The miracles of Saint Agatha in folk religion

Saint Agatha is an Italian martyr of the 3rd century, who is honored by the Catholic Church as the protector against fire accidents (she is also the patron saint of bell-makers, weavers, shepherdesses, wet nurses, sufferers of breast diseases, etc.). The article deals with the manifestations of religiosity of Latvia’s Roman Catholics–the tradition of Saint Agatha miracles. According to the examined folklore materials–folk beliefs, customs, Christian legends and notes on memorates –, the traditions related to Saint Agatha’s Day play a considerable role in the life of a practicing Catholics. Their importance emerges in honoring Saint Agatha, the practices of storing and using objects and substances blessed in the church on her commemoration day on February 5 (bread, water, salt), as well as in the stories about miraculous help in fire accidents (Agatha’s bread or water puts fire under control or distinguishes it). The miracle stories of Saint Agatha share a common textual structure: 1) The story is based on a real event; 2) The situation accelerates drastically; 3) Then comes a sudden turning point; 4) A happy ending. These memorates are stories whose key function is to assert folk religiosity regarding the intervention and help of the supernatural, divine force in the event of misfortune or accident.

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