21 Jan

2023

St. Agnes

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Mosaic in the church of St Agnes outside the Walls, Rome (around 630 A.D.) built above the saint’s tomb. A previous church from the 4th century had already fallen into ruins by that time .

The feast of St. Agnes is January 21. The complex of ancient Christian buildings erected around her tomb from the time of Constantine to the 7th century is one of the most impressive sights in Rome.

(Above) The interior of the basilica. The columns were all taken from earlier Roman buildings. Note how those closest to the apse are of more splendid stone.

Above the image of St Agnes, the hand of God extends a heavenly crown.
This statue of St.Agnes in the basilica has been refashioned out of an image of a pagan goddess.
The tomb of St. Agnes (and St. Emerentiana) under the church.

See Macadam, Alta (with Annabel Barber), Blue Guide Rome at 490-492(Somerset Books, London, Tenth Edition, 2010)

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