Short Film: St. Agatha, Martyr

“I will not sacrifice,” are the words a 22-year-old Christian girl used, to defy ancient Rome.   When Agatha refused to sacrifice to Rome’s pagan gods and prove her loyalty to the empire, she was raped, tortured, and killed for her new faith. This is Agatha of Sicily A noble woman whose legacy lives on today. 

I first learned about Saint Agatha on a tour of a live volcano, Mount Etna, situated one hour north of Catania, Sicily. The tour guide stopped at a tiny chapel to explain how lava flow once threatened a nearby town. A priest brought Agatha’s shawl to the lava and plead with heaven to stop the lava flow. It worked, and as a result, the town built this chapel to honor their protector, Saint Agatha. 

    A few years later, a new eruption threatened the church. The Priest promised people that nothing would happen to the village. They were under Saint Agatha’s protection. The lava literally pressed up against the wall of the little church, cracked it, but did not go any further. The Priest’s words held true. I couldn’t help but ask myself, “who was Saint Agatha? What was her story? What does it mean to be a Saint?” What I learned shocked and inspired me. So, I shot a short in Italy. This is her story: St Agatha #Martyr.

Zachary Lovelady