Agnes of Assisi

Saint Agnes of Assisi, O.S.C.
Abbess
Born	1197/98 Assisi, Italy
Died	16 November 1253 Assisi, Italy
Honored in	Roman Catholicism Order of St. Clare
Canonized	cultus confirmed 1753 by Pope Benedict XIV
Major shrine	Basilica of St. Clare Assisi, Italy
Feast	16 November
Attributes	Poor Clare nun holding a book

Saint Agnes of Assisi, O.S.C., (1197/98–16 November 1253) was the younger sister of Saint Clare of Assisi and one of the first abbesses of the Order of Poor Ladies .

Biography

She was a younger daughter of Count Favorino Scifi. Her birth name was probably Caterina; she took the name of Agnes when she became a nun.^[1] Her mother, the Blessed Ortulana, who also would join the Order founded by her daughters, belonged to the noble family of the Fiumi. Their cousin Rufino was one of the original "Three Companions" of Francis of Assisi. Agnes' childhood was passed between her father's palace in the city and his castle of Sasso Rosso on Mount Subasio.

On 18 March 1212, her eldest sister Clare, inspired by the example of St. Francis of Assisi, left their father's home in secret to become a follower of the saint. Sixteen days later, Agnes ran off to the Benedictine Monastery of St. Angelo where St. Francis had brought her sister, resolved to share Clare's life of poverty and penance. Angry at having lost two of his daughters, their father sent his brother Monaldo, and several relations and armed followers to the monastery to force Agnes, if persuasion failed, to return home.

Monaldo drew his sword to strike his niece, but his arm allegedly dropped to his side, withered and useless. The others dragged Agnes out of the monastery by her hair, striking her and kicking her repeatedly. Agnes' body reportedly became so heavy, perhaps due to the help of her sister, that her assailants dropped her in a field nearby. Agnes' relatives, purportedly realizing that something divine protected her, allowed the sisters to remain together. Saint Francis himself cut her hair and gave her the religious habit, in recognition of Agnes' dedication.

Francis later established a cloister for Clare and Agnes at the rural chapel of San Damiano, where they were soon joined by other noble women of the city, and the Order of Poor Ladies, later known as the Poor Clares, began, with Clare as its abbess. In 1219 Agnes was chosen to found and lead a community of the Poor Ladies at Monticelli, now part of Florence. She later went on to establish other communities of the Order. Agnes was said to be very virtuous, and as abbess she ruled with a benevolent kindness, knowing how to make the practice of virtue appealing to her Sisters.

Agnes nursed her sister Clare during the latter's illness, and shortly thereafter died herself, on 16 November 1253. Her remains were interred with those of her sister at the Basilica of St. Clare at Assisi.

Agnes' feast day is the anniversary of her death, 16 November.

References

1. ^ Bartoli p. 80

Source

• Bartoli, Marco. Chiara d'Assisi. Rome 1989: Instituto Storico dei Cappucini.
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.