Religion: Saintly Children

In Vatican City this week on the feast day of St. Agnes, two chaste white lambs will be brought to the Holy Father from the Church of St. Agnes in the Via Nomentana in Rome. Given his blessing, the gentle animals will be coddled until Easter when their wool is shorn, woven into the pallia which the Pope gives to patriarchs, primates and archbishops as a symbol of their office.

Centuries ago in Rome Christian-born Agnes swore herself to virginity, miraculously preserved her maidenhood despite an attempted outrage, was martyred by decapitation at the...

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