Catholic Saints Podcast

Episode: St. Agnes of Rome

Host: Taylor Kemp
Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Klein
Date: January 21, 2026

Overview

This episode focuses on St. Agnes of Rome, a famed early Christian virgin-martyr whose steadfast faith and youthful courage have made her an enduring symbol of Christian witness, especially for consecrated virgins. Taylor Kemp and scripture scholar Dr. Elizabeth Klein explore what we know about Agnes’s life, her significance in Church tradition, and how her martyrdom illustrates deeper themes of sacrifice, devotion, and the Christian call to witness.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Historical St. Agnes

• Agnes as a Household Name
  • Many know her as a saint, but Dr. Klein points out that details about her life are often sparse, typical of early martyrs whose stories are interwoven with legend ([01:36]).
• What We Know
  • Agnes lived c. 291–304 and died at around age 12 during the Diocletian persecution ([02:49]).
  • Evidence from St. Ambrose’s "Concerning Virgins" (c. 375) provides the earliest commentary close to her lifetime, lending legitimacy to her story ([02:02]).
• Noble Background
  • Likely a Roman citizen from a noble family, suggested by her execution (beheading—a privilege given to citizens), paralleling St. Paul ([02:49]).
  • Agnes’s age (12) was significant, as that was the legal age for marriage in the Roman Empire, tying her story to the tension between earthly and divine marriage.

Ambrose on Agnes: The Power of Her Witness

• Ambrose’s Praise
  • Dr. Klein reads a powerful passage from Ambrose, reflecting on Agnes’s courage and spiritual maturity:

    “She who had no room for the blow of the iron possessed enough to conquer iron.”
    – Ambrose, via Klein ([03:19])

  • Ambrose elevates Agnes as an exemplar for other consecrated virgins, capturing both her physical vulnerability and her extraordinary spiritual strength ([03:07–05:45]).
• Notable Quote:

  “She was fearless under the cruel hands of the executioners...she answered, ‘It would be an injury to my spouse to look on anyone as likely to please me. He who chose me first for himself shall receive me. Why are you delaying, executioner? Let this body perish which can be loved by eyes which I would not.’”
  – St. Ambrose, as read by Dr. Klein ([04:17])

The Tradition of Her Martyrdom

• Driven by fidelity to Christ, Agnes refused marriage proposals and sacrifice to pagan gods, leading to her denunciation and martyrdom ([06:35]).
• Her witness was marked by the offering of her virginity as a sign of total consecration to Christ ([07:59]).

Agnes’s Legacy in the Church

• Inclusion in the Roman Canon
  • Agnes is prominently named in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I), signifying her veneration from the earliest centuries ([10:01–11:13]).
  • All martyrs in the canon are presented as the saints most fully conformed to Christ’s sacrifice in the Eucharist.
• Martyrdom and the Eucharist
  • Dr. Klein explores the theological link:

    “A martyr is most fully conformed to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist makes martyrs.”
    – Dr. Klein ([11:23])

  • The reception of the Eucharist, says Augustine (as cited by Klein), is a call for us to become what we receive—even to offer ourselves completely, as in martyrdom ([12:56–14:52]).
• Virginity as Total Consecration
  • Ambrose writes,

    “Virginity is not praiseworthy because it is found in martyrs, but because itself makes martyrs.”
    – Ambrose, as cited by Dr. Klein ([13:27])

Relevance and Takeaways for Today

• Steadfastness in Faith
  • Taylor Kemp:

    “She has a steadfastness—that she would endure till the end. Perseverance is part and parcel of the Christian life.” ([18:58])

• Learning from Youth and Childlike Faith
  • Christian humility involves learning from the example of children, who exhibit trust and detachment, both crucial to Agnes’s martyrdom ([19:15–21:53]).
  • Kemp reflects on Christ’s words:

    “Unless you become like a little child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” ([19:54])

• Public Witness and Preparation for Sacrifice
  • Dr. Klein encourages listeners to regard the Christian life as ongoing preparation for witness, whether dramatic or ordinary ([21:53]):

    “To still think about the Christian life as like a training for martyrdom seems helpful… to be thinking about that as like the archetypal Christian hero.”

• Eucharist as Source and Strength
  • The grace to make sacrifices comes from the Eucharist—“the greatest gift given to us to make these sacrifices possible” ([22:58]).
• Enduring Memory of the Saints
  • “People who are famous in this life for being rich or powerful are probably not going to be remembered very long... but the saints are glorious forever.”
    – Dr. Klein ([18:33])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Comment | |-----------|-----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:17 | St. Ambrose (read by Klein) | "He who chose me first for himself shall receive me. Why are you delaying, executioner? Let this body perish which can be loved by eyes which I would not." | | 13:27 | Dr. Klein quoting Ambrose | “Virginity is not praiseworthy because it is found in martyrs, but because itself makes martyrs.” | | 11:23 | Dr. Klein | “A martyr is most fully conformed to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist makes martyrs.” | | 14:52 | Taylor Kemp | “This is God’s work in her… it begins in this offering to God, and for any of the martyrs there’s just this offering of self that takes so many forms.” | | 18:33 | Dr. Klein | “The saints are glorious forever.” | | 21:39 | Dr. Klein | “They just assume—everything will take care of me. And everything’s gonna be fine.” |

Art, Devotion, and Symbolism

• Symbol of the Lamb
  Agnes’s name (from “agnus,” Latin for lamb) connects her to Christ, as she became like a sacrificial lamb ([17:06]).
• Pallium Tradition
  On her feast, lambs are blessed in Rome and their wool is used for the pallium, worn by archbishops as a symbol of communion with the Pope ([17:19]).
• Artistic Representation
  Dr. Klein describes the mosaics of Church martyrs in Ravenna, which embody the theme of the saints processing toward the Eucharist, “bringing their crowns to the altar with you” ([23:37]).
• In the Augustine Institute Chapel
  St. Agnes’s statue is one of the four prominent ones—reflecting her status as a model of faith.

Practical Takeaways

• Perseverance is essential in Christian living, as modeled by Agnes even at 12 years old ([18:58]).
• Be open to learning from youth; there’s spiritual wisdom in childlike trust and detachment ([19:54–21:39]).
• Live in detachment and train for witness—daily penances and sacrifices prepare us for more radical offerings ([16:32], [21:53]).
• The Eucharist is our strength, uniting us to Christ and to the martyrs ([22:58]).
• Honor the saints: Their legacies endure “not for wealth or worldly glory, but for their heroic love of God” ([18:33]).

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction and Significance of St. Agnes – [01:07–02:47]
• Earliest Sources and Ambrose’s Testimony – [02:47–05:45]
• Meaning of Her Martyrdom: Marriage to Christ – [06:35–08:35]
• Agnes in the Roman Canon and the Eucharist – [10:01–14:52]
• Linking Martyrdom, Virginity, Penitential Practice – [13:23–16:32]
• Learning from Childlike Faith, Detachment – [19:15–21:53]
• Art, Lamb Symbolism, Ravenna Mosaic – [17:06], [23:37]
• Key Takeaways and Last Reflections – [18:57–24:47]

Conclusion

Dr. Klein and Taylor Kemp’s discussion of St. Agnes of Rome offers a multifaceted portrait: Agnes as a courageous child-martyr; a celebrated model for consecrated virginity; a perpetual witness to the call to total self-gift; and a pillar of the Church’s memory, celebrated in art, liturgy, and tradition. Her story challenges listeners to deeper perseverance, detachment, and Eucharistic union—whatever their calling or age.

St. Agnes, pray for us!