Daily Martyrology for January 21

At Rome, around 300, St. Agnes, virgin and martyr. According to the legendary account of her martyrdom, when she was thirteen years old she refused to serve the gods in the temple of Vesta. For that she was placed naked in a brothel. The prefect’s son was struck blind when he tried to have his way with her; his sight was restored at her intercession. She was then beheaded at the stadium of Domitian, now the Piazza Navona. Because her name is similar to the Latin word for “lamb” (agnus) she is often depicted with a lamb.

In Tarrgonia, in 259, the death of St. Fructuosus, bishop. According to the authentic acts of his martyrdom, when the emperor Valerian struck at the clergy, Fructuosus and two of his deacons were arrested, condemned and burned to death.

In 861, at Einsiedeln, St. Meinrad, martyr. Born in Germany, he entered the monastery of Reichenau in Switzerland. After doing pastoral work around Lake Zurich, he received permission to become a hermit, and later moved his hermitage to Einsiedeln. He was murdered there 25 years later by two robbers to whom he offered hospitality. Some years later, a priest named Benno founded a Benedictine monastery at Einsiedeln, which has remained there ever since.

Tomorrow is the name day of our confrere, Fr. Meinrad Schallberger. He is recommended to our charitable prayers.

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Our daily martyrology was written by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB. Copyright © 2008 by the Monastery of the Ascension, Jerome, ID 83338.