Female Saints of the Cross

notes from my manuscript :

Female Saints of the Cross

Frederick Von Thrauthemburg Morris

Female Saints

Women have played a great role in the development and making of the catholic religion. The history of the Church is full of many female Catholic saints, who received recognition for great deeds or meritorious conduct. Many lost their lives in defense of the catholic faith, while others were themselves the mothers of important saints. Many were also honored for their contributions to the Church and their community.
Throughout the history of the Saints, their tales, lives and deeds have come to us in many forms, some told over and over, some through church documentation while other information has come from historians passing down information through generations so that the data would not be lost. Unfornately, much of the early history has been lost, wars, fire and other events have destoried more then just civilians, they’ve also destroyed the history and cultures of the people of the time. Much of the information about the saints, their lives and events, are documented in bits and pieces, maped together to tell a story, the lives of the saints as we know them today. This text is not complete, it will never be as the the information is no longer available to us. This text is a gathering of information about the Saints as best we can put together, there are more then 10,000 saints in the history of the church, therefore those here are the ones we’ve been able to identify and document.


St. Ada, Feastday: December 4 - seventh century -Abbess and dedicated virgin, noted in France as a patroness of religious women. Ada was a niece of St. Engebert, the bishop who was murdered by his own cousin. Raised in a pious household and influenced by her uncle, Ada joined a convent in Soissons, France. She later became the abbess of St. Julien-des-Prés in Le Mans.
Bl. Adeline Feastday: October 20, 1125 - Adeline was the sister of Blessed Vitale, Abbot of Savigny and was introduced to the religious life by him or her. She rose to become the first Abbess of the monastery founded at Mortain in 1105 or 1115 by Count William of Mortain. The Rule followed by this religious house was that of St. Benedict together with a few observances drawn from the Cistercian tradition. Because of the color of their habit the religious came to be called the "White Ladies." After a life dedicated to prayer, mortification, and charitable works, Blessed Adeline was called to her reward in 1125. Such was her reputation for sanctity that shortly afterward she began to be honored as one of the Blessed and her remains were solemnly transferred (together with those of her brother and other religious) to Savigny.
St. Agape, Feastday: February 15, 273, Martyr and follower of St. Valentine. She belonged to a group of virgins started by St. Valentine. A church in Termi was dedicated to her until the twelfth century, and she is listed in early martyrologies.
St. Agatha - Feastday: February 5, although we have evidence that Agatha was venerated at least as far back as the sixth century, the only facts we have about her are that she was born in Sicily and died there a martyr. 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 - - himself. He expected her to give in to when faced with torture and possible death, but she simply affirmed her belief in God by praying: "Jesus Christ, Lord of all, you see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil." Legend tells us that Quintian imprisoned her in a brothel in order to get her to change her mind. Quintian brought her back before him after she had suffered a month of assault and humiliation in the brothel, but Agatha had never wavered, proclaiming that her freedom came from Jesus. Quintian sent her to prison, instead of back to the brothel -- a move intended to make her more afraid, but which probably was a great relief to her. When she continued to profess her faith in Jesus, Quintian had her tortured. He refused her any medical care but God gave her all the care she needed in the form of a vision of St. Peter. When she was tortured again, she died after saying a final prayer: "Lord, my Creator, you have always protected me from the cradle; you have taken me from the love of the world and given me patience to suffer. Receive my soul." Because one of the tortures she supposedly suffered was to have her breasts cut off, she was often depicted carrying her breasts on a plate. It is thought that blessing of the bread that takes place on her feast may have come from the mistaken notion that she was carrying loaves of bread. Because she was asked for help during the eruption of Mount Etna she is considered a protector against the outbreak of fire. She is also considered the patroness of bellmakers for an unknown reason -- though some speculate it may have something to do with the fact that bells were used as fire alarms.
St. Agnes - Feastday: Janury 21, 304 Patron of the Children of Mary, St. Agnes was a Roman girl who was only thirteen years old when she suffered martyrdom for her Faith. Agnes had made a promise, a promise to God never to stain her purity. Her love for the Lord was very great and she hated sin even more than death! Since she was very beautiful, many young men wished to marry Agnes, but she would always say, "Jesus Christ is my only Spouse." Procop, the Governor's son, became very angry when she refused him. He had tried to win her for his wife with rich gifts and promises, but the beautiful young girl kept saying, "I am already promised to the Lord of the Universe. He is more splendid than the sun and the stars, and He has said He will never leave me!" In great anger, Procop accused her of being a Christian and brought her to his father, the Governor. The Governor promised Agnes wonderful gifts if she would only deny God, but Agnes refused. He tried to change her mind by putting her in chains, but her lovely face shone with joy. Next he sent her to a place of sin, but an Angel protected her. At last, she was condemned to death. Even the pagans cried to see such a young and beautiful girl going to death. Yet, Agnes was as happy as a bride on her wedding day. She did not pay attention to those who begged her to save herself. "I would offend my Spouse," she said, "if I were to try to please you. He chose me first and He shall have me!" Then she prayed and bowed her head for the death-stroke of the sword.
St. Agnes of Assisi - Feastday: November 16, Agnes was born in Assisi. She was the younger sister of St. Clare. At fifteen she joined Clare at the Benedictine convent of Sant'Angelo di Panzo. Determined to follow her sister's life of poverty and penance, she resisted her relatives' attempts to force her to return home, and was given the habit by St. Francis and sent to San Damiano with Clare, thus founding the Poor Clares. St. Francis appointed her abbess of the Poor Clares' convent at Monticelli near Florence in 1219. She established convents at Mantua, Venice, and Padua, and supported her sister's struggle for poverty in their Order. Agnes was with Clare at her death and died three months later, on November 16, reportedly as predicted by Clare. Many miracles have been reported at her tomb in Santa Chiara Church in Assisi.


St. Agnes of Bohemia - March 2, 1282, Agnes was the daughter of King Ottokar of Bohemia. She was engaged to Boleslaus when she was three and when he died, to Henry, son of Emperor Frederick II, when she was nine. She was overjoyed when Henry married the daughter of the Duke of Austria, as she had offered herself to God and hoped to live a life of austerity and virginity. Her brother affianced her to Frederick, and when in 1235 Frederick sent for her she petitioned Pope Gregory IX to intercede for her; when he did, Frederick released her from the engagement. In 1236 she built a convent for the Friars Minor in Prague, staffed by five nuns sent by St. Clare, and Agnes took the veil there. She was named abbess soon after and became renowned for her humility, aid to the poor, and her dedication to poverty. She died in Prague on March 2, 1282. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1989.
St. Agnes De - Feastday: July 12, 1841, Vietnamese Christian martyr. She was born in Baiden and was raised in a Christian family. Agnes was arrested and died in prison at Namdinh on July 12. Agnes was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.