It’s the Feast of St Agnes, 3rd Class, with the color of Red. In this episode: the meditation: “The Two Ends of Marriage”, today’s news from the Church: “Bishop Barron Warns Against Permanent "Synodality"”, a preview of the Sermon: “Facing Difficulties: Lessons from the Manger”, and today’s thought from the Archbishop.

• “The Two Ends of Marriage” – From Epiphany to Lent
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• https://fsspx.news/en/news/bishop-barron-warns-against-permanent-synodality-56589

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Saint Agnes is one of the most luminous witnesses of the early Church, a young girl whose courage and purity left an impression far greater than her years. She lived in Rome in the early fourth century, likely during the persecution under Emperor Diocletian. Agnes was very young, traditionally said to be around twelve or thirteen, and from a noble family. Yet what defined her was not status, but her complete belonging to Christ. She had consecrated her virginity to Him and regarded that promise not as a fragile ideal, but as an unbreakable bond.

When her beauty attracted suitors, Agnes refused every proposal, declaring openly that she already had a Spouse greater than any earthly match. One rejected suitor denounced her as a Christian, and she was brought before the authorities. They attempted persuasion first, offering wealth, honor, and protection if she would renounce her faith. Agnes answered with calm clarity. She could not deny Christ, and she could not betray her consecration. Threats followed. She was condemned to public humiliation and violence, yet the ancient accounts emphasize that she remained untouched, preserved by God’s protection. When these efforts failed, she was sentenced to death and executed for her confession of faith.

What astonished early Christians was not only Agnes’s courage, but her serenity. She faced death without bitterness or fear, convinced that she was going to meet the One she loved. Her martyrdom quickly became a symbol of the Church’s strength in weakness. In a world that equated power with dominance, Agnes revealed another kind of authority, rooted in fidelity and trust. Her youth made her witness even more striking. She showed that holiness does not require long years or public influence, only a heart wholly given.

Devotion to Saint Agnes spread rapidly throughout Rome. Her tomb on the Via Nomentana became a place of pilgrimage, and a basilica was built in her honor. Her name entered the Roman Canon, placing her permanently at the heart of the Church’s Eucharistic prayer. She was remembered as a model for consecrated virgins and for all who must defend purity of heart in a hostile world.

Traditions surrounding Saint Agnes remain distinctive. On her feast, January 21, lambs were traditionally blessed in Rome, symbolizing her innocence and recalling Christ the Lamb. The wool from these lambs was later used to make the palliums given to archbishops, linking Agnes’s witness to pastoral authority. She became a patron of young girls, chastity, and those seeking courage to remain faithful under pressure.

Saint Agnes reminds us that true strength is often hidden, that fidelity can shine even in youth, and that love freely given to Christ can overcome fear itself.

Saint Agnes, virgin and martyr, pray for us!

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