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Rings in Ecclesiastical Usages: Catherine

In Titian's 'Marriage of St. Catherine,' 'the Infant Christ is seated on a kind of pedestal, and sustained by the arms of the Virgin. St. Catherine kneels before him, and St. Anna, the mother of the Virgin, gives St. Catherine away, presenting her hand to receive the ring; St. Joseph is standing on the other side; two angels behind the saint, look on with an expression of celestial sympathy.' St. Agnes, in the old legend, when tempted to marry the son of Sempronius, the prefect of Rome, by rich presents, rejects them with scorn, 'being already betrothed to a lover who is greater and fairer than any earthly suitor.' In Hone's 'Everyday Book' (vol. i. p. 141) there is a curious story connected with St. Agnes, 'who,' says Butler, 'has always been looked upon as a special patroness of purity, with the immaculate mother of God.' It seems that a priest who officiated in a church dedicated to that saint was very desirous of being married. He prayed the Pope's licence, who gave it him, together with an emerald ring, and commanded him to pay his addresses to the image of St. Agnes in his own church. The priest did so, and the image put forth her finger and he put the ring thereon; whereupon the image drew her finger again, and kept the ring fast, and the priest was contented to remain a bachelor, 'and yet, as it is sayd, the rynge is on the fynger of the ymage.' Mrs. Jameson remarks, on a painting representing in one compartment of the picture the Espousal of St. Francis of Assisi with the Lady Poverty, that she is attended by Hope and Charity as bridesmaids, being thus substituted for Faith. St. Francis places the ring upon her finger, while our Saviour, standing between them, at once gives away the bride and bestows the nuptial benediction.

St. Herman of Cologne, in the thirteenth century, is said to have had an ecstatic dream, in which the Virgin descended from heaven, and, putting a ring on his finger, declared him her espoused. Hence he received from the brotherhood with which he was connected the name of Joseph. He died in 1236.