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St. Agnes
of Rome - Virgin and Martyr
Born - c. 291
Died - c. 304
Feastday
- 21 January
One of seven women, along with the Blessed
Virgin, who are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.
Statue
created - c.1661-1662
The first statue placed on the
colonnades
Sculptor
- Lazzaro Morelli
It is certainly the work of Morelli as
he was the only artist to receive payment by this date.
Height
- 3.1 m. (10ft 4in) travertine
She is dressed in a tunic
with the attributes of the palm of martyrdom and a lamb (as
the Latin word for lamb, "agnus", sounds like her name).
This formed the iconography of the statue on the facade of the
church of St Agnes in Agone, the traditional site of her
martyrdom.
St
Agnes, according to tradition, was a member of the Roman
nobility, raised in a Christian family, and suffered martyrdom
by the sword, around the age of twelve.
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Saints on North Colonnade
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Saints on North Colonnade
Above Entrance to Bronze Doors
Catherine and Agnes flank
the Alexander VII Coat of
Arms
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Sources:
Roma Sacra - San Pietro in Vaticano, Itineraries 21-22, ©Fabbrica
of St. Peter's, July 2001
Le Statue Berniniani del Colonnato di San Pietro by Valentino
Martinelli ©1987 by de Luca Editore
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Contact:
stpetersbasilica@gmail.com
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