Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:01 Hi, Maria, praise the name of the father and the son, the Holy spirit. Amen. Today is the feast of Saint Agnes. And so we're going to hear her story. What follows is a mixture of both paraphrases and quotes. They're edited, cut and pasted a usual and take it for the most part from the acts of Saint Agnes. Now, before we go any farther, since we're living in an age, that's so deeply influenced by Protestantism and it's horrible attack on tradition and age in which virtually everything is up for doubt. It's important to note that most so-called scholars would burst to the gales that laughter at any one of them, that would be so simple as to consider that anything of what we brought to here would be true at all. But just in case you haven't noticed that by now, this is a consistent pattern of behavior for gospels.
Speaker 0 00:00:55 There are multiplied loaves and fishes. The so called scholars tell us, well, he did nothing of this sort. As someone tries to say, one of the traditional lives of the saints, the scholars will suddenly complaint that that particular Saint never actually existed at all. Or if he did exist, we know so very little about him that we can't really be sure of anything he did, but, and they do assurance of this that we can of course be absolutely sure of one thing. And the one thing that we can be asked to be sure of is that whatever the traditional stories might say, they're wrong. These people are nuts. Anyway, we'll start today by briefly addressing the question of the authenticity of acts st. Pegasus and I call the acts of Saint Agnes closed. By these words, I am Rose and servant of Christ have found these relations and writings, a little known.
Speaker 0 00:01:46 I have not suffered them to remain any longer buried in silence. I have them published these acts such as I've found them to the glory of so illustrious Gamara close quote and quote. This Ambrose servant of Christ has always been understood to be the great and Holy Bishop of Milan. The only Ambrose known by his writings and the church. It wasn't deed among his work. So the acts were first published by Sirius and afterwards bipolar his close quote. So the traditional understanding has been at the acts of Saint Agnes were collected, written down by one of the fathers of the church st. Ambrose. He's a father who was born only 37 years after Saint Agnes was martyred. And that life will quickly consider one other question, before we turn to her life not cool. How can it be admitted that the church which so carefully collected particulars of the Saint's lives, the Roman church, especially so devoted to st.
Speaker 0 00:02:44 Eggs has never had, but the pothole life and the fictional act of a Saint. So dear to her, to whom she gave birth was always been a glory in their pride of a Saint, in a word whose praise st. Jerome tells us was celebrated among all nations and in all languages. It is clear that until the time of Saint Ambrose who was born 37 years after the death of Saint haggis, traditional would have sufficed to preserve the details of her life. If these details were cornered up in ancient writings, which Saint Ambrose deemed expedient to collect and publish, how do you fail to do this? A thousand others would have had liked thoughts. A thousand others would have placed your life on record. If it had not already been written in such manner as to satisfy the spirit of the church, the pie of a faith, thus let the authorship of the acts be tryna to Saint Ambrose or not that they haven't been written by an unknown author, a Greek monk, or no better by home.
Speaker 0 00:03:39 It's an incontestable fact. They give the only life of Saint Agnes, which tradition is transmitted to the church. And the faithful have accepted to health. This tradition as aesthetic up to the 16th or 17th century, the writers of that book had no right to attempt to weakness authority, at least without bringing proof close. Cool. So in other words, what are the odds that the story of a saying it's so cherished to know a story written down or short time after death, when witnesses would still have been alive? What are the odds that this is a work of fiction? The witnesses would have written up in protest, the Catholic faithful of wrong, many whom suffered dearly to preserve their faith. Many of whom were descended from or related to martyrs. All of whom would have chair st. Haggis is one of their own. They would have read risen up and protest.
Speaker 0 00:04:35 So what are the odds? The deeds, the truth of her deeds will be forgot. The stories be handed down on the border, be free tails and lies to ask a question like that is tardy answer. It's an incontestable fact, but the acts of Saint Agnes give the only account of her life, which is true. She is transmitted to us, the church and the faithful accepted and held this tradition as authentic until it was attacked, the 16th or 17th century by certain authors let's turn to her life. The last from persecution took place during the reign of Diocletian. During that time, three Oh four st. Agnes was a normal girl. Who's 13 years of age, who one day per copious, he was a son of the prefect of the city, saw her he's immediately attracted to her and tried to persuade her to marry him by promising her jewels and great well st.
