Agatha of Sicily was one of the most highly venerated virgin martyrs from the early church. It is believed that she was born around 231 to a rich and noble family. From a very young age, she chose to dedicate her life to God as a consecrated virgin, but this did not stop men from making unwanted advances toward her.

One of those men was Quitianus, the local Roman prefect, who thought that he could use his status and power to compel her to give up her vow. He tried to blackmail her by threatening to expose her as a Christian, but she would not yield to him. Because she consistently spurned his advances, he denounced her as a Christian during the Decian persecution. When she came to the trial, she learned that he was both her accuser and her judge.

In spite of this, Agatha refused to change her mind, and so Quitianus sentenced her to be imprisoned in a brothel. While she remained confined there for a month, she never wavered in her resolve that she would never willingly give herself to him or to any other man.

Eventually Quitianus grew impatient with her fortitude and sentenced her to be tortured to death. She was killed in the year 251. Counted as a virgin martyr because of her refusal to consent, she is regarded as the patron of all those who are subjected to sexual harassment or assault. Because of her popularity, she was one of the very few saints who were retained on the calendar of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer after the Reformation.

Excerpted directly from “Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2022,” p. 80-81.

Lessons and Psalm

Judith 9:1-4, (5-9), 10-14
Psalm 125
Mark 9:42-50

Preface of a Saint (1)