Agnes of Montepulciano
Agnes of Montepulciano was a Dominican prioress in medieval Tuscany, renowned as a miracle worker during her lifetime. She is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church, particularly remembered for her devotion, mystical visions, and reported miracles.
- Feast Day
- April 20
- Century
- 14th century
- Country Or Region
- Italy
Key Facts
- ›Agnes was born in 1268 into the noble Segni family in Gracciano, near Montepulciano.
- ›At age nine, she entered a Franciscan monastery known as the "Sisters of the Sack" with papal permission.
- ›By age 20, she was elected prioress and gained a reputation for performing miracles, including multiplying loaves.
- ›She was recalled to Montepulciano in 1306 and led the nuns to embrace the Dominican Order.
- ›Agnes died on April 20, 1317, at the age of 49.
- ›Her body was found to be incorrupt and her tomb became a site of pilgrimages.
About Agnes of Montepulciano
Agnes of Montepulciano, OP, born on January 28, 1268, and passing on April 20, 1317, was a Dominican prioress in medieval Tuscany renowned as a miracle worker during her lifetime. She is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church and is chiefly remembered for her profound devotion, the miracles attributed to her, and her role in establishing the Dominican presence in Montepulciano.
Life and historical context
Born into the noble Segni family in Gracciano, near Montepulciano, Agnes displayed an early piety. At the age of nine, she convinced her parents to allow her to enter a Franciscan monastery of women known as the "Sisters of the Sack," a decision requiring special papal permission due to her young age. The nuns lived a simple, contemplative life. In 1281, Agnes was among those sent to found a new monastery in Proceno, where she was appointed bursar at fourteen. By 1288, at the age of twenty, her devotion and prayer life led to her election as prioress of the community in Montepulciano.
Major contributions and veneration
As prioress, Agnes gained a reputation for performing miracles, with reports of healing ailments and multiplying loaves. Despite her own bouts of illness, she reached a high degree of contemplative prayer and received many visions. After being recalled to head the monastery in Montepulciano in 1306, she was inspired by a vision to build the church of Santa Maria Novella. Under the inspiration of a vision of Dominic Guzman, she guided the nuns to embrace the Rule of St. Augustine and become members of the Dominican Order. She was frequently sought to mediate peace among the city's warring families.
Legacy
Agnes died in 1317 at the age of forty-nine. Her body was found to be incorrupt and produced a sweet odor, leading to its veneration. Approximately fifty years after her death, Dominican friar Raymond of Capua wrote her biography, and Catherine of Siena referred to her as "Our mother, the glorious Agnes." Her remains were moved to the church of San Domenico in Orvieto in 1435. Agnes was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726, and her feast day is commemorated on April 20.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Agnes of Montepulciano born?
Agnes of Montepulciano was born in 1268 in Gracciano, a frazione of Montepulciano, which was then part of the Papal States.
What order did Agnes of Montepulciano belong to?
She initially entered a Franciscan monastery of women called the "Sisters of the Sack." Later, under the inspiration of a vision of Dominic Guzman, she led the nuns of her monastery to embrace the Rule of St. Augustine as members of the Dominican Order.
What miracles is Agnes of Montepulciano known for?
During her lifetime, Agnes was known as a miracle worker. She was reported to have cured people with mental and physical ailments by her presence and to have "multiplied loaves" on numerous occasions.
When did Agnes of Montepulciano die and when is her feast day?
Agnes died on April 20, 1317, at the age of 49. Her feast day is commemorated on April 20, the date of her death, within the Dominican Order and the Roman Martyrology.
What is notable about Agnes of Montepulciano's body after death?
After her death, Agnes' body was found to be producing a sweet odor and her limbs remained supple. Years later, when her body was moved, it was found to be incorrupt, and her tomb became a site of pilgrimages.
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