De sancta Agatha virgine
The Meaning of Holiness
The name Agatha is interpreted through various spiritual lenses, highlighting her purity, detachment, and perfect devotion to God.
The name Agatha comes from 'agios,' meaning holy, and 'theos,' meaning God, as if to say 'holy one of God.' As Chrysostom says, there are three things that make a person holy, and they were perfectly present in her: purity of heart, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and an abundance of good works. Alternatively, it comes from 'a,' meaning 'without,' 'geos,' meaning 'earth,' and 'theos,' meaning 'God,' as if to say 'a goddess without earth'—that is, without love for earthly things. Or it comes from 'aga,' meaning 'speaking,' and 'thau,' meaning 'consummation,' as if to say 'one who speaks completely and perfectly,' which is clear from her responses. Or from 'agath,' meaning 'servitude,' and 'thaas,' meaning 'superior,' as if to say 'superior servitude'; this is because of what she said: 'This is the highest nobility,' and so on. Or from 'aga,' meaning 'solemn,' and 'thau,' meaning 'consummation,' as if to say 'solemnly consummated'—that is, buried—which is evident in the angels who buried her.
Steadfast Against the World
Agatha remains immovable in her faith despite the governor's attempts to corrupt her through temptation, interrogation, and imprisonment.
Agatha, a noble virgin of great physical beauty, always worshipped God in the city of Catania with complete holiness; but Quintianus, the governor of Sicily—a man of low character, lustful, greedy, and devoted to idols—tried to seize the blessed Agatha, hoping that because he was of low status, he would be feared by seizing a noblewoman; because he was lustful, he could enjoy her beauty; because he was greedy, he could steal her wealth; and because he was an idolater, he could force her to sacrifice to the gods, and so he had her brought to him. When she had been brought to him and he realized her resolve was immovable, he handed her over to a certain prostitute named Aphrodisia and her nine daughters, who were of the same depraved character, so that for thirty days they might try to persuade her and change her mind. By promising her pleasant things one moment and threatening her with harsh things the next, they hoped to turn her away from her good purpose, but the blessed Agatha said to them: "My mind is built upon a rock and founded in Christ; your words are wind, your promises are rain, and your threats are floods." No matter how much they attack, the foundation of my house stands firm and won't fall. Saying these things, she wept daily and prayed, thirsting to reach the palm of martyrdom. Seeing, therefore, that she remained immovable, Aphrodisia said to Quintianus: "It is easier for rocks to soften and iron to turn into the softness of lead than for the mind of this girl to be changed or turned away from her Christian purpose." Then Quintianus had her brought to him and asked, "What is your status?" She replied, "I am not only noble, but also from a distinguished family, as all my relatives can testify." Quintianus asked her, "If you're freeborn, why do you act in a way that shows you have the character of a slave?" She replied, "Because I'm a servant of Christ, I show myself to have the character of a slave." Quintianus said, "If you claim to be freeborn, how can you assert that you're a slave?" She replied, "The highest freedom is found in the service of Christ." Quintianus said, "Choose what you will: either sacrifice to the gods or endure various tortures." Agatha replied, "May your wife be like your goddess Venus, and may you be like your god Jupiter." Then Quintianus ordered her to be struck in the face, saying, "Don't chatter with a reckless mouth to the insult of a judge." Agatha replied, "I'm amazed that a prudent man like you has fallen into such foolishness that you call those your gods whose lives you wouldn't want your wife or yourself to imitate, and yet you claim you're being insulted if you live by their example." For if your gods are good, I’ve wished you well; but if you loathe their company, you feel as I do. Quintianus said, "Why this useless stream of words?" Either sacrifice to the gods, or I’ll have you die by various tortures. Agatha replied, "If you promise me wild beasts, they grow tame at the mention of Christ’s name." If you apply fire, angels will provide me with a life-giving dew from heaven; if you inflict lashes or tortures, I have the Holy Spirit, through whom I despise everything. Then he ordered her to be dragged to prison because she was publicly shaming him with her voice; she went to it most joyfully and gloriously, and as if invited to a feast, she commended her struggle to the Lord.
