Saint Agnes of Bohemia
Born: 1211, Prague
Died: 1282, Prague
Feast Day: 2nd March
Patron
Saint: Czech Republic
Shrine: Monastery of St. Agnes Prague, Czech Republic
Also known as: Anežka, Saint Agnes of
Prague
Saint Agnes was born in 1211, in Prague and was daughter to the king of
Bohemia, her mother also having royal blood.
As per the custom of the day, she was betrothed several times to gain
political alliance. She was moved from monastery
to monastery to be educated. Agnes soon
discovered that she cared more for monastic life than life as a Princess and
began to focus her energy on God. She
privately starting fasting and doing penance, rising before dawn to visit
churches for prayer and mass.
By this time, she had turned down proposals from King Henry III of
England and King Henry VII of Germany but was still betrothed to Emperor
Frederick II. She prayed to remain chaste and serve only God. Frederick finally released her from the
engagement in 1235 when she was 28, after many years and the intervention of Pope
Gregory IX.
She was now free to serve God more fully and built monasteries and hospitals
and is known for establishing the Franciscan community in Prague. Her local community supported her and would
offer her money which she refused. It is
said that the labourers building the monasteries and hospitals would leave the
sites early to avoid being paid.
Agnes entered the Poor Clare convent as soon as it was ready, and she was soon
joined by many other noble women throughout Europe. Agnes was humble and always took on the
lowliest of tasks. She was mentored by
Saint Clare herself. She died in 1282
and she was buried in the convent church but her remains were moved in the 14th
Century to an unknown place.
She was not beatified
for almost 600 years. She was finally
canonised on 12th November 1989, by Pope John Paul II. This was 5 days before the Velvet Revolution
which led to the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia. There was a 15th century prophecy
declaring that Bohemia would not again prosper until Agnes was Canonised. Saint Agnes is reported to have had miraculous healing properties and
ecstatic visions.
References: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01213b.htm
http://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&gid=609&pgid=18377&cid=36103&ecid=36103&crid=0
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