RECTO
AFBEELDING
veelkleurige prent
De heilige is afgebeeld met een lam op de arm, een palmtak in de hand.
Een rand met floraliën.
TEKST
In rode en zwarte inkt gedrukt
S. AGNES
3f CHAS. VAN DE VYVERE - PETYT, BRUGES (BELGIUM.)
VERSO
In zwarte inkt gedrukt
S. AGNES, VIRGIN AND MARTYR.
JAN. 21 ABOUT A. D. 303
S. AGNES IS COUNTED AS ONE OF THE FOUR GREAT VIRGIN SAINTS OF THE CHURCH, AND THE ESPECIAL PATRONESS OF MAIDEN PURITY, SECOND ONLY TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY HERSELF.
IN LATIN HER NAME SIGNIFIES “A LAMB, “ AND S. JEROME IN WRITING OF HER REMARKS THAT THE TONGUES AND PENS OF ALL NATIONS HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED IN HER PRAISE. AT THE AGE OF THIRTEEN SHE WAS SOUGHT IN MARRIAGE BY THE SON OF THE PREFECT OF ROME, BUT BEING A CHRISTIAN, SHE ANSWERED “CHRIST IS MY SPOUSE: HE CHOSE ME FIRST, AND HIS I WILL BE”. THE YOUTH THUS REPULSED, FELL SICK, AND HIS FATHER REJOICING IN THE OPPORTUNITY AFFORDED OF AT ONCE REVENGING THE PRIVATE INJURY CAUSED BY HER REFUSAL, AND OL DISPLAYING ZEAL FOR THE PUBLIC RELIGION, COMMANDED HER TO OFFER INCENSE TO THE HEATHEN GODS, BUT SCHE COULD BY NO MEANS BE PREVAILED UPON TO MOVE HER HAND, EXCEPT TO MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS. THE EXASPERATED GOVERNOR THEN ORDERED HER TO BE STRIPPED, BUT AN ANGEL PROTECTED HER BY COVERING HER WITH A ROBE WHITE AS SNOW, AND AT THE SAME TIME SMOTE THE GOVERNORS SON SENSELESS, WHO HAD DARED TO BURST INTO THE ROOM IN WHICH SHE WAS PLACED, BUT WITHOUT BARM BEFALLING HER, AND THE IRONS WITH WHICH SHE WAS FASTENED, FELL CLATTERING AT HER FEET ; FINALLY HER HEAD WAS STRUCK OFF BY THE SWORD, “AND THUS, BATHED IN HER ROSY BLOOD” SAYS THE AUTHOR OF HER ACTS, “CHRIST BETROTHED TO HIMSELF HIS BRIDE AND MARTYR.
In zwarte inkt geschreven
64.13.415
