St Agnes of Assisi (16th November)

St Agnes was St Clare's younger sister.  She joined St Clare during her short stay at Sant’ Angelo in Panzo in ca. 1212, resisting her family's violent attempt to remove her.  St Francis then cut off her hair and she went with St Clare to found the community at San Damiano.

In 1219, St Clare sent St Agnes to found a new community at Santa Maria di Monticelli outside Florence.  She was the abbess there until 1253, when she returned to San Damiano attend the dying St Clare. 

St Agnes died at San Damiano a few months later and was buried in the cloister there.  Her remains were taken to Santa Chiara [when ??] and are currently interred under the altar of the Cappella di Sant' Agnese there.

St Agnes was never formally canonised, but Pope Benedict XIV (1740-58) gave permission to the Franciscans for the celebration her feast.