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We have no historical information on St Agatha, other than that her veneration dates back to at least the sixth century. Tradition is uncertain, but suggests that she was martyred in the period 250-253 CE, since this was a time when Emperor Decius persecuted Christians. The tradition, which has much in common with typical pious legends of the early Middle Ages says that she refused to marry the evil Quintian and did not willingly have sex, although forced into a brothel.

The Catholic Encyclopedia tells us that we have the Acts of her martyrdom in two quite versions, Latin and Greek. neither of which can lay any claim to historical credibility, and neither of which gives the necessary internal evidence that the information it contains rests, even in the more important details, upon genuine tradition. Although the Catholic Encyclopedia insists that Saint Agatha was a historical person whose martyrdom is substantiated, even these bare facts can not be taken for granted. If Agatha did exist, perhaps she practised virtues of faith, but we do not really know.

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11y ago

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