The Healing of the Martyr
After suffering brutal torture, Agatha is miraculously healed by the apostle Peter in her prison cell.
The next day, Quintianus said to her, "Renounce Christ and worship the gods." When she refused, he ordered her to be suspended on the rack and tortured, and Agatha said, "I take as much delight in these pains as someone who hears good news, sees someone they have long desired, or finds many treasures." For wheat cannot be put into the barn unless the husk has been thoroughly trampled and reduced to chaff. So my soul cannot enter paradise with the palm of martyrdom unless you allow my body to be handled by the executioners. Then Quintianus, in a rage, ordered her breast to be twisted, and after it had been twisted for a long time, he ordered it to be cut off. Agatha said to him, “You cruel, wicked, and terrible tyrant, aren't you ashamed to cut off in a woman what you yourself suckled at your mother’s breast?” “I have breasts intact within my soul, from which I nourish all my senses, which I have consecrated to the Lord since my infancy.” Then he ordered her to be taken to prison, forbidding any doctors to enter and forbidding anyone to provide her with bread or water. And look, around midnight, a certain old man came to her, preceded by a boy carrying a light and bringing various medicines with him, and he said to her, “Although the insane governor has afflicted you with tortures, you have afflicted him even more with your answers; and although he has twisted your breasts, his abundance will be turned into bitterness; and because I was there when you were suffering this, I saw that your breast can receive the cure of salvation.” Agatha said to him, “I have never applied physical medicine to my body, and it would be shameful for me to lose now what I have kept for so long.” The old man said to her, "Daughter, I am a Christian; don't be ashamed." Agatha replied, "And why should I be ashamed? You are an old man, and I have been so cruelly torn that no one could feel any desire for me." "But I thank you, father, for deigning to show me such care." He asked her, "And why won't you let me treat you?" Agatha answered, "Because I have the Lord Jesus Christ, who heals all things with a single word and restores everything with a command." "If He wills it, He can heal me immediately." The old man smiled and said, "I am His apostle, and He Himself sent me to you; know that in His name you are healed." And immediately, the apostle Peter vanished. Blessed Agatha fell to her knees, giving thanks, and found herself completely healed, with her breast restored.
The Crown of Patience
Agatha refuses to flee her captors, endures final tortures, and ultimately gives up her spirit to God, accompanied by a miraculous sign.
When the guards were terrified by the immense light and fled, leaving the prison open, some people asked her to leave. “God forbid,” she said, “that I should run away and lose the crown of patience, or hand my guards over to trouble.” Four days later, Quintianus told her to worship the gods so she wouldn't have to endure worse tortures. Agatha replied, “Your words are foolish and... ...vain, polluting the air, and wicked.” “You miserable man, devoid of understanding, how can you want me to worship stones and abandon the God of heaven who healed me?” Quintianus said, “And who healed you?” Agatha answered, “Christ, the Son of God.” Quintianus said, "Are you going to name Christ again, whom I refuse to hear?" Agatha replied, "As long as I live, I will call upon Christ with my heart and my lips." Quintianus said, "Now I'll see if Christ will heal you." He ordered broken pottery to be scattered and burning coals placed beneath it, then had her rolled over them with her body bare. While this was happening, a massive earthquake occurred, shaking the whole city so violently that the palace collapsed, crushing two of Quintianus's advisors, and all the people ran to him, shouting that they were suffering these things because of the unjust torture of Agatha. Then Quintianus, fearing the earthquake on one side and the uprising of the people on the other, ordered her to be taken back to prison, where she prayed like this: "Lord Jesus Christ, who created me and guarded me from infancy, who kept my body from pollution and took away from me the love of the world, and who made me overcome torments and gave me the virtue of patience in them, receive my spirit and command me to reach your mercy." After she had prayed this, she gave up her spirit with a loud cry around the year of our Lord 253, under the Emperor Decius. When the faithful were anointing her body with spices and placing it in a sarcophagus, a young man dressed in silk, accompanied by more than a hundred very beautiful men, adorned and dressed in white—who had never been seen in those parts—came to her body, placed a marble tablet at her head, and immediately disappeared from everyone's sight. On that aforementioned tablet was written: "A holy mind, spontaneous, honor to God, and liberation for the country."
