Prayer to St. Agnes for Purity and Courage

St. Agnes was a girl of about twelve or thirteen who was martyred in Rome around the year 304 because she refused to give up her faith or her consecration to Christ. Her courage astonished the pagan city, and she became one of the most honored martyrs of the early Church. She is named in the Roman Canon of the Mass, and her name is linked to the Latin word for lamb, agnus. Lambs blessed on her feast provide the wool for the pallium worn by archbishops.

Her feast is January 21. She is patron of young girls, chastity, engaged couples, and victims of abuse. Pray to her for purity of heart, for courage in standing up for your faith, and for young people. The traditional collect of her feast is below.

The Prayer

Let us pray. Almighty, everlasting God, who choosest the weak things of the world to confound the strong: mercifully grant that we who celebrate the solemnity of blessed Agnes, Thy Virgin and Martyr, may experience her patronage with Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. St. Agnes, brave lamb of Christ, pray for us and for all young people.

Sources: Collect for the feast of St. Agnes, traditional Roman Missal (English), public domain; closing invocation written for this site.

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