Perpetua and Felicity

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For the typeface, see Perpetua (typeface).

For the other saint named Felicitas, see Felicitas of Rome.

Perpetua and Felicitas are two 3rd century Christian martyrs venerated as saints. Perpetua was a 22-year old married woman, while her co-martyr Felicitas or Felicity was her slave. They suffered together at Carthage. Their sufferings in prison, the angry and then despairing attempts of Perpetua's father to induce her to renounce Christianity, the vicissitudes of the martyrs before their execution, the visions of Saturus and Perpetua in their dungeons, were all committed to writing by the last two, in a genre of text that is technically called a "Passion."

1 Year
2 Martyrdom
3 Veneration
4 Controversy over Dinocrates
5 In popular culture
6 Bibliography
7 External links

[edit] Year

Their date of their martyrdom is traditionally given as March 7, 203. The association of the martyrdom with a birthday festival of the Emperor Geta, however, would seem to place it after 209, when Geta was made caesar though before 211, when he was assassinated. The year of the martyrdom is not explicitly given in the Acta, but it was the year when Minucius Timinianus (not otherwise attested) was proconsul in the Roman province of Africa.

[edit] Martyrdom

Perpetua and Felicitas suffered martyrdom together with three companions, Revocatus and Saturninus, and Saturus, their teacher. The details of the martyrdom of these five and their visions while in prison survive in both Latin and Greek texts (see below). Saint Perpetua's account is apparently historical; it is the earliest surviving text written by a Christian woman. After a brief introduction (chapters i–ii), the narrative and the visions of Perpetua (iii–1x) are followed by the vision of Saturus (xi–xiii); the account of their deaths, written by an eyewitness, are appended (xiv–xxi).

By order of Septimius Severus (193–211), all imperial subjects were forbidden under severe penalties to become Christians or Jews. Only recent converts were affected. In consequence of this decree, these five catechumens at Carthage were seized and cast into prison. After their arrest, and before they were led away to prison, the five catechumens were baptized.

According to her "Acts," terrors of their imprisonment were increased for Perpetua by anxiety for her young child, not yet weaned. Two deacons succeeded in gaining admittance by bribing the jailer, and Perpetua's mother brought in her arms the little son, whom Perpetua was permitted to nurse and retain in prison with her, "and straightway I became well and was lightened of my labour and care for the child; and suddenly the prison was made a palace for me." A vision, in which she saw herself treading on a dragon's head and ascending a perilous bronze ladder leading to green meadows, where a flock of sheep was browsing, assured her of her approaching martyrdom. According to the "Acta," a few days later Perpetua's father, hearing that the trial of the imprisoned Christians would soon take place, again visited their dungeon and besought her not to put this disgrace on their name; but Perpetua remained steadfast. The next day the trial of the six confessors took place, before the Procurator Hilarianus. All six resolutely confessed their Christian faith. Perpetua's father, carrying her child in his arms, approached her again and attempted, for the last time, to induce her to apostatize; the procurator also remonstrated with her, but in vain. She refused to sacrifice to the gods for the safety of the emperor. The procurator thereupon had the father removed by force; in the process he was struck with a whip.

The Christians were then condemned to be torn to pieces by wild beasts, