St. Agatha of Sicily: Virgin, Martyr and Patron of Breast Cancer Patients
Quick answer
St. Agatha was a young Christian woman of Catania, Sicily, martyred around 251 during the persecution of Emperor Decius. She is named in the Roman Canon. According to tradition, she refused the advances of a Roman official, was tortured, including the cutting of her breasts, and died in prison. She is the patron of Catania, nurses and women with breast cancer, and is invoked against fire and the eruptions of Mount Etna. Her feast is February 5.
Key takeaways
- She was honored very early, and her name is in the Roman Canon.
- Tradition says St. Peter appeared to her in prison and healed her wounds.
- A year after her death, the people of Catania credited her with stopping lava from Mount Etna.
- She is a patron of those suffering from breast cancer and other diseases of the breast.
Women going through breast cancer have found a quiet companion in St. Agatha, a young martyr who suffered cruelly and remained strong in faith.
A Young Woman of Sicily
Agatha lived in Sicily in the third century, in the city of Catania or perhaps Palermo. She came from a wealthy and noble family and had consecrated herself to God. She was martyred around 251, during the persecution of Emperor Decius. Her cult spread rapidly, and by the sixth century her name was included in the Roman Canon of the Mass.
Her Story
The traditional account says that a Roman official named Quintianus wanted Agatha for himself and, knowing she was a Christian, used the persecution laws to pressure her. She refused him. He sent her to a house of ill repute, but she kept her purity. He then had her imprisoned and tortured. Among the tortures, her breasts were cut off.
That night, according to the story, St. Peter appeared to her in prison and healed her wounds. She was tortured again, and she died in prison, thanking God for giving her patience.
Patron of the Suffering
Because of what she endured, Agatha is a patron of women with breast cancer, of nurses, and of those who suffer from diseases of the breast. In art she is often shown carrying her breasts on a plate, a sign of her suffering offered to God.
Patron of Catania
About a year after her death, Mount Etna erupted. The people of Catania carried her veil in procession, and the lava stopped. Since then she has been invoked against fire, lightning and volcanic eruptions. Her festival in Catania each February draws hundreds of thousands of people.
What She Teaches
Agatha’s story is hard. It reminds us that the early Christians paid a real price for their faith. It also reminds the sick that Christ is close to every wound, and that suffering offered to Him is never wasted (Colossians 1:24).
A Prayer for Those with Breast Cancer (Original Prayer)
St. Agatha, you knew pain and kept your faith. Pray for (name) and all who face breast cancer. Give them courage for each treatment, skill and kindness to their doctors and nurses, and the healing that God wills. Amen.
Continue Reading
Read about St. Agnes, St. Lucy, another Sicilian martyr, or browse more Catholic prayers.
Frequently asked questions
When is the feast of St. Agatha?
February 5.
Why is St. Agatha the patron of breast cancer patients?
Because, according to her traditional story, her breasts were cut off during her torture. Women facing breast cancer and its treatment often ask her prayers.
What is the festival of St. Agatha in Catania?
Each year from February 3 to 5, Catania holds one of the largest religious festivals in the world, carrying her relics through the city.
Sources
- Roman Missal, Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon) and Memorial of St. Agatha
- Acts of St. Agatha (fifth century)
- Roman Martyrology, February 5
