Saint Agatha

Saint Agatha

Patron of nurses and cancer patients
Invoked against cancer, especially breast cancer
Feast Day: February 5


Saint Agatha story took place long ago. Agatha was a beautiful lady—a Christian virgin— who rejected the advances of a Roman nobleman, Quintian. When Agatha “just said no” to Quintian, he became enraged and ordered her delivered to a whorehouse, where she was tortured by fire and suffered other cruelties. Quintian later demanded that Agatha endure what is now known as a “radical mastectomy”—her breasts were cut off and she was sent to jail. Saint Peter miraculously appeared in her prison cell and Agatha initially survived her ordeals. Saint Peter put a special celestial ointment on Agatha’s breasts and they were restored.

Roman officials later ordered that Agatha suffer death through burning at the stake. Agatha again was saved from the murderous assaults, though she did die later, while imprisoned. When Agatha died, the volcanic eruptions of Mount Etna finally eased. Agatha is therefore also invoked to protect against the ravages of volcanic eruptions, and fire. In modern times, Saint Agatha is best known as a protector from cancer: most especially the illness of breast cancer. © 1997

5866 General Diaz Street
New Orleans, LA 70124
504.482.2467 & 504.239.3143
Wear this medal and then
share it with someone you love
Each SfS medal is imported from Italy,
painted by hand in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is
one of a kind original
 
“The Saints are the Sinners who keep on trying”
-Robert Louis Stevenson

SHARE THIS STORY:

Search:
Sort by tags: