Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr - Died 251 St. Agatha's legend has her imprisoned and tortured in Catania, Sicily, by the provost Quintianus. On the second day of her passion Quintianus orders her breasts removed, but later St. Peter visits her cell to heal her. Four days later she is rolled onto burning brands, but this torment is ended by a sudden earthquake. Back in her cell, she prays that Jesus will take her and then dies. The legend of St. Lucy (html or pdf) begins with a visit to the sepulchre of St. Agatha, who intercedes with Christ to heal Lucy's mother of a bloody flux. The Metropolitan Museum in New York has a painting of this episode by Giovanni di Bartolommeo Cristiani. Not surprisingly, the breasts figure in most narrative images of St. Agatha. The cutting implement is usually a pair of pincers, sometimes two pair, although these are not mentioned in the Golden Legend's account of her martyrdom. In portraits she usually holds a palm branch and displays the breasts, and sometimes the implement with which they were removed (example). Feast day: February 5 At left, "St. Agatha" - Zurbarán Other images: "St. Agatha and St. Augustine" - Crivelli "The Passion of St. Agatha" - Tiepolo "The Passion of St. Agatha" - Piombo Altarpiece in Trastevere, Rome "Martyrdom of St. Agatha in an initial D" - Sano di Pietro Hagiography:     Golden Legend: html pdf Menu