St. Agnes Parish welcomes Bishop
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January 28, 2021
BEACON PHOTO | JOE GIGLIPATRON SAINT Bishop Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Agnes Parish in Paterson Jan. 24 where he celebrated Mass for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Bishop’s visit also came near the feast day (Jan. 21) of the parish’s patron, St. Agnes. The Bishop censes a statue of St. Agnes during a feast day Mass for the saint.Bishop Sweeney visits St. Agnes in Paterson to mark feast day of parish’s patronPATERSON Bishop Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Agnes Parish Jan. 24 where he celebrated Mass for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Bishop’s visit also came near the feast day (Jan. 21) of the parish’s patron, St. Agnes.
St. Agnes, virgin and martyr, is the patron saint of girls, chastity, Girl Scouts, engaged couples, and rape victims. Concelebrants of the Mass wore red vestments to mark her death as a martyr.
Legend has it that she was a beautiful young girl who many young men wanted to marry. One of those she refused reported her to the Roman authorities for being a Christian. She was arrested, condemned, executed, and buried near Rome. The daughter of Constantine built a basilica in her honor. St. Agnes is one of several virgin martyrs commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.
