Today is the
feast day of Saints Perpetua and Felicity. Both were young women who were
martyred in Carthage in 203. The Severan Persecution in 202-203 was the first
calculated attempt through edict to suppress Christianity. Septimus Severus’
decree forbade conversion to Judaism or Christianity. A number of catechumens
were arrested for their faith and executed in the public arena in celebration
of the emperor’s birthday. Perpetua was a nursing mother and her slave,
Felicity, was expecting when they were arrested. Felicity gave birth to a
daughter while in prison. As a pregnant woman, Felicity would have been legally
spared execution, but after she gave birth, she was sentenced to be killed with
the other martyrs.
In the
arena, the martyrs were lashed. A boar, a bear, and a leopard were set on the
men, and a wild cow on the women. Wounded, the martyrs gave one another the
kiss of peace before being put to the sword. The executioner was new, and when
his hand shook, resulting in an unsuccessful beheading, Perpetua guided his
sword across her own neck.
Much of what
is known about the martyrs in prison comes from a manuscript believed to have
been written by Perpetua, making her one of few female early Christian writers
whose works survived.
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