The Legacy of the Virgin
The saint's death brings about the judgment of her persecutor and the ongoing protection of her city through her intercession.
This is understood as follows: she had a holy mind, she offered herself willingly, she gave honor to God, and she brought about the liberation of her homeland. Once this miracle became known, even the Gentiles and the Jews began to show great reverence for her tomb. Quintianus, however, while on his way to investigate her wealth, was attacked by two horses that were snorting and kicking at each other; one bit him, and the other kicked him into the river, so that his body could never be found. A year later, around the day of her birth into heaven, a massive mountain near the city ruptured and spewed forth fire, which came toward the city with great force like a torrent descending from the mountain, liquefying rocks and earth alike. Then a multitude of pagans descended from the mountain and, fleeing to her tomb, seized the veil that covered it and held it up against the fire; immediately, on the very day of the virgin's birth into heaven, the fire stopped and did not advance any further. Ambrose says of this virgin in the preface: O happy and renowned virgin, who deserved to glorify her martyrdom for the praise of the Lord with her faithful blood. O illustrious and glorious one, adorned with twofold beauty, who, amidst harsh torments, was preferred above all by miracles and, powerful through the mystical intercession of the apostle, deserved to be healed by his visitation. Thus the heavens received her as a bride of Christ; thus her human limbs shine with glorious service, so that the choir of angels declares the holiness of her mind and the liberation of her homeland.
Read the original Latin
Agatha dicitur ab agios, quod est sanctus, et theos Deus, quasi sancta Dei. Tria enim sunt, sicut dicit Chrysostomus, quae sanctum faciunt, et illa perfecte fuerunt in ea, scilicet cordis munditia, spiritus sancti praesentia, bonorum operum affluentia. Vel dicitur ab a, qued est sine, et geos terra, et theos Deus, quasi Dea sine terra, id est, sine amore terrenorum. Vel ab aga, quod est loquens, et thau consummatio, quasi consummate et perfecte loquens, quod patet in suis responsis. Vel ab agath, quod est servitus, et thaas superior, quasi servitus superior: et hoc propter illad quod dixit: samma ingenuitas est ista etc. Vel ab aga, quod est solemnis, et thau, consummatio, quasi solemniter consummata, id est sepulta, quod patet in angelis, qui eam sepelierunt.
Agatha virgo ingenua et corpore pulcherrima in urbe Cataniensium Deum semper in omni sanctitate colebat, Quintianus antem consularis Siciliae, cum esset ignobilis, libidinosus, avarus et ydolis deditus, beatam Agatham comprehendere nitebatur, ut quia erat ignobilis, comprehendendo nobilem timeretur, quia libidinosus, ejus pulchritudiue frueretur, quia avarus, ejus divitias raperet, quia ydololatra, Diis eam faceret immolare, fecitque eam ad se adduci. Quae cum adducta esset et ejus immobile propositum cognovisset, tradidit eam cuidam meretrici, nomine Aphrodisiae et novem filiabus ejus ejusdem turpitudinis, ut per XXX dies suaderent et quomodo ejus animum immutarent. Et modo promittendo laeta modo terrendo aspera sperabant eam a bono proposito revocare, quibus beata Agatha dixit: mens mea super petram solidata est et in Christo fundata, verba vestra venti sunt, promissiones vestrae pluviae, terrores vestri flumina sunt. Quae quantumvis impugnant, stat fundamentum domus meae, cadere non valebit. Haec autem dicens flebat quotidie et orabat sitiens ad martirii palmam pervenire. Videns igitur Aphrodisia ipsam immobilem permanere dixit Quintiano : facilius possunt saxa molliri et ferrum in plumbi mollitiem converti, quam ab intentione christiana mens istius puellae converti seu revocari. Tunc Quintianus fecit eam ad se adduci et ait illi: cujus conditionis es? Cui illa: non solum ingenua, sed et spectabilis genere, ut omnis parentela mea testatur.
