Agnes of Assisi
Encyclopedia
Saint Agnes of Assisi was the younger sister of Saint Clare of Assisi
and Abbess of the Poor Ladies
at Assisi
, Italy
(1197/1198–1253).
. Agnes' childhood was passed between her father's palace in the city and his castle of Sasso Rosso on Mount Subasio.
On March 18, 1212, her eldest sister Clare
, inspired by the example of St. Francis of Assisi, left her father's home to become a follower of the saint. Sixteen days later, Agnes retired to the monastery of St. Angelo in Panso, resolved to share her sister's life of poverty and penance. Angry at having lost two of his daughters, her 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 habit of Poverty, in recognition of Agnes' resistance.
Clare and Agnes were joined by other noble ladies at San Damiano, and the Order of the Poor Ladies of St. Damian's
, or the Poor Clares, began. 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. In 1219, she was chosen to found and govern a community of the Poor Ladies at Monticelli in Florence
. She later went on to establish other communities of the order.
Agnes attended her sister during the latter's illness, and shortly thereafter died, on November 16, 1253.
Her remains, and those of her sister, were interred at the church of St. Clare, at Assisi
.
Agnes' feast day is the day of her death, November 16.
Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi , born Chiara Offreduccio, is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi...
and Abbess of the Poor Ladies
Order of Poor Ladies
The Poor Clares also known as the Order of Saint Clare, the Order of Poor Ladies, the Poor Clare Sisters, the Clarisse, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, and the Second Order of St. Francis, , comprise several orders of nuns in the Catholic Church...
at Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1197/1198–1253).
Biography
She was a younger daughter of Count Favorino Scifi. Her birth name was probably Caterina; she took on the name of Agnes when she entered the monastery. Her mother, Blessed Ortulana, belonged to the noble family of the Fiumi, and her cousin Rufino was one of the "Three Companions" of Francis of AssisiFrancis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
. Agnes' childhood was passed between her father's palace in the city and his castle of Sasso Rosso on Mount Subasio.
On March 18, 1212, her eldest sister Clare
Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi , born Chiara Offreduccio, is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi...
, inspired by the example of St. Francis of Assisi, left her father's home to become a follower of the saint. Sixteen days later, Agnes retired to the monastery of St. Angelo in Panso, resolved to share her sister's life of poverty and penance. Angry at having lost two of his daughters, her 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 habit of Poverty, in recognition of Agnes' resistance.
Clare and Agnes were joined by other noble ladies at San Damiano, and the Order of the Poor Ladies of St. Damian's
Order of Poor Ladies
The Poor Clares also known as the Order of Saint Clare, the Order of Poor Ladies, the Poor Clare Sisters, the Clarisse, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, and the Second Order of St. Francis, , comprise several orders of nuns in the Catholic Church...
, or the Poor Clares, began. 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. In 1219, she was chosen to found and govern a community of the Poor Ladies at Monticelli in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. She later went on to establish other communities of the order.
Agnes attended her sister during the latter's illness, and shortly thereafter died, on November 16, 1253.
Her remains, and those of her sister, were interred at the church of St. Clare, at Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
.
Agnes' feast day is the day of her death, November 16.
Source
- Bartoli, Marco. Chiara d'Assisi. Rome 1989: Instituto Storico dei Cappucini.