Saint of the Day

01 · Read · A life to discover

St. Agatha

Agatha is a virgin martyr of Sicily and the patron saint of Catania. Her traditional story places her suffering during the persecution associated with Emperor Decius and dates her death to February 5, 251. Much of the personal narrative comes from her later passion.

In that account, Agatha is a young Christian determined to maintain her dedication to Christ. A powerful official, Quintian, attempts to force her submission. Neither threats nor efforts to undermine her religious commitment succeed, and she is imprisoned and tortured.

The narrative includes severe injuries, a miraculous healing, and further suffering before her death. These episodes explain many of the symbols found in her art, but their detailed dialogue and sequence should not be treated as contemporary documentation. The tradition also contains competing claims about whether she was born in Catania or Palermo.

Her memory became especially associated with Catania and the dangers of Mount Etna. Stories of protection from volcanic eruptions belong to the history of her local devotion. Her feast and relics continue to connect the city's religious life with the martyr whose refusal to surrender her faith forms the central theme of her story.

This saint is included on this recurring date in the U.S. Roman Rite calendar published by the USCCB. This reading guide gives U.S. calendar saints priority; the Mass celebrated on a particular year’s date can differ because of Sundays, seasons or higher-ranking celebrations.