revives the young man. She praises God with a loud voice and exhorts everyone to abandon the gods.

§ 11: Soothsayers (aruspices) and pagan priests (pontifices) stir up the people, accusing Agnes of magic. The Prefect is astounded but afraid of proscription (proscriptio) if he opposes them. He leaves his deputy (vicarius) Aspasius to deal with the popular revolt, and retreats with sadness, because he is unable to save Agnes. Aspasius orders a huge fire to be built and throws Agnes into it. However the fire divides around Agnes, and burns the mob instead. People think that it is magic, not divine power. Agnes thanks God with a long liturgical prayer for the heavenly dew with which she is suffused.

§ 12: At the end of Agnes’ prayer the fire is suddenly and completely extinguished. Aspasius orders a sword to be plunged into Agnes’ throat. Christ consecrates her as his spouse and martyr.

§ 13: Her parents, rejoicing, take Agnes’ body and bury it on their property on the via Numentana, not far from the city. Pagans (pagani) attack a crowd of Christians gathered there, who flee. However, Emerentiana, a holy virgin and catechumen (catechumena), stands her ground and lectures them. She is stoned, and dies near (iuxta) Agnes’ tomb. There is no doubt that she was baptised in her own blood, as she confessed the Lord. An earthquake with lightning and thunder immediately follows, killing most of the mad (insani) people. There is no further pagan harassment at the tombs of the saints (ad sepulchra sanctorum). Agnes’ parents come with priests (sacerdotes) at night, take Emerentiana’s body and 'bury it on the border of the small estate of the most blessed virgin Agnes' (sepelierunt illud in confinio agelli beatissimae virginis Agnetis).

§ 14: The parents hold vigils at Agnes’ tomb: she appears to them in the middle of the night, with other virgins, all wearing a golden state-robe (cyclas), and at her right hand a lamb whiter than snow. They are astonished; she tells them not to mourn her death but to share her joy, because she is joined with the one she loves.

§ 15: The vision becomes public knowledge, and some years later (post aliquantos annos) it is told to Constantia, the daughter of the emperor Constantine. Constantia was queen (regina) and virgin, but gravely wounded all over her body. Hoping to regain health, she prays at Agnes’ tomb at night with a pagan (pagana) and credulous (credula) disposition. She falls asleep, and sees Agnes telling her to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ son of God who will heal her. Constantia awakes cured, with no sign of scars.

§ 16: She returns healed to the palace and tells the news to her father, the Augustus, and her brothers, the emperors (imperatores). The whole city rejoices. Constantia asks her father and brothers to build a basilica for Agnes, with a mausoleum for her. The news spreads and many go to the tomb and are healed. This continues to happen up to this day. Constantia remains a virgin, and encourages women of all classes to take the veil. Up to the present day many Roman virgins follow Agnes’ example.

§ 17: All this, I Ambrose, servant of Christ, have found written in hidden volumes and have decided not to hide in silence. I wrote this to honour such a martyr and copied her gesta as I found them. I sent this to you, virgins of Christ, for your edification.

Text: Acta Sanctorum, Ian. II, 351-354. Summary: Catherine Conybeare (Manchester University, Roman Martyrs Project), adapted and expanded by Matthieu Pignot.