St. Agnes of Bohemia (1211-82)

Saint Agnes was daughter to the king and queen of Bohemia. She had multiple suitors who sought to marry her for political reasons, including Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. It was her desire, however, to enter religious life. Rejection of such a proposal in that time could have led to war, but at Agnes’ request Pope Gregory IX spoke to Frederick about her desire. Frederick relented and said he was not offended that Agnes preferred the King of Heaven to himself.

Agnes used her position to build a hospital for the poor and two Franciscan friaries. She began an affectionate correspondence with St. Clare of Assisi, an early follower of St. Francis and founder of the Franciscan community for women known as the Poor Clares. Agnes joined the Poor Clares in Prague in 1236 and served as abbess.
 
She embraced a life of prayer, obedience, mortification, and strict adherence to the community’s vow of poverty. She had the gift of miracles, predicting the victory of her brother Wenceslaus over the duke of Austria. Although she was superior of the community, she embraced its lowliest duties, such as cooking for the other sisters and mending the clothes of lepers.