Saint Peter healing Saint Agatha 

Luca Giordano painted ‘Saint Peter healing Saint Agatha’ sometime in the late 17th century. In it, Saint Agatha, a virgin martyr, is visited in prison by Saint Peter. Giordano, working during the Baroque period, captures a moment of divine intervention, yet this scene is also rife with the complexities of gender, power, and religious fervor. Agatha, a symbol of unwavering faith, is imprisoned and has been tortured for rejecting the advances of a Roman official. Peter’s ethereal visit brings not just healing but a profound assertion of spiritual strength over earthly power, challenging the conventional narratives of female passivity and victimhood. The painting serves as a reminder of the historical struggles faced by women who defied societal expectations, inviting us to reflect on the enduring resonance of their stories in contemporary dialogues about autonomy and resilience.