Agatha, a virgin and the ,,widow of Catania.<\/span><\/p>\n CURRICULUM VITAE<\/span><\/p>\n CV FOR MEDITATION<\/span><\/p>\n RESOLUTION, PRAYER<\/span><\/p>\n Agatha, a virgin and the ,,widow of Catania. February 5, memorial Position: virgin and martyr Death: but 251 Patron: Catania, miners, wet nurses, shepherdesses, weavers, most cruelly tortured bravely, and goldsmiths; protector against fire, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes; also invoked against … Continue reading \n\n
\n February 5, memorial<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Position:<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n virgin and martyr<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Death:<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n but 251<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Patron:<\/b><\/td>\n Catania, miners, wet nurses, shepherdesses, weavers, most cruelly tortured bravely, and goldsmiths; protector against fire, volcanic er<\/strong>uptions, earthquakes; also invoked against breast cancerconcessions<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Attributes:<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n border, tongs, bowl, breasts, scissors, torch, horn, coal<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n She was born in Sicily into a wealthy family. During the persecution of Christians, the imperial procurator Quintianus wanted to seize her and her property. All his efforts to make her turn away from Christ were in vain. Her heart remained unbroken and her firm mind could not be broken even by the later terrible tortures, during which her body was mutilated in the most cruel way. She died during the tortures.<\/span><\/h2>\n
BETTER TO SUFFER WITH CHRIST THAN TO REJOICE WITHOUT HIM<\/span><\/h2>\n
We have before us a saint who was among the most widely venerated in ancient times. Her name was even included in the liturgical canon of the Holy Mass. The oldest historical data date back to the 5th century, and the interviews in many biographies are just legendary stories. It can be reliably assumed that the entire life of Saint Agatha took place in Sicily, in the city of Catania. She came from a wealthy Christian family and excelled in both mental abilities and physical beauty. She fell in love with her Redeemer and rejected all suitors. She longed for a spiritual life, willing to make any sacrifice for her divine fianc\u00e9.<\/span><\/h2>\n
One of the rejected suitors took revenge by reporting her as an extraordinary Christian. At that time, the deputy of Emperor Decius Quintianus was probably staying in Catania, and after hearing a seductive story about Agatha, he wanted to win her for himself. He decided to send the unyielding Agatha to the brothel of the debauched Aphrodisia for re-education. Agatha would rather accept physical suffering, but she had to first pass a test in which she would prove her purity and nobility. When Aphrodisia returned her to Quintianus, she replied something to the effect that she would more easily soften stone and bend iron than overcome her stubbornness. Quintianus became angryto endure all torture bravel and when nothing helped, he had her tortured. They whipped her, stretched her in a vice, pricked her and burned her. The deputy’s sadistic desires were also manifested in the order to remove her breasts. According to legend, she was thrown into a prison cell without any treatment, and there Saint Peter appeared to her and healed her. Then she was subjected to new tortures on broken glass and hot coals, but she remained faithful to Christ and full of love until her last breath.<\/span><\/h2>\n
It is difficult to describe all the dimensions of reality. Legendary biographies help themselves by presenting conversations in which Agatha steadfastly resisted, pointed out the wretchedness of the gods, and indicated the difference between deities similar to Jovi\u0161 and Christ. More credible is Agatha’s strength arising from prayer. It is precisely this kind of strength that we should be looking for when we are tempted to make some concession to some of the modern deities. It is better to suffer with Christ than to rejoice without him. To love him means everything with him. And “to love” is the main and greatest commandment.<\/span><\/h2>\n
Out of great respect, the Christians buried Agatha in a new tomb, and according to legend, on the first anniversary of her death, Mount Etna erupted, threatening to destroy Catania. The inhabitants, praying to Agatha, carried a sheet from her tomb against the lava, and it stopped.<\/span><\/h2>\n
I will pray the tenth rosary for moral purity.<\/span><\/h2>\n
God, your power is especially manifested when it works in the weak: you strengthened Saint Agatha to bravely endure all torture; help us also, through her intercession, to pass victoriously through all trials to the glory of your kingdom. Through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"