Saint Agnes of Rome
Saint Agnes of Rome was martyred around 304 AD, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, at only 12 or 13 years old because she would not abandon her Christian faith and refused to concede her virginity. Saint Agnes is depicted as innocent and chaste, which is represented by her long hair, the lamb, and the field of delicate flowers. In the past, her feast day was occasion for the blessing of lambs, which was used by the nuns of Saint Agnes in Rome to sea e the pallium of archbishops. The palm branch represents her martyrdom. Saint Agnes is the patron saint of young girls, girl scouts, chastity, and purity. Protector: virgins, betrothed women (she chose Christ as her betrothed), and gardeners, since virginity is symbolized as a closed garden, the hortus conclusus. Her feast day is January 21. (Kremer, 2026) Photo from St. Louis, Missouri, 2026.
Photo from Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan, 2026.