SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 21ST

MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF HIGH GRACE (OUR LADY OF ALTAGRACIA); AND SAINT AGNES, VIRGIN AND MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 21ST: Today, the Church celebrates two profound witnesses to God’s grace and holiness: Our Lady of High Grace, Patroness of the Dominican Republic, and Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr. Though separated by time and circumstance, both proclaim the beauty of purity, faithful surrender, and unwavering devotion to God. In Mary, we behold the Mother who presents Christ to the world with humble obedience; in Saint Agnes, we encounter a young soul whose courageous fidelity triumphed over fear, persecution, and death. On this feast day, through the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Altagracia (Patroness of the Dominican Republic and the Island of Hispaniola) and the prayers of Saint Agnes (Patron Saint of girls, virgins, chastity, and young people), we ask for the grace to remain faithful to Christ in purity of heart, strength of conviction, and courage in witness—especially in a world that often resists holiness.

OUR LADY OF HIGH GRACE (OUR LADY OF ALTAGRACIA): Also referred to as “Our Lady of la Altagracia” and “the Virgin de la Altagracia”. The image of Our Lady of Altagracia has long been venerated in the Extremadura region of Spain. It dates back to when Spain first colonized the Caribbean Island of Hispaniola (today, Dominican Republic and Haiti) since early 1500’s. According to popular legend, two Spanish brothers, Alfonso and Antonio de Trejo, brought a painting of the Virgin to Hispaniola from their home in Placencia, in the region of Extremadura in 1502 to their new home in Higüey, located in the southeastern corner of the island of Santo Domingo. The brothers were the first European settlers of the Island and when they moved to the city of Higüey, they took the image with them. Later they offered it to the parish church so that everyone could venerate it. The first shrine was completed in 1572. The painting was moved to the Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia after the cathedral was made a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in December 1970 and in 1971 the present Basilica was consecrated.

Popular piety has it that the devout daughter of a rich merchant had asked her father to bring her a portrait of Our Lady of Altagracia from Santo Domingo, which she had dreamt about. The father tried to get it for her, but with no success. Neither clergymen nor tradesmen had ever heard that Marian title. Back at Higüey, the merchant decided to stay overnight at a friend’s house. After dinner, feeling sorry for his daughter’s disappointment when he should arrive empty-handed, he described to those present his unsuccessful search. As he spoke, an old man with a long beard, who was passing by, took out of his knapsack a rolled up painting and gave it to the merchant saying, “This is what you are looking for.” It was the Virgin of Altagracia. At day break the old man had disappeared. The merchant’s daughter cherished her painting, but every morning, she would awake to find the picture had moved from her house and was always found outside her house, under a small orange tree. This continued until the girl told her parents, these events were interpreted to mean that the image did not belong to one family, but to all Dominicans and should be displayed publicly in the local parish. The first shrine and larger temple was dedicated in 1572 and the current Basilica in 1971 to display the image of the “Highest Grace” or Divine Maternity to signify the grace of the Virgin Mary.

The image, encompassing the Holy Family, is the Nativity scene: Jesus in the manger (naked and poor in his humanity; asleep, but he will rise); Mother Mary with a ray of light “white as snow” (adorned with stars and crowned; veiled as the virgin bride) with hands in prayer, clearly plays the central role; Saint Joseph with a candle (in the background as he is only the adopted father of Jesus; haloed for his sanctity; offering light as a service); The star of the Magi (God; light; guide) and The dark, cave-like background (the world in sin). The image of Our Lady of Altagracia had the privilege of being crowned twice: on August 15, 1922 – during the pontificate of Pius XI – It was declared that January 21st would be a National holiday by the President of the Dominican Republic, Doctor Joaquín Antonio Balaguer Ricardo. And Pope John Paul II, on January 25, 1979, during his visit to Santo Domingo at the Puerta del Conde, personally crowned the image with a golden silver tiara, his personal gift to the Virgin, the first evangelizer of the Americas. Our Lady of Altagracia is the Patroness of the island of Hispaniola, the island containing the nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic where the evangelization of the New World began. The two national holiday dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Dominican Republic are: Our Lady of High Grace, Protector and Queen of the hearts of the Dominicans, celebrated on January 21st and Our Lady of Mercy, the principal patroness who was so proclaimed in 1616 during the Spanish colonial rule, celebrated on September 24th.

