January 21
St Agnes
Feast shown for the year 2027; movable feasts can vary from year to year.
St Agnes is one of the most revered virgin martyrs of the early Church, famous for her steadfast faith amid persecution. Living likely in Rome during the late third or early fourth century, Agnes became a symbol of purity and courage, choosing to dedicate her life to Christ rather than marry, even under threat of death. Her refusal to renounce her faith or compromise her chastity led to her martyrdom at a young age, an event that made a profound impression on the Christian community. Though historical details can be sparse and sometimes entwined with legend, the essential truth of her witness remains central to her legacy.
The feast of St Agnes is marked by both the courage she displayed and her youthful faithfulness, which have inspired generations; her name means “lamb” in Latin (agnus), and she is often depicted with this gentle creature, symbolizing innocence and sacrifice. The Church celebrates her not just as a historic figure, but as an enduring model of how even the young can respond to God’s call with heroic fidelity. On her feast in Rome, a centuries-old custom blesses lambs whose wool will be used for the pallia given to new archbishops, integrating St Agnes' legacy into the Church’s life. Her example continues to encourage all the faithful to fidelity, purity of heart, and holy courage.
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Liturgical texts of January 21, 2027
The liturgical day
Mass readings
ReadingHe 7, 25 – 8, 6
Brothers,
Jesus is able to save in a definitive way
those who through him approach God,
because he is always alive
to intercede on their behalf.
This is indeed the high priest we needed:
holy, innocent, uncontaminated;
now separated from sinners,
he is now higher than the heavens.
He does not need, like the other high priests,
to offer sacrifices every day,
first for his own sins,
then for those of the people;
he did this once for all
by offering himself.
The law of Moses appoints as high priests
men full of weakness;
but the word of the divine oath, which comes after the Law,
appoints as high priest the Son,
perfected forever.
And here is the essential point of what we want to say:
it is indeed this high priest whom we have,
he who sat at the right hand of the Divine Majesty in the heavens,
after carrying out the service of the true Sanctuary
and of the true Tent,
the one set up by the Lord and not by a man.
Every high priest is established to offer
gifts and sacrifices;
therefore, it was necessary that our high priest
also have something to offer.
Strictly speaking, if he were on earth, he would not even be a priest,
since there are already priests
who offer gifts according to the Law:
these render their worship in a sanctuary
which is an image and a sketch of heavenly realities,
as witnessed by the oracle received by Moses
when he was about to build the Tent:
See," says the Lord, "you will do everything
according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain."
As for the high priest we have,
the ministry that is his is all the more distinguished
because he is mediator of a better covenant,
based on better promises.
– The word of the Lord.
Psalm39 (40), 7-8a, 8b- 9, 10, 17
You did not want offering or sacrifice,
you opened my ears;
you did not ask for holocaust or victim,
so I said: "Here I am.
"In the book, it is written for me
what you want me to do.
My God, this is what I love:
your law is deep within me."
I proclaim your justice
in the great assembly;
see, I do not restrain my lips,
Lord, you know it.
But may you be the joy and gladness
of all who seek you;
may they always repeat: "The Lord is great!"
those who love your salvation.
GospelMc 3, 7-12
At that time,
Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea,
and a great multitude of people from Galilee followed him.
From Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan,
and from the region of Tyre and Sidon
also came to him a multitude of people
who had heard about what he was doing.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him
so that the crowd would not crush him.
For he had healed many,
so that all those who were suffering from some illness
rushed toward him to touch him.
And whenever the unclean spirits saw him,
they fell down before him and cried out:
"You are the Son of God!"
But he strongly forbade them to make him known.
– Let us acclaim the Word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org