Born in the year 1211, Agnes was the daughter of the King of Bohemia. She had many suitors in her youth and turned down multiple proposals of marriage which had been arranged simply for political reasons or to grow her father’s dynasty. She decided to devote her life to prayer and spiritual works, for which she sought the protection of Pope Gregory IX, who helped her consecrate herself to God.
Greatly influenced by the preaching of the Friars Minor in Prague, she decided to follow in the footprints of Clare of Assisi. With her own resources, she founded a hospital dedicated to Saint Francis, a religious order (the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star), and finally a monastery of Poor Ladies, which she herself entered on June 11, 1234, the day of Pentecost.
Agnes was faithful to the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the end. She lived an heroic life of virtue and evangelical valor. Her virginity was a fundamental aspect of her spirituality, consecrated as she was to Christ, her Spouse, and giving all that she had to the Lord’s poor ones. She developed an intimate friendship with Saint Clare and worked with her writing the Rule for the Poor Ladies, which she too would eventually profess. She was called to be abbess of her community and held that office until her death on March 2, 1282.
Soon after her death, many miracles were attributed to her intercession and devotion to her was widespread. Early writings about her are all in agreement, attesting to the ardor of her charitable love for God and neighbor, her love for the Eucharist and the Crucified One, and her love for the Madonna, particularly as a young girl at the Annunciation.
She treasured her country, which benefited greatly by her charitable works both for individuals and in support of programs, and from the wisdom of her counsel calling her countrymen to stay out of conflicts and embrace the faith of their fathers.
She was beatified by Pope Pius IX on November 28, 1874, and canonized a saint by Pope John Paul II on November 12, 1989.
