Saint of the Day – 13 May – Saint Agnes of Poitiers (Died 588) the 1st Abbess og the Convent of Sainte-Croix, a Monastery founded in Poitiers by Saint Radegonde (c518-587) in around 552. The date and place of St Agnes’ birth are unknown but she died at the Sainte-Croix Monastery in Poitiers of natural causes.
We know little about Agnes’ origins except through the life of Saint Radegonde, to whom she would have been very close from a young age and whom she would have accompanied throughout her life.
Agnes, educated as a daughter by the holy Queen Radegunde, when the latter, after retiring from Court, founded the Monastery of the Sainte-Croix in Poitiers. Agnes, being begged by her benefactress, St Radegunde, who did not want this office for herself, became the 1st Abbess, with the abbatial blessing bestowed upon her by Saint Germanus, the Bishop of Paris, in the presence of other Bishops.
After a few years, following conflicts which arose between the Monastery and the Bishop of the City, Merovech, over questions of jurisdiction, the Saint deemed it appropriate to temporarily retire to Arles together with St Radegunde. On her return, Agnes introduced into the Monastery the Rules dictated to her by St Caesarius of Arles, the Bishop there, for a female Abbey.
The prudence with which Agnes exercised the difficult art of government, in addition to attracting more than 200 Nuns, meant that, after the death of Saint Radegundr, she was able to reconcile with Bishop Merovech, who had the final direction of the religious community. The relationship between the two authorities, i.e. the Bishop and the Abbess, improved wonderfully when St Venantius Fortunatus (c530 – c609) , successor of Merovech. The 2 future Saints, Agnes and Venantius became fast friends and St Venantius left us precise testimonies regarding our Saint for today, of her virtues and abilities as Abbess. St Venantius spoke of Agnes in his letters and verses.
Agnes died on 13 May 588, nine months after Radegunde and was buried in the Church of Saint Mary outside the City walls. The new Proper of the Diocese of Poitiers celebrates and commemorates Saint Agnes today on the date of her birthday into Heaven.
For the Life of St Radegunde by St Venantius Fortunatus:
https://sites.uwm.edu/carlin/venantius-fortunatus-life-of-st-radegund/
For the Life of St Venantius:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/12/14/saint-of-the-day-14-december-saint-venantius-fortunatus-c-530-c-609/
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