The lambs of St Agnes: An ancient tradition of the Roman Church

The lambs of St Agnes: An ancient tradition of the Roman Church

Vatican news

Following an ancient tradition, two lambs are blessed on the feast of Saint Agnes in the basilica that bears her name on Via Nomentana in Rome – the traditional place of her burial. The wool from these lambs will be woven into palliums for the new archbishops, continuing a sacred tradition deeply rooted in history.

By Dorota Abdelmoula-Viet – Vatican City

The first mentions of the custom of blessing lambs at the tomb of Saint Agnes, a young Roman martyr from the beginning of the 4th century, date back to the 6th century. The tradition is linked to an ancient legend about Saint Agnes, who appeared to her parents after her death. Coming to pray at her tomb, they saw her surrounded by a choir of virgins and holding a pure lamb in her arms. Historical records also indicate that two lambs were once considered the “rent” paid by the monks of the Basilica of Saint Agnes Outside the Walls to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Members of the Lateran Chapter would present these lambs to the Pope for his blessing.

A document from the archives of the Basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens also documents the blessing of the lambs in 1550, as well as an explanation of the origins of the custom. “The origin of these lambs as rent paid to Saint John (Lateran) comes from Saint Constantine, the daughter of Emperor Constantine, who endowed the church (although some say it was King Charles I). She founded the church and monastery of Saint-Agnès, thus giving them important assets. This monastery being a stronghold of the first church in the world, it paid two lambs to the canons each year as a sign of gratitude. During the solemn mass, after communion, the lambs were blessed and handed over to the canons (…) A notary drew up an act confirming the handing over. Those who delivered the lambs to the pope received a few gold coins as payment,” the chronicle states.

Lambs blessed on the feast of Saint Agnes

Lambs blessed on the feast of Saint Agnes

Wool for palliums for archbishops

For centuries, lambs from the Trappist farm at Tre Fontane Abbey were brought directly from the Basilica of Saint Agnes to the Holy Father. He received them in a solemn procession and blessed them. Later, the Pope entrusted the lambs to the Benedictine nuns of the Basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, who sheared them after a few months. Their wool was then woven into palliums for newly appointed archbishops.

In recent years, some aspects of this tradition have changed: Trappists no longer keep sheep and the Holy Father no longer blesses lambs at the Vatican. However, the tradition of entrusting lambs to Benedictine nuns remains unchanged. During Holy Week, the nuns shear the lambs to weave their wool into palliums. Before that, the lambs are prepared for the blessing ceremony at the Basilica of Saint Agnes by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who have been watching over this task in their home on Via Machiavelli for more than 140 years. This year, the preparation of the lambs took on a particular significance: it coincided with the current jubilee year and the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Congregation.

Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth with the lambs prepared for blessing

Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth with the lambs prepared for blessing

Caring for the lambs: a reflection of the hidden life in Nazareth

In the 1880s, the new Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth was charged with caring for the lambs, replacing the sisters who had previously assumed this responsibility.

“Our foundress, Blessed Maria Frances Siedliska, saw helping to prepare the lambs for the feast of St. Agnes as an expression of our service to the Church,” said Sister Dorota Podwalska, CSFN, provincial superior of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in Rome, in an interview with Vatican Media. “Even today, our involvement in this tradition shows our love and loyalty to the Church.”

The preparation of the lambs has remained largely the same over the years: on the eve of the feast of Saint Agnes, they are brought to the house of the Sisters of the Holy Family, via Machiavelli. The sisters wash, feed and care for the lambs at night. The next day, the lambs are placed in two baskets. A basket is decorated with red roses, symbolizing martyrdom, and marked with the initials SAM (Sant Agnese Martire). The other basket is decorated with white roses, symbolizing virginity, and marked with the initials SAV (Sant Agnese Vergine).

A car from the Basilica of Saint John Lateran arrives at the sisters’ house in the morning. Accompanied by two Lateran chamberlains, the lambs are led to a solemn mass at the basilica of Saint Agnes outside the walls. The Abbot General of the Lateran Canons Regular usually celebrates this mass. From there, the lambs are entrusted to the Benedictine nuns of Trastevere.

“One more element of our spirituality connects us to the tradition of the lambs,” declared the provincial superior of the Sisters of Nazareth. “Our care for them and their preparation for blessing is simple and hidden, just as the life of the Holy Family in Nazareth was hidden and ordinary. »

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