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 Blessed Agnes of Prague 700th Anniversary of Death Scott 705-706 (1982) On February 16, 1982, Vatican City issued the two-stamp set shown above to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the death of Saint Agnes of Prague. Saint Agnes of Prague (sometimes called Agnes of Bohemia) was a foundress of the Franciscan Poor Clare nuns. She was born in 1211 into the royal family, the daughter of King Ottorkar of Bohemia and first cousin to Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. Because of her birth, she was subject to attempts for arranged marriages. Agnes was not interested in being a pawn among powerful political entities and chose a life of prayer and service. Her brother King Wenceslaus I donated land for a Hospital of St. Francis, which opened in 1222-1223. She corresponded with Saint Clare of Assisi for two decades, which led to the founding of the first Poor Clares north of the Alps and became a member of the Poor Clares in 1236. A Franciscan friary was also established. She was known by her contemporaries for her visions and healing of the sick. Saint Agnes died in 1282. She was beatified in 1874 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1989 for her life of faith, hope, and charity. Her feast is celebrated on March 2. In 2011, she was honored in the Czech Republic as the “Saint for the Overthrow of Communism”. Note that the stamp at the top of the article, issued in 1982, is titled "Blessed Agnes of Prague", since it predates her canonization in 1989. Article Link: |
