February 5 is the feast of Saint Agatha, the patron saint of breast cancer patients.
—
Ifyouoralovedonehasbreastcancer,SaintAgathaistheperfectpatronsaintforyou.
February5isthefeastofSaintAgatha,thepatronsaintofbreastcancerpatients. WerememberSaintAgathaasathird-centurymartyr.RomanEmperorDeciusrequiredallcitizenstosacrificetofalsegodsorfacedeath.
Agathachosethelatter.
However,legendsaysoneofthemagistratessaidhewoulddismissherchargesifshehadsexualintercoursewithhim.Sherefused,andwas,therefore,punished.Theythrewherinprison,torturedandbeather,andcutoffherbreasts.
Amidthissuffering,shesaid,
“Cruelman,haveyouforgottenyourmotherandthebreastthatnourishedyou,thatyoudaretomutilatemethisway?”ThisiswhytheChurchremembersSaintAgathaasthepatronsaintofbreastcancersufferers.
PrayertoSaintAgatha,PatronSaintofBreastCancerPatientsSaintAgatha,womanofvalor,
fromyourownsuffering,
wehavebeenmovedtoaskyourprayers
forthoseofuswhosufferfrombreastcancer.Weplace(person’sname)beforeyou,
andaskyoutointercedeontheirbeha
