When a priest chooses Eucharistic Prayer I (also known as the “Roman Canon”), he has the option of reciting a short list of saints before and after saying the sacred words of consecration. It is an ancient list, one that has changed little throughout the centuries.
The first list highlights the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, the 12 apostles and 12 other saints of the early Church. Then after the consecration, the priest will recite another list of 15 saints, including 7 women.
Their names are: Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, and Anastasia.
Who are these women that the Church chose to mention in the Mass, which is often called the “the source and summit of the Christian life”?
Click “Launch the Slideshow” in the image below for the full list:
And today we celebrate...