Agatha was from a family in Sicily that had a lot of power and money. But neither of those interested her. From a young age, she dedicated her life to God. She was very beautiful and men wanted to marry her, but she set herself aside for Jesus….

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For centuries, people have celebrated Saint Agatha’s feast day by having bread blessed. So make sure your dinner plans include a loaf of bread (here’s a fairly easy Sicilian bread recipe, if you’re feeling adventurous), and use this blessing rite…

Today the Church remembers the witness of Saint Agatha, who was killed because she would not deny her faith in Christ during the reign of the Roman emperor Decius (around 251 AD).

Biographical details in regards to Saint Agatha have been distilled over time into legend. Accounts of her testimony to the Church’s Faith include that, having dedicated herself to Christ as a virgin, she angered a would be suitor, who reported her to the imperial authorities and accused her of being a member of a seditious sect called the Church…

Saint Agatha of Sicily (born: 231 AD – died: 251 AD) is a Christian saint and virgin martyress. Her memorial is on 5 February. Agatha  was born at Catania, Sicily, and she was martyred in approximately 251. She is one of seven women, who, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass. She is the patron saint of Catania, Molise, Malta, San Marino and Zamarramala, a municipality of the Province of Segovia in Spain. She is also the patron saint of breast cancer patients, martyrs, wet nurses, bell-founders, bakers, fire, earthquakes, and eruptions of Mount Etna…

St. Agatha died in defense of her purity, in Catania, Sicily, where she was born. After Quintanus, the governor of Sicily, tried in vain to force her to consent to sin, she was imprisoned for a month with an evil woman. He then turned from sensuality to cruelty and had her breasts cut off; but that night Agatha was healed by St. Peter. She was then rolled over sharp stones and burning coals, and finally taken to prison where she died while praying. Her name appears in the Roman Canon…

In the legend of her life, we are told that she belonged to a rich, important family. When she was young, she dedicated her life to God and resisted any men who wanted to marry her or have sex with her. One of these men, Quintian, was of a high enough rank that he felt he could force her to acquiesce. Knowing she was a Christian in a time of persecution, he had her arrested and brought before the judge…

We have little reliable information about this martyr, who has been honoured since ancient times, and whose name is included in the canon of the Mass. Young, beautiful and rich, Agatha lived a life consecrated to God. When Decius announced the edicts against Christians, the magistrate Quinctianus tried to profit by Agatha’s sanctity; he planned to blackmail her into sex in exchange for not charging her. Handed over to a brothel, she refused to accept customers.