Cui Quintianus: si ingenua es, cur moribus te servilem personam habere ostendis? Illa respondit: quia ancilla Christi sum, ideo servilem meam exhibeo personam. Quintianus dixit: si te ingenuam dicis, quomodo ancillam asseris? llla respondit: summa ingenuitas est, in qua servitus Christi comprobatur. Quintianus dixit: elige quod volueris, aut scilicet Diis sacrificare aut diversa supplicia sustinere. Cui Agatha: sit talis uxor tua, qualis Venus Dea tua, et tu talis sis, qualis fuit Deus tuus Jupiter. Tunc Quintianus jussit eam alapis caedi dicens: in injuriam judicis noli temerario ore garrire. Agatha respondit: miror te virum prudentem ad tantam stultitiam devolutum, ut illos dicas Deos tuos esse, quorum vitam non cupias tuam conjugem vel te imitari, ut dicas tibi injuriam fieri, si eorum vivas exemplo.
Nam si Dei tui sunt boni, bonum tibi optavi, si autem exsecraris eorum consortia, mecum sentis. Quintianus dixit: quid mihi superfluus verborum cursus? Aut sacrifica Diis aut te faciam diversis suppliciis interire. Agatha respondit: si feras mihi promittas, audito Christi nomine mansuescunt,. si ignem adhibeas, de coelo mihi rorem salvificum angeli ministrabunt, si plagas vel tormenta ingeras, habeo spiritum sanctum, per quem despicio universa. Tunc jussit eam trahi ad carcerem, quia voce eum publice confandebat, ad quem laetissime et glorianter ibat et quasi ad epulas invitata agonem suum domino commendabat. Sequenti die dixit ei Quintiands: abnega Christum et adora Deos. Quae cum remueret, jussit eam in equuleum suspendi et torqueri, dixitque Agatha: ego in his poenis ita delector, sicut qui bonum nuntium audit aut qui videt, quem diu desideravit, aut qui multos thesauros invenit.
Non enim potest triticum in horreum poni, nisi theca fuerit fortiter conculcata et in paleis redacta. Sic anima mea non potest intrare in paradisum cum pàlma martirii, nisi diligenter feceris corpus meum a carnificibus attrectari. Tunc iratus Quintianus jussit ejus mamillam torqueri et tortam diutissime jussit abscidi. Cui Agatha: impie crudelis et dire tyranne, non es confusus amputare in femina, quod ipse in matre suxisti? Ego habeo mamillas integras in anima mea, ex quibus nutrio omnes sensus meos, quas ab infantia domino consecravi. Tunc jussit eam in carcerem recipi prohibens ingressum medicorum et panem vel aquam sibi ab aliquo ministrari. Et ecce circa mediam noctem venit ad eam quidam senex, quem antecedebat puer luminis portitor, diversa secum ferens medicamenta et dixit ei: licet consularis insanus -tormentis te afflixerit, tu eum tuis responsis amplius afflixisti et licet ubera tua torserit, sed illius ubertas in amaritudinem convertetur, et quoniam ibi eram, quando hoc patiebaris, vidi, quia mamilla tua potest curam salutis suscipere. Cui Agatha: medicinam carnalem corpori meo nunquam exhibui, et turpe est, ut, quod tamdiu servavi, nunc perdam.
Dixit ei senex: filia, ego christianus sum, ne verecunderis. Cui Agatha: et unde verecundari possum, cum tu sis senex et grandaevus, ego vero ita crudeliter lacerata, quod nemo de me possit concipere voluptatem. Sed ago tibi gratias, domine pater, quia sollicitudinem tuam mihi impendere dignatus es. Cui ille: et quare non permittis, ut curem te? Agatha respondit: quia habeo dominum Jesum Christum, qui solo verbo curat omnia et sermone restaurat universa. Hic si vult, potest me continuo curare. Et subridens senior dixit: et ego apostolus ejus sum et ipse me misit ad te et in nomine ejus scias te esse sanatam, et continuo Petrus apostolus disparuit. Et procidens beata Agatha gratias agens invenit se undique sanatam et mamillam suam pectori restitutam.
