Love spells: Feast day of St Agnes of Rome
(Christmas rose, Helleborus niger flor albo, is today's plant, dedicated to this saint)

gnes was a girl who was martyred for her Christian faith in about 304 (traditionally January 21 of that year). She was martyred in Rome and was buried in the cemetery on the Via Nomentana, where a church was built in her honour, circa 350.

Love prognostications
John Keats in his poem Eve of St Agnes refers to certain love prognostications, but these are not for the eve (January 20), rather for tonight, the night of St Agnes. English antiquary John Aubrey wrote in Miscellanies of 1696 that on the night of St Agnes you take a row of pins, and pull out every one, one after another. While saying a paternoster ('Our Father'), stick one of these pins in your sleeve, and you will dream of the person you will marry.

But kids, don’t try this at home if you’re already married ...

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