Agatha was born in Sicily, at either Catania or Palermo and was martyred in approximately AD 250 at Catania. She is the patron saint of Catania.
According to variations of her legend, having rejected the amorous advances of a Romanprefect, she was persecuted by him for her Christian faith. Among the tortures she underwent was the cutting off of her breasts. She is therefore often depicted iconographically carrying her excised breasts on a platter.
The shape of her amputated breasts gave rise to her attribute as patron saint of bell-founders. More recently she is venerated as patron saint of breast cancer patients.
Her scorned admirer eventually sentanced her to death by being burnt at the stake. However, she was saved from this fate by a mysterious earthquake. She later died in prison.
External link
Patron Saints Index (http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta04.htm)
Aganus was abbot of Saint Gabriel's monastery at Airola, Campania, Italy, in the diocese of SaintAgatha dei Goti (Benedictines).
Saint Pamphilus, demanded that the bodies be buried, he was tortured by being flayed alive and then burned to death when it was found he was a Christian.
Saint Jerome said that Onesimus became a preacher of the Word and later a bishop, though probably not the Bishop Onesimus of Ephesus who was the third successor to Timothy, showed hospitality to Saint Ignatius of Antioch, and was stoned to death in Rome, as stated in the Roman Martyrology.
SaintAgatha is recognized by the church as a Virgin and a Martyr.
Agatha is the patron saint of Sicily, nurses, bakers, miners, jewellers, Alpine guides, and those suffering from breast cancer.
The first eighty years of St. Agatha under the leadership and direction of the Benedictine fathers were remarkable for their commitment to growth and construction in the parish.
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