Abstract
This project examines the martyrdom of St. Agatha of Sicily (ca. 250 CE) as recorded in the eighth-century Acts of Agatha. The thesis considers the discourse surrounding Agatha in its Late Antique setting. The discourse made her a symbol of feminine morality and asceticism. Her role as a protection figure against Sicily’s potential natural disasters helped to localize her to her home and allowed her cult to continue local traditions. The thesis also discusses how Agatha’s cult was spread and canonized by Pope Gregory I (590-604) because of his theological and political concerns. This thesis finds that St. Agatha was constructed to serve as a symbol for different audiences with different goals in mind.