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Feast of St Agnes of Assisi

19th November, 2009

St Agnes of Assisi

Younger sister of Clare and Abbess of the Poor Ladies, born in Assisi, 1197, or 1198; died 1253 of 16th November in same year as her sister Clare.St Francis gave her the habit of poverty. Francis built a small dwelling adjoining the sanctuary of San Damiano where Clare and Agnes were joined by other noble ladies of Assisi and thus began the Order of Poor Ladies of St Damian's, or Poor Clares, as these Franciscan nuns were later called. In 1219, Agnes despite her youth, was chosen by St Francis to found and govern a community of the Poor Ladies at Monticelli, near Florence, which in cource of time became almost as famous as St Damian's. (see more details in short lives of St Agnes found under Franciscan Saints).