medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
At the age of nine Agnes (d. 1317) entered a Dominican convent where, it is said, she immediately displayed an extraordinary piety. After barely five years she was selected to found, along with her mistress of novices, a new house in northern Lazio and at the age of sixteen she was named its superior. In 1306 Agnes founded another Dominican convent at her native Montepulciano (SI) in southern Tuscany. She spent the remainder of her life at this house, where she operated miracles and where again she was viewed as very pious.
In 1365-66 Bl. Raymond of Capua wrote a Vita of Agnes (BHL 155). Raymond later became confessor to (and biographer of) St. Catherine of Siena, who in 1377 had visited the convent at Montepulciano to pray at Agnes' tomb and who while there had experienced a vision of Agnes performing again her most famous miracle: covering the church's altar with manna. Agnes was canonized in 1726. Her relics remain in her former convent church, now dedicated to her, at Montepulciano. An illustrated, Italian-language account of that building, begun in 1306 and much rebuilt, is here:
http://tinyurl.com/2yx7ld
A better view of the facade ("restored", 1926-1935; the portal is a late medieval survival):
http://www.pbase.com/mattis/image/28935830
Another view:
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/34368035.jpg
A less flattering exterior view from the rear:
http://tinyurl.com/3yehho
Agnes' display reliquary in the chiesa di Sant'Agnese (di Montepulciano) in Montepulciano:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smbtravels/4139318182/
Further views of the masked and mummified Agnes and of the church and cloister are here:
http://tinyurl.com/bqqg632
E.g.:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/smbtravels/6304714195/in/album-72157622887920586/
Best,
John Dillon
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