February 5

St. Agatha

A third-century Sicilian martyr who refused the advances of the Roman prefect and was subjected to terrible tortures before her death around 251 AD. Venerated from the earliest centuries, her name appears in the Roman Canon of the Mass. She is the patron saint of Sicily, breast cancer patients, and those with diseases of the breast.

Why it matters for your parish: One of the earliest canonized martyrs with continuous veneration since antiquity. Her patronage of breast cancer patients makes her particularly meaningful for parish health ministries.

Graphics for this saint are coming soon.