Saint Agnes
2019 / acrylic on canvas / 11” x 14” (18mm thick)
patroness of chastity and victims of sexual abuse
feast / January 21
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Saint Agnes was humiliated, tortured, and martyred at the age of 12 or 13. They dragged her through the streets naked. Men who attempted to rape her were struck blind (and one dead, but her prayers revived him).
When I was her age, I was just coming out of an addiction to pornography that left me with a very skewed mindset of my worth and sexuality. Also at this time (not by my intention), half-clothed photos of me were passed around. A long journey of harassments and abuses followed, and for a long time I thought I had brought it upon myself.
Little Agnes, this patroness of chastity, inspires me to not be defined by actions against my purity—and to have great mercy upon offenders.