PRAYER: Most Holy Virgin of Altagracia, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for the continuous blessings you pour down on us. From your hands and from your maternal heart we receive, each day, the sustenance given to us by our Heavenly Father. You are our defender when we are in danger, our aid when we are in need and our hope in the sacrifices proper of our Christian life. Through your Immaculate Heart we want to sing a song of thanksgiving to God for all the blessings he has given us. We promise you, O Mother, gratitude and fidelity. You will reign forever in our homes and our town where we will venerate you as our Lady and Mother by growing in all your virtues. Make us worthy of being called your daughters so that serving God and you on this world, we will obtain the highest grace you bring to us: a holy death that will open to us the gates of heaven. Amen 🙏

SAINT AGNES, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: St. Agnes also known as Saint Agnes of Rome (c. 291–304 A.D.) was born to a wealthy noble Roman family during the last decade of the third century in 291. On the feast day of St. Agnes, whose name means “lamb” in Latin – the Pope traditionally blesses lambs, whose wool will be used to make the white pallium worn by archbishops. The name “Agnes” in Greek means “chaste, pure, sacred”. St. Agnes suffered martyrdom for her consecration to Christ during the bloody persecution of the Emperor Diocletian around 304 at the age of the thirteen and became one of the best known and most highly regarded of the Roman Martyrs. Her name is still retained in the First Eucharistic Prayer for Holy Mass. St. Agnes is one of the seven women, besides the Virgin Mary, commemorated by name in the Roman Canon of the Mass.

St. Agnes lived in Rome during the last major persecution of the early Church under the Emperor Diocletian. Though he was lenient toward believers for much of his rule, Diocletian changed course in 302, resolving to wipe out the Church in the empire. St. Agnes came of age as the Church was beginning to suffer under a set of new laws decreed by Diocletian, and his co-ruler Galerius, in 303. The emperor and his subordinate called for churches to be destroyed and their books burned. Subsequent orders led to the imprisonment and torture of clergy and laypersons, for the sake of compelling them to worship the emperor instead of Christ. Meanwhile, Agnes had become a young woman of great beauty and charm, drawing the attention of suitors from the first ranks of the Roman aristocracy. But in keeping with the words of Christ and Saint Paul, she had already decided on a life of celibacy for the sake of God’s kingdom. To all interested men, she explained that she had already promised herself to a heavenly and unseen spouse. These suitors both understood Agnes’ meaning, and resented her resolution. Some of the men, possibly looking to change her mind, reported her to the state as a believer in Christ. Agnes was brought before a judge who tried first to persuade her, and then to threaten her, into renouncing her choice not to marry for the Lord’s sake. When the judge showed her the various punishments he could inflict – including fire, iron hooks, or the rack that destroyed the limbs by stretching, St. Agnes smiled and indicated she would suffer them willingly. But she was brought before a pagan altar instead, and asked to make an act of worship in accordance with the Roman state religion. When Agnes refused, the judge ordered that she should be sent to a house of prostitution, where the virginity she had offered to God would be violated. Agnes predicted that God would not allow this to occur, and her statement proved true. Legends say that the first man to approach her in the brothel was struck blind by a sudden flash of light, and others opted not to repeat his mistake.

But one of the men who had at first sought to make Agnes his own, now lobbied the judge for her execution. In this respect, the suitor obtained his desire, when the public official sentenced her to die by beheading. The executioner gave her one last chance to spare her life, by renouncing her consecration to Christ – but St. Agnes refused, made a short prayer, and courageously submitted to death. Amid the tears of the spectators, she was put her to death by beheading. She was buried on the Via Nomentana, and Constantine erected a church in her honor. St. Agnes, who died in 304, was venerated as a holy martyr from the fourth century onward. She’s Patron Saint of girls, virgins, children, Affianced couples; betrothed couples; bodily purity; chastity; Children of Mary; Colegio Capranica of Rome; crops; engaged couples; gardeners; Girl Scouts; rape victims; diocese of Rockville Centre, New York.

ST. AGNES PRAYER FOR PROTECTION OF THE YOUNG: O Little St. Agnes, so young and yet made so strong and wise by the power of God, protect by your prayers all the young people of every place whose goodness and purity are threatened by the evils and impurities of this world. Give them strength in temptation and a true repentance when they fail. Help them to find true Christian friends to accompany them in following the Lamb of God and finding safe pastures in His Church and in her holy sacraments. May you lead us to the wedding banquet of heaven to rejoice with you and all the holy virgin martyrs in Christ who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen🙏

PRAYER: All-powerful and ever-living God, You choose the weak in this world to confound the powerful. As we celebrate the anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Agnes, may we like her remain constant in Faith. Amen🙏