St. Agnes of Montepulciano was born in the beautiful small town of Gracciano Vecchio, Tuscany. From early childhood, Agnes was devoted to Christ. Her humble piety was evident to those around her and she was allowed to enter a Dominican convent when she was nine.
As a Dominican, Agnes flourished. Her sisters and superiors recognized deep wisdom and holiness in the child and began to consult her on matters of prayer and spirituality.
At fifteen, Agnes was elected to become the abbess of Proceno, an event so rare that it required a papal dispensation. Her leadership was marked by humility, piety, rapid growth in the members of her community, and many miracles.
One such miracle occurred one particularly cold December night when Agnes was in her room praying. A group of sisters approached her, needing to discuss important matters. As they conversed, one sister noticed a beautiful fragrance filling the room.
To her astonishment, she saw fresh white and red roses blooming at Agnes’s feet, despite it being the dead of winter when no flowers were in bloom. Agnes was hardly surprised by the flowers, simply taking them as a reminder of Our Lady’s constant presence.
The witness of those like St. Agnes of Montepulciano remind us all of the wonder of a life lived in union with Christ. Children in particular can benefit from these tales of faith. In Stories of the Saints, children can read real stories from 70 saints who lived lives not so different from their own. Rather than sugar-coating the lives of the saints, this book invites children to engage with saints in a dynamic and inspiring way. Order your copy from The Catholic Company and give the children in your life the gift of saintly friendship!