Cum ergo ex immenso lumine custodes territi aufugissent et apertum carcerem reliquissent, rogant eam quidam, ut abiret. Absit, inquit, ut fugiam et coronam patientiae perdam et custodes meos tribulationibus tradam. Post dies quattuor dixit ei Quintianus, ut Deos adoraret, ne graviora supplicia sustineret. Cui Agatha: verba tua fatua sunt et. vana, aérem maculantia et iniqua. Miser sine intellectu, quomodo vis, ut lapides adorem et Deum coeli, qui me sanavit, dimittam ? Quintianus dixit: et quis te sanavit? Cui Agatha: Christus filius Dei.
Quintianus dixit: iterum tu Christum andes nominare, quem ego nolo audire? Agatha dixit: quamdiu vixere, Christum corde et labiis invocabo. (Quintianus dixit: nunc videbo, si Christus te curabit. Et jussit testas fractas spargi et sub testas carbones ignitos mitti et ipsam desuper nudo corpore volutari. Quod cum fieret, ecce terrae motus nimius factus est, qui totam civitatem ita concussit, ut palatium corruens duos consiliarios Quintiani opprimeret et omnis populus ad eum concurreret clamans, quod propter injustum Agathae cruciatum talia paterentur. Tunc Quintianus ex una parte terrae motum, ex alia seditionem populi metuens ipsam iterum in carcerem recipi jussit, ubi sic oravit dicens: domine Jesu Christe, qui me creasti et ab infantia custodisti, qui corpus meum a pollutione servasti et a me amorem saeculi abstulisti, et qui tormenta me vincere fecisti et in iis virtutem palientiae tribuisti, accipe spiritum meum et jube me ad tnam misericordiam pervenire. Haec cum orasset, cum ingenti voce spiritum tradidit circa annum domini CCLIII sub Daciano imperatore. Cum autem fideles cum aromatibus corpus ejus condirent et in sarcophago collocarent, quidam juvenis sericis indutus cum plus quam centum viris pulcherrimis et ornatis ac albis indutis, qui nunquam in illis partibus visi fuerant, ad corpus ejus venit et tabulam marmoream ad caput ejus ponens ab oculis omnium statim disparuit, Erat autem in praedicta tabula scriptum: mentem sanctam, spontaneam, honorem Deo et patriae liberationem.
Quod sic intelligitur: mentem sanctam habuit, spontaneam se obtulit, honorem Deo dedit et patriae liberationem fecit. Et hoc miraculo divulgato etiam gentiles et Judaei sepulchrum ejus plurimum venerari coeperunt. Quintianus autem , dum ad ejus investigandas divitias pergeret, duobus equis inter se ) fremitum dantibus calcesque jactantibus unus eum morsu appetiit, alter calce percussum in flumine projecit, ita quod corpus ejus nusquam potuit inveniri. Revoluto anno circa diem natalis ejus mons quidam maximus circa civitatem ruptus eructavit incendium, quod quasi torrens de monte descendens et saxa terramque liquefaciens ad urbem cum magno impetu veniebat. Tunc paganorum multitudo descendit de monte et ad sepulchrum ejus fugiens velum, unde coopertum erat sepulchrum, arripuit etipsuim statuit contra ignem statimque in die natalis ipsius virginis ignis stetit et ultrá ullatenus non processit. De hac virgine dicit Ambrosius in praefatione: o felix et inclita virgo, quae meruit domini pro laude martirium fidelis sanguine clarificare suum. — O illustris et gloriosa gemino illustrata decore, quae inter tormenta aspera cunctis praelata miraculis et mistico pollens suffragio apostoli meruit visitatione curari, Sic nuptam Christo susceperunt aethera, sic humani artus gloriosa fulgent obsequia, ut angelorum chorus sanctitatem mentis et patriae indicat liberationem.
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