Eutychia and Lucy at the Tomb of
Saint Agatha, by Jacobello del Fiore
FEBRUARY
5
SAINT AGATHA
OF SICILY
Virgin and Martyr
(231
AD – 251 AD)
Agatha
was born at Catania or Palermo, Sicily, and she was martyred in approximately
251. She is one of seven women, who, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are
commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.
Born
-
c. 231
Died
- c.
251, Catania, Sicily
Attributes
- shears,
tongs, breasts on a plate
Canonized
- Pre-congregation
by tradition confirmed by Gregory the Great
Patronage
-
Sicily; bellfounders; breast cancer; bakers; Catania, Sicily; against fire; earthquakes; eruptions of Mount Etna; fire; jewelers; martyrs; natural
disasters; nurses; Palermo, Sicily; rape victims; San Marino; single laywomen;
sterility; torture victims; volcanic eruptions; nurses; wet nurses;
Zamarramala, Spain
Agatha
is buried at the Badia di Sant'Agata, Catania. She is listed in the late
6th-century Martyrologium Hieronymianum associated with Jerome, and the
Synaxarion, the calendar of the church of Carthage, ca. 530. Agatha also
appears in one of the carmina of Venantius Fortunatus.
Two
early churches were dedicated to her in Rome, notably the Church of Sant'Agata
dei Goti in Via Mazzarino, a titular church with apse mosaics of ca. 460 and
traces of a fresco cycle, overpainted by Gismondo Cerrini in 1630. In the 6th
century AD, the church was adapted to Arianism, hence its name "Saint
Agatha of Goths", and later reconsecrated by Gregory the Great, who
confirmed her traditional sainthood.
St Agatha bearing her severed breasts on a
platter, by Piero della Francesca (ca. 1460–70)
Taken from
The Liturgical Year
Ven. Abbot Dom Guéranger
Since
the commencement of the ecclesiastical year, we have kept the feasts of two out
of the four illustrious virgins whose names are daily honoured in the holy
Sacrifice of the Lamb: the third comes today, lighting up the heaven of the
Church with her bright soft rays. Lucy first, then Agnes, and new the gracious
visit of Agatha. The fourth, Cecily, the immortal Cecily, is to be one of that
magnificent constellation which gives such splendour to the closing of the year.
Today, then, let us keep a feast in honour of Agatha, the virgin daughter of
that same fair Sicily which can boast of her Lucy. We must not allow the holy
sadness of our present season to take aught from the devotion we owe to our
saint. The joy wherewith we celebrate her merits will lead us to study her
virtues. She will repay us by her prayers; she will encourage us to persevere
in the path which is to bring us to the God she so nobly loved and served, and
with whom she is now for ever united.
Let us begin by reading what the Church tells us of the virtues and
combats of this glorious bride of Christ.
The
holy virgin Agatha was born in Sicily, of noble parents. The cities of Palermo
and Catania both claim the honour of having been the place of her birth. She
received the crown of a glorious martyrdom at Catania, under the persecution of
the Emperor Decius.
Her
beauty, which was as great as her chaste and innocent life was praiseworthy,
attracted the notice of Quintianus, the governor of Sicily. He spared no means
whereby to compass his lustful designs upon the innocent virgin; but seeing
that she scorned his offers, he had her apprehended as being guilty of the
Christian superstition, and gave her in charge of a woman, named Aphrodisia,
who was noted for her power of alluring to evil. But finding that her words and
company had no effect on the holy maiden, and that she was immovable in her
resolution to maintain both her faith and her virginity, Aphrodisia told
Quintianus that she was but losing her time with Agatha. Whereupon, he ordered
the virgin to be brought before him, and he said to her: ‘Art not thou, that
art so noble by birth, ashamed to lead the life of a base and slavish Christian?
‘She replied: ‘Better by far is the baseness and slavery of a Christian than
the wealth and pride of kings.’ Angered by her words, the governor bids her
choose one of these two: adoration of the gods, or sharp tortures. On her
refusal to deny her faith, he ordered her to be buffeted, and cast into prison.
On the following day, she was again led to trial. Finding that she was still
firm in her purpose, they hoisted her on the rack, and laid hot iron plates on
her flesh, and cut off her breast. While suffering this last torture, she thus
spoke to Quintianus: Cruel tyrant, art thou not ashamed to cut a woman's breast,
who wast thyself fed at the breast of thy mother?
St Peter Healing St Agatha by Giovanni
Lanfranco, c. 1614
She was then sent back to
prison, where, during the night, a venerable old man, who told her that he was
the apostle of Christ, healed her. A third time she was summoned by the
governor, and being still firm in confessing Christ, she was rolled upon sharp
potsherds, and burning coals.
Suddenly,
the whole city was shaken by a violent earthquake, and two of the governor’s
intimate friends were killed by the falling of two walls. The people were in
such a state of excitement that the governor began to fear a sedition, and
therefore ordered the almost lifeless
Agatha
to be secretly conveyed back to her prison. She thus prayed to our Lord:
‘O
God! who hast watched over me from my infancy, who hast separated me from the
love of this world, and hast given me strength to bear the tortures of my
executioners, receive my soul!’
Her
prayer being ended, her soul took its flight to heaven, on the Nones of February
(February 5), and the Christians buried her body.
MASS
ST
AGATHA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR
Double/Red
vestments
Missa
‘Gaudeamus omnes’
INTROIT
- Psalm 44: 3
Gaudeamus
omnes in Domino, diem festum celebrantes sub honore beatæ Agathæ Virginis et
Martyris: de cujus passione gaudent Angeli, et collaudant Filium Dei. Ps.
Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego opera mea Regi. Gloria Patri.
Let
us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a festival in honour of blessed Agatha,
Virgin and Martyr; at whose passion the Angels rejoice, and give praise to the
Son of God. Ps.
My heart hath uttered a good word; I speak my words to the King. Glory be to
the Father.
Martyrdom of St Agatha by Sebastiano del
Piombo, 1520
COLLECT
O
God, who among other miracles of Thy power, hast granted even to the weaker sex
the victory of martyrdom, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who celebrate the festival
of blessed Agatha, Thy Virgin and Martyr, may draw nearer to Thee by her
example. Through our Lord.
EPISTLE
- I Corinthians 1: 26-31
Brethren:
See your vocation, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble: but the foolish things of the world hath God chosen,
that He may confound the wise, and the weak things of the world hath God chosen
that He may confound the strong; and the base things of the world, and the
things that are contemptible hath God chosen, and things that are not, that He
might bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His sight.
But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
justice, and sanctification, and redemption; that as it is written: He that
glorieth may glory in the Lord.
GRADUAL
- Psalm 45: 6, 5
God
will help her with His countenance; God is in the midst of her; she shall not
be moved. The stream of the river makes the city of God joyful; the most High
hath sanctified His own tabernacle.
TRACT
- Psalm 125: 5-6
They
that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Going they went, and wept, casting their seeds. But coming, they shall
come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.
GOSPEL
- Matthew 19: 3-12
At
that time, the Pharisees came to Jesus tempting Him, and saying: Is it lawful
for a man to put away his wife for every cause? Who answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that He Who made man from the beginning,
made them male and female? And He said: For this cause shall a man leave father
and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.
Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined
together, let no man put asunder. They say to Him: Why then did Moses
command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away? He saith to them: Because Moses, by reason of the hardness of your heart,
permitted you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so. And
I say to you, that whosoever shall put
away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another,
committeth adultery; and he that
shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. His disciples
say unto Him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to
marry. Who said to them: All men take not this word,
but they to whom it is given; for there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother’s womb; and
there are eunuchs who were made so by
man; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take it, let him take
it.
OFFERTORY
Psalm 44: 15
After
her shall virgins be brought to the King; her neighbours shall be brought to
Thee.
SECRET
Receive,
O Lord, the offerings we bring Thee on the solemn festival of Thy blessed
Virgin and Martyr, Agatha; by whose intercession we hope for deliverance.
Through our Lord.
COMMON
PREFACE
It
is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation that we should at all times
and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal
God: through Christ our Lord. Through Whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, Dominations
worship, Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with
the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with
them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted,
while we say in lowly praise:
COMMUNION
I
invoke Him the living God, who vouchsafed to cure me of every wound, and to
restore my breast to my body.
POST COMMUNION
May
we be helped, O Lord, by the mysteries we have received; and blessed Agatha,
Thy Virgin and Martyr, interceding for us, may they strengthen us with
everlasting protection. Through the Lord.
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