St. Agnes of Montepulciano was born in Tuscany in the 13th century. When she was six, Agnes began asking her parents if she could join a convent. Three years later, she was finally admitted to the Dominican convent at Montepulciano, even though it was generally against Church law to allow a child of her age.
Agnes’ reputation for holiness attracted other sisters, and she became an abbess at 15, which was exceedingly rare. She insisted on great austerities in the abbey, herself living on bread and water for 15 years, and sleeping on the ground with a stone as her pillow.
Agnes is said to have received visions from the Virgin Mary, in which angels gave her communion. She also had a vision of herself holding the infant Jesus. When she awoke from her trance, she was holding the small gold crucifix the infant had been wearing.
In 1317, Agnes died. Miracles were reported at her tomb, and when her body was moved to a church years later, it was found to be incorrupt.
St. Agnes was canonized in 1726.