Speaker 0 00:05:39 Agnes replied get away from the you food of death. I'm already pledged to another level. The one I love is far nobler. His mother is a version. His father knows no woman. He is served by angels. His beauty is admired by the sun and the moon, his encircled, my right hand, and my neck with precious stones. He's given me earrings with prices, poor pearls. He's clothed me with a rope of gold and dawned me with precious jewels for this rang, it's be trolled me. And he said, Dorner, the bridal Crinod is place to Mark on my forehead to keep me from taking any lover, but himself and his blood is tinted my cheeks for him alone. I keep my faith to him. I surrender all my heart already has chased. Embrace his, hold, me, close his United his body and mind. He has shown me in comparable treasures and promise to give them to me.
Speaker 0 00:06:31 If I remain true to him, when I love him, I remained chaste. When I touched him, I remain pure. When I submit to him, I remain uppers close quotes. St. Agnes, of course well was st. Agnes was speaking symbolically of all the spiritual gifts and treasures, the grace of Christ. That by means of our baptism and confirmation and filled the door and her soul. And she was also speaking of those cruises, which I rode with a further increase her soul as a reward for faithfully, maintain her virginity, but being a pay per copious, completely misunderstood. Her broke hobbyist, went home, threw himself on his bed, and he signed a morning that his love has gone and required until finally all this drama is going on long enough until his father. Some peroneus he's a prefect of Rome, decided to take matters into his own hands.
Speaker 0 00:07:23 He visited with st. Agnes in person to ask her hand on his son's behalf. St. Agnes said that nothing in the world could possibly make her violate the fidelity. She had promised her first love. So Symfony's replied. It would not be possible to make a better choice than his son, since he's from a family of such wealth and power. But st. Agnes was steadfast in your resolve to fan Fronius, then made a point to make serious inquiries, to find out precisely who st. Agnes was to be trolled to one of his courtiers, told him that the girl was a Christian like, Oh, she's addicted to that magical artist that she called Christ response. Now, sin Fronius is actually delighted by this information. As he realized that he now held her these hands and carrying as it did the penalty of death, no one would dare to try to defend her against the charge of Christianity.
Speaker 0 00:08:19 So you had st. Agnes, someone before the tribunal tried to win her over with soft words, but to no avail when it became obvious that he's getting nowhere, he resorted to threats and agonist reply, do whatever you like, but you will not obtain what you want from me. The prefect then told her you have two choices since your virginity means so much to you, either you will sacrifice to the God vested with a Virgin is now the Vestal. Virgins were very important. Pagan priestesses is wrong. So he's given her the choice on the one hand to become a peg and preach this, or you'll be thrown in with the harlots and handled as they are handled. Since your Virginia means so much to you, or they will sacrifice for the goddess, Vesta, whatever versions you'll be thrown in with the harlots it'll be handled as they were handled.
Speaker 0 00:09:06 Now, pause for a moment and make to parents that have a comments that might shed some additional light on this horrific punishment. First comment, as horrible as it was, this is not necessarily a unique punishment to illustrate that. We'll just read a very few short passages from the role in monetary policy. It's actually one of our liturgical books, April 28th, quote at Alexandria, the passion of st. Theodore aversion. She refused to offer sacrifice to items, and she was sent to a house available. Pew forced with one of the brethren and did a miss by the wonders favor of God delivered by changing his clothing for her afterwards, he was slamming a crown together with her and the persecution of Diocletian. The old Butler's loves. The saints has a lot of very beautiful details on that story. May 3rd Roman garage, it constant help of modern saints, Alexander a soldier, and Antonina a Virgin.
Speaker 0 00:10:06 She and the persecution of Maximilian was condemned to a house of ill repute by Festus the governor, but secretly delivered by Alexander to change garments, where there remain there in her place. She was afterwards commanded to be tortured with him, and both were cast together into the flames with her hands cut up, were crowned after magnificent victory. So evidently the pain does judges in those days, thought this as suitable punishment for Christian verges. Second comment, besides the very obvious aspects of the punishment, there may very well be yet another factor to take into account, according to peg and his stories to hit pagan historians, Tacitus this Cassius, and Suetonius all of whom lived several centuries before this incident and wrong capital punishment was not inflicted on Virginia's task. That says it was unheard of. So Tony had said it was forbidden by the ASU customs know has said it was not lawful.
Speaker 0 00:11:06 So in wrong capital, punishment was not inflicted on the virgins. Not to worry. The pagans had a solution it's way. Tony's explained this quote since by tradition, it was forbidden at Virgin should be strangled. Young girls were first violated by the execution. Then afterwards strangled close quote, and we'll see by the Gracie God, in this case, it didn't have, we continue. So as we've seen, the prefect Hill told Agnes, you have two choices since your virginity means so much to you. I think you'll sacrifice to the goddess investor with our versions, become a pagan priestess of Vestal origin, or you're always thrown in the heart with the harlots and be handled as they're handled an agonist reply. I will not sacrifice your gods and no one can sell me my virtue because I have with me to guardian my body. And you used to love the Lord.
Speaker 0 00:12:01 So at this, the prefect creates you should be strict naked, and that OLED nude to be abused in the house they'll repute and all the way she should be preceded by public crier. Proclaiming that Agnes is sacrilegious, Virgin blasts fear. The gods was condemned to the house of Peter. At the moment. She was stripped for long hair and braided itself by a Marvel of divine grace. It's suddenly Crusoe fill and fall. And so wonder so completely the wrapped around her life at club. She was then led off to the place of turpitude, where she found the angel of the Lord prepared to defender. They just surround her with the DAS. We live so brilliant. The place where she stood was as bright as the Noonday sun, no one could approach treatments here. She prosecuted herself to pray when she'd finished, she saw brilliantly white roll blind wire.
Speaker 0 00:12:52 So she put it on and said, thanks. Be to the Jesus Christ. My lower Cruz, Stevie me into a number of these sermons and sending you as crime. The presence of the Holy angel. It suddenly changed the whole atmosphere of a den of iniquity. And so all of us present were struck with fear and wander and marveling at the, uh, this mysterious lie quietly withdrew. In the meantime, the prefects non-pro copious gathered up group of his friends and they'd set off to have their way with aggregates when they arrived and try to enter a room, they're terrified, but the miraculous light and each one of them heard back per copious. He scorned him as cowards and in a fury, he rushed into force himself on Agnes. The Angela even struck him as it were with lightning and he fell face first time at the ground and the act state that he was struck dead.
Speaker 0 00:13:42 At that point, one of his companions entered and seed pro copious laying there cried out, come on friends, come on, Romans you fear the gods. The cortisone is killed the prefects and by our wicked sorceries. So Agis is praising God for preserving a virginity and such a place apparel. And this multitude begins gathering in the area. Some shots use a source, sorceress, the SAC, religious witch, and others that she's an innocent girl. And some even exclaiming at the power of Christ. When sip Fronius heard what had happened, he rushed to the place where he saw the body of his son's drift out there, flat on the ground. He turned to st. Agnes and shot into her almost cruel of women. And that doesn't translate as well from the Latin, but that's really almost crew of women. By what spell have you destroyed? My son, he's a victim of your magical arts Agis asked why of all the others who had the same intention escaped or similar.
Speaker 0 00:14:37 I have an offer to and concentrated to Christ from the cradle. God sent his angel to my rescue. This angel clothed me with a robe and mercy. This protector, my person, those who gave honor to God upon SEMA heavy line, we're allowed to depart unharmed and uninjured. But here in spite of this heavenly manifestation still dare to approach me was struck by the annual Lord and suffer the penalty, which you behold. So Fronius reply. I believe no sorcery has done this. If you ask for angel restore my son to lie, Agis reply, your faith is not worthy to obtain such a miracle from God. Nevertheless, the time has come to shore forth. The divine power of Jesus Christ. My Lord have everyone withdraw. Somebody speak to them in prayer. After they'd all withdrawn. She prosecuted herself on the ground and implore of God, the life of the young man celly Procruit BSBN stirring began breathing.
Speaker 0 00:15:36 He opened his eyes and went forth, cryonics, a loud voice. There is, but one God in heaven on earth and the whole universe, he is the God of the Christians. All our temples are in vain. All the gods adored and him are in pain. All the aid expected from them is Fein as well. So there's a multitude of witnesses of this miracle. All of whom are struck with astonishment and fear. Many of them, even the prefect himself, exclaimed to the God of the young version was great. But in spite of the farewell, outcries, the soothsayers and the pregame pagan priests are trouble and they stirred up a riot shots or hurts. Sees the store, threw it away with the work human champions who troubles and minds and people, birds, their souls now Symphonia is stupefied by at all. But in spite of marvelous, marvelously personally witnessed, he maintained a cowardly silence.
Speaker 0 00:16:28 Although he was inclined to release the Holy version, he would not defend Agnes against his own sense, nor would he risk pressed. This addition being raised by the pagan priests, he left his Lieutenant to quell the situation and left the seat situation was getting out of hand. So in order to satisfy both people and the priests Lieutenant had a great firewood in order that Agnes be thrown into it. But the flames part had left her unscaved. In fact, the flames searched up and burned rioters stay in the midst of flames, outstretched arms st. Agis, praise God for having perfected protected her from defilement and prayed. I praise you father, my Lord, Jesus Christ, because by your son, the fire around me was extinguished. But instead of seeing the hand of God is further miracle. The pagans formerly with rage attributed that to magic as well.
Speaker 0 00:17:17 Finally, in order to page the period and crop, which is increasing every moment, Lieutenant commander, that Agnes BB headed treat joist behold. What I yearned for, I already see what I hope for. I already hold an embrace with him in the United and have monitors. I love it with all my heart. She was beheaded her peer soul food and lower a few days later, her foster sister MRN, Sianna, a very Holy Virgin herself, but still a catechumen was praying at st. Agnes grave. When a group of pagans approached, she approached him cold, miserable, man. You wiggly put to death, the doors to all powerful God in the venture stone gods, you started this and they immediately stoned her to death. She was buried next to st. Agnes, that state quote, we cannot Del that blood surfer surfer baptism, since she fears the suffer, death confessing God defending truth and justice close.
Speaker 0 00:18:16 In fact, her face case is coming Tuesday, the reading, an old divine office, as it were quote immigrants, scan a Roman version, the foster sister to bless it Agnes, while she was still a catechumen burning with faith and Sharon rebuild, the idol worshipers were full of fury against the Christians were upon a mob assembled and stoned or praying or torment at the grave of st. Agnes and having been baptized in her own blood. So generously shed for Christ. She gave up her soul under God close quote. You know, sometimes I hear people expressing dots about the baptism of blood. Of course, no traditional Catholic could ever do. This said Saint Emirates yeah. Is in heaven as publicly honored is the same. She's right there in your hand, miss the launch January 23rd. And as we've just heard was baptizing on blood. Besides Alaska universal catechism of the Catholic church was the catechism of pious at Saint Pius.
Speaker 0 00:19:08 The temp that was issued in his reign and it explicitly Truett's event. And I quote, is baptism necessary to salvation. Baptism is absolutely necessary to salvation for Lord. It's expressly said less than man be born again of water and the Holy ghost. He cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Can the absence of baptism be supplied in any other way? The absence of batches, and can be supplied by modern, which is called baptism of blood or by an act of perfect love of God or of contrition along with the desire, at least implicit of baptism. This is called baptism of desire, close quote. We continue on the eighth day after st. Agnes death, her parents relatives were visiting her grave when they saw a chorus of angels clothed and brilliant golden garments in the midst of this choir, stood st. Eggs also closed in golden garments with a lamb whiter than snow standing, federal right hand. Saint Agnes told him to not more than my death, but Bree choice be glad with me because I now have a throne of light amidst all these Holy ones. And you'll notice that this is also commemorated on your hand in itself on January 28th, some years after st. Aggies death con stands here, the daughter of mTOR Constantine was stricken with leprosy. She went to st. Agnes grave to pray fell asleep there. So now Snagit's appeared to be constant constancy. If you believe in Christ, you'll be freed. If your disease
Speaker 1 00:20:40 Constant. Yeah,
Speaker 0 00:20:40 Well, promptly walked and found herself cured. So she got baptized and then Thanksgiving for a cure, she built a over st. Agnes grave. It's called the church of Saint Agnes outside the walls. She also had a monastery built adjacent. There's a Basilica and there with a great number of Roman virgins who followed her in Snapple. She received the veil and spent the rest of her days. He consecrated life. The church was Saint Agnes outside. The walls is below street level. And so at the very bottom, at the very bottom of the stairs, leading down in the church on the right hand side, isn't a script written book written by Pope st. Damage. That's an honor of Saint Agnes. Let's Saint Dallas. This was the part from three 66 to three four. It's interesting to know that this Pope who grew up in Rome was born in the very year when Saint Agnes is Martin.
Speaker 0 00:21:27 So his parents had st. PAGAs, his parents would've been contemporaries. So here's the translation of the lines that he wrote in her honor. Cool. It is said that the Holy parents were calm, that when the mournful song from the trumpet rang out, but as he's me, the trumpet of persecution, Agnes at once stuff behind the embrace of her nurse is scorned the threats and anger of a Savage tyrant. When he wanted to burn an oval body and the flames, she overcame that dreadful tear with young courage, let her hair loose to cover naked limbs. Best any case should see the temple of God.
Speaker 0 00:22:04 One worthy of my veneration, Holy glory, modesty illustrious Mar I received, he received fairly the prayers of downs closed during excavations of the Basilica 1901 silver coffin made rescue pies. The fifth or Saint Agnes was uncovered and they opened, and it was found to contain the headless body of a young girl. Her skull is preserved in a beautiful silver Relic Prairie with a crystal window. So you can easily see her skull. It's got a statue of st. Agnes on top of the road or on the road crew it's labeled <inaudible> Agnes most Holy it's fun. And it's aside chapel, a church in Rome, it's church of st. Agnes and agony. It's built on a site of a modern immediately opposite the reliquary and the church has a beautiful statue of Saint Agnes praying with outstretched arms, surrounded by the flames, but all the flames are going out from her and seeking out her executioners to the right of that statutes and entrance, which leads done.
Speaker 0 00:23:09 Subterranean rooms are Saint Agnes, been protected from insult by her whole evening shot to the left of that. Statue is a side altar. It's got a beautiful relief for the moderate st. Cameron Sianna. It shows the peg and Stony, or while she's praying at the tomb of her foster sister st. Agnes and above her is an angel descending from heaven. It's holding PAMA Martin in his left hand and stretching up, getting ready to place a crown upon her head with a right hand and above all that is, is this inscription Venice sponsored, crisp, which means calm bride of Christ. It's one of the lines on divine office for a Virgin modern English. The whole line would be a quote come bride of Christ, except the crop, which the Lord has prepared for you forever.
Speaker 0 00:23:59 So this whole relief is this beautiful artistic rendition of Saint Emirates. Yeah. Be called the head of an issue, receives a crowd and Paul of martyrdom by being stoned by the pagans, let's call it. There are a lot of valuable lessons to be learned. The story of Saint Agnes. We'll just mention a few, but anyone who spends some time thoughtfully considering your story will easily be able to draw more on their steadfast refusal to betray our own. In spite of being offered a noble marriage with the highest social standing, no, all the riches and power to go along with that, we did Glenn glimpse through her eyes of how truly fleeting or the things of this world fall pleasure, the problems the world can possibly offer, or is it nothing that's so much dust when they're compared to it absolutely priced as a value of our baptismal grace.
Speaker 0 00:25:07 She shows us how a true century century is to meet. We turn to God and prayer. Whenever we face any challenge, we should learn to patiently bear our own crosses, which are so trivial. We compare them to hers, a time apostasy and a time when feared. So few, see any real purpose in life. We see a moving testimony to the importance and advantages of our Holy faith and a life lived in accordance with it. We get some idea of the absolute importance of our life in union with Christ. When we see a 13 year old girl with all her life stretched off before unafraid to lay it down for the sake of preserving that union with her Lord, we can't help, but be moved by love and admiration for the mercies of God. Who's so strengthened as young version to terrain, confident hold fast in spite of the horrific Fe, which seemed to await her Saint Agnes Amaren Sianna. Pray for us. The name of father and the son. Holy spirit. Amen.
