Ss. Perpetua & Felicitas

(Martyred March 7, 203)

 

Sts Perpetua and Felicitas were North African friends martyred for their Christian faith in the amphitheatre at Carthage We know precise details of their imprisonment because Vibia Perpetua, a twenty-two year old of a distinguished noble family, kept a journal -- the first known document written by a Christian woman, with a con­cluding narrative by an eye-witness

 

Perpetua mentions that those arrested with her were a slave named Felicitas and three men, Saturninus, Secundulus, and Revocatus She details the misery of their cell, the efforts her father made to persuade her to recant, the naming of her family members, everyone who helped the martyrs, and those who condemned them One person con­spicuous in not being mentioned was her husband As a noblewoman, she would have been married, but, for whatever reason, he was not there for her when one would think he would have been most needed The person there for her was Felicitas, who was expecting to give birth at any time

 

Perpetua’s greatest concern was that Felicitas have her baby son with her as long as she lived Felicitas was worried that she might not be allowed to die with her com­panions because of her pregnancy In answer to prayer, she gave birth to a girl The pain of the delivery was compounded by the mockery of the jailer, but she was assist­ed and comforted by Perpetua On the day of their death, they alone refused to wear the required pagan costumes -- insisting on maintaining the dignity of their female­ness They gave each other the kiss of peace, held on to each other as they were attacked by wild animals, and were finally beheaded

 

The companionship of these women inspired subsequent ages. Their feast has always been called by their two names Together they are named in the Roman Canon of the Mass Perpetuas journal became such a beloved text in North Africa that St Augustine felt he had to warn people not to give it a reverence due only to Scripture

 

 

 

 

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