You're listening to Catholic Sprouts, the daily podcast 21st day and the first month in the year of our Lord

2003. My name is Sir Roland Paterlot, and you're listening to Saturdays with Sir Roland on

Catholic Sprouts where every Saturday we discuss the art of dragon slain. Today is the feast of St. Agnes, Virgin and

martyr. I didn't know much about this amazing young dragon slayer until my grandmother died.

My grandma's name was Agnes, and when we were going through her belongings, I found a

saint card of St. Agnes, so I decided to research her story. She lived in the late third

century, and she was so beautiful that when

she was only 13, men were coming to ask for her hand in marriage. But Agnes was a Christian,

and she considered herself consecrated to Jesus Christ. She loved him with all of her heart. So she

chose a life of celibacy to live for him alone. And so she turned down all of the men. One of the men got so

angry with her that he turned her into the emperor for being a Christian. And at that time, Christianity

was still illegal, and Christians were often persecuted and killed. They gave St. Agnes a choice,

and basically told her that if she could choose any suitor that she wanted, as long as she

renounced her Christianity. But Agnes was filled with passion for her Lord Jesus, whom she saw as her

only spouse. And an amazing act of courage, she looked at her executioner and said, I have consecrated

myself to Jesus Christ, and I will not pretend that another person may satisfy me. You may stain your

sword with my blood,

but you will never profane my body. So what are you waiting for? Send me to my bridegroom.

St. Ambrose, the great Catholic bishop, spoke very highly of Agnes. He said, most girls at age

break down in tears over an angry glance from their parents. But this girl went to her martyrdom joyfully

as a bride goes to her wedding. St. Agnes is one of the virgin martyrs, and her purity and chastity

is similar to other virgin martyrs, such as St. Philomena, whom we will discuss when we get to the

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