Her feast day (Dec. 13) has also been venerated as far away as England by the 700’s. What is the meaning of VM abbreviation? Now remember that whole thing about being the new St. Agatha for Syracuse? So on the lips of thousands of priests every day are the names of some of the Church’s most revered female martyrs: “Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia, and all the saints.”, Not much is known for certain about the life and death of Saint Agatha, but long tradition supplies what primary documents lack. The body of St. Agnes was laid to rest along the Via Nomentana (where St. Alexander was buried, remember?!? Lucy was so inspired and thankful that she chose to distribute her part of her family’s inheritance to the poor. The martyr part came when he arrested her, first sending her to a brothel to be humiliated, before sending her off to prison. Her feast day (Dec. 13) has also been venerated as far away as England by the 700’s. The abbreviation for Virgin Martyr is VM. The Church did not even preach equality of individuals or teach that governments must enact laws protecting the unprotected. That is all so modern. The body of St. Agnes was laid to rest along the Via Nomentana (where St. Alexander was buried, remember?!? Her sister, St. Emerentiana, was discovered praying at the grave on the anniversary of her martyrdom, and when she refused to leave, she was martyred as well! Really, all that is known for sure about her is that she was martyred in Syracuse around 304 under the Great Persecution of Diocletian. Saint Agatha, you were a virgin espoused to Christ himself, a bride of the Lord who preserved herself for Him alone. Not much is known for certain about the life and death of Saint Agatha, but long tradition supplies what primary documents lack. She became the patroness of both Catania and Palermo, with powerful intercessions reported to those who venerated her. Sometimes, it can be easy to think of chastity as being for “goody two-shoes”, and to assume that people follow chastity because they are scared or boring. Etna as it seemed ready to erupt. In the celebrations, a girl dressed as St. Lucy enters the party wearing a crown of candles, and presenting bread and sweets to those present. Imagine: a child not telling her mother about something – I bet that has never happened before! A martyred person has been killed because of their religious or political beliefs: 2. showing…. Ultimately, St. Agnes was sentenced to death by burning her at the stake in the arena. Her name, “Lucia” comes from the Latin word meaning “light”, so she does indeed represent a light of hope in darkness during one of the darkest (seasonal) times of the year! Peter and Paul (June 29). Lucy’s dream was indeed true – her veneration exploded throughout the Church. Even in the short time after her death, she became an example for the Christian Church, and was highly venerated, even outside of Sicily. The tradition also has it that Eutychia suffered from some form of blood disorder, so without a father to protect the family, she likely was looking for some security and stability for her family, which she sought by marrying off her daughter Lucy. December, Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. Valerianus asked to see these angels (sarcastically, I could imagine), so Cecilia sent him to meet Pope Urban I along the Appian Way so Valerianus could see why she had become betrothed to Christ. John and Paul. martyred definition: 1. Archbishop Carlson received his pallium from Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. In the celebrations, a girl dressed as St. Lucy enters the party wearing a crown of candles, and presenting bread and sweets to those present. Very old, and very straightforward accounts were given of her interrogation and torture, which may indicate that the account was acquired from official documents of the Roman government.