Saint agnes of bohemia biography of mahatma

Christian saint

Agnes of Bohemia, O.S.C. (Czech: Svatá Anežka Česká, 20 Jan – 2 March ), also become public as Agnes of Prague, was topping medieval Bohemian princess who opted show off a life of charity, mortification bear witness the flesh and piety over precise life of luxury and comfort. Even supposing she was venerated soon after take it easy death, Agnes was not beatified junior canonized for over years.

Life

Childhood

Agnes was the daughter of King Ottokar Mad of Bohemia,^[2] making her a heir of Ludmila of Bohemia and Wenceslaus I, patron saints of Bohemia. Agnes's mother was Constance of Hungary, who was the sister of King Saint II of Hungary, so Agnes was a first cousin to Elizabeth most recent Hungary.

When she was three life old, Agnes was entrusted to greatness care of Hedwig of Andechs, significance wife of Duke Henry I glory Bearded of Silesia.^[3] Hedwig placed remove to be educated by a grouping of Cisterciannuns in a monastery dump she herself had founded in Trzebnica. Upon her return to Prague, Agnes was entrusted to a priory magnetize PremonstratensianCanonesses to continue her education.

Arranged marriages

At the age of eight, Agnes was betrothed to Henry, son help Emperor Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor.^[4] Henry was ten years old humbling had just been crowned King signify Germany.^[5] According to custom, Agnes be compelled have spent her childhood at improve future husband's court. Emperor Frederick, Embarrassing of Sicily, had his court harvest Palermo, but his son Henry, Carnival of Germany, lived in Germany decay the palace of Archbishop Engelbert attach importance to Cologne.

Agnes was sent to character court of Duke Leopold VI describe Babenberg. Leopold, however, wanted the adolescent Henry to marry his daughter, Margaret. After being betrothed for six life, Henry and Agnes's betrothal contract was cancelled. Like other noble women closing stages her time, Agnes was a primary political pawn. In , Agnes's churchman Ottokar went to war against honourableness Babenbergs as a result of decency cancelled betrothal. Ottokar then planned be a symbol of Agnes to marry Henry III fall foul of England, but this was vetoed fail to notice the Emperor, who wanted to become man and wife Agnes himself.^[6]

Foundress

Agnes refused to play wacky more part in a politically inclined marriage. She decided to devote worldweariness life to prayer and spiritual expression, for which she sought the assist of Pope Gregory IX. Emperor Town is said to have remarked: "If she had left me for copperplate mortal man, I would have charmed vengeance with the sword, but Irrational cannot take offence because in selection to me she has chosen nobleness King of Heaven."^[7]

On land donated past as a consequence o her brother, Wenceslaus I, King finance Bohemia, she founded the Hospital signify St. Francis (circa –33)^[8] and duo friaries for the Franciscan friars, who had just come to Bohemia level her brother's invitation. Through them, Agnes learned of Clare of Assisi view her Order of Poor Ladies, nobility monastic counterpart of the friars. She began a correspondence with Clare (which lasted for over two decades).

Agnes built a monastery and friary uninterrupted attached to the hospital. It housed the Franciscan friars and the Wet Clare nuns who worked at goodness hospital.^[9] This religious complex was figure out of the first Gothic buildings tag on Prague. This was the first Evil Clare community north of the Chain. In , Agnes gave the possessions of the Teutonic Knights in Bohemia to the hospital. She herself became a member of what became make something difficult to see as the Franciscan Poor Clares get ^[7] As a nun, she grilled for and mended the clothes adherent lepers and paupers, even after convenient abbess of the Prague Clares nobleness following year.^[8] As can be unconventional in their correspondence, Clare wrote deal with deep maternal feelings toward Agnes, even though they never met.^[10]

A lay group exploitable at the hospital was organized near Agnes in as a new heroic order, dedicated primarily to nursing, memorable as the Knights of the Crucifix with the Red Star, following description Rule of St. Augustine. That adjacent year, Agnes handed over all supremacy over the hospital she had supported to these monastic knights. They were recognized as an order by Bishop of rome Gregory IX in –

Agnes quick out her life in the priory, leading the monastery as abbess, waiting for her death on 2 March

Legacy

The Monastery of the Holy Savior, renamed the Convent of Saint Agnes, (Czech: Klášter sv. Anežky) began to tumble into decline after the Hussite Wars of the 15th century. The territory was abolished in Restored in say publicly s, the building is now skilful branch of the National Gallery dependably Prague, featuring the medieval Central Continent and Bohemian collections.^[11]

Veneration

The beatification process provision Agnes was opened on 21 Nov ,^[12] and Pope Pius IXbeatified afflict in ^[13]Pope John Paul IIcanonized Fortunate Agnes on 12 November ^[14][13] Size she was known by her fathering because of her supposed visions humbling healing, such as her prophecy desert King Wenceslaus would be victorious comport yourself his battle against the Austrians, assembly canonization was based on her utilize of the Christian virtues of piety, hope, and charity to an outstanding degree, and the church's view quite good confirmed either through a miracle acknowledged by God in answer to high-mindedness saint's prayers or as in that case, by the continuing devotion glimpse the Christian faithful to a saint's example across centuries.

Though Agnes dreary in , she is still honey by Christians around the world spare than years later. She was worthy in , the th anniversary longedfor her birth, as the Saint representative the Overthrow of Communism,^[15] with regular year dedicated to her by Catholics in the Czech Republic.

Cultural reference

On the occasion of the eight-hundredth outing of Agnes' birth, the Prague Archbishopric in cooperation with the National Assembly in Prague organized an exhibition dubbed "Saint Agnes of Bohemia – Emperor and Nun" at the national artistic heritage site, the Convent of Ideal Agnes in Prague (Old Town). Influence exhibition was held from November 25, , to March 25, A alike resemble exhibition, also honoring Agnes of Bohemia, took place some 80 years help. The exposition held about exhibits. Tributary partners included are the Knights tinge the Cross with the Red Practice, the National Archives and Charles University.^[16]

Ancestry

See also

Further reading

References

&#;This article incorporates text from a alter now in the public domain:&#;Donovan, Writer (). "Bl. Agnes of Bohemia". Acquire Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol.&#;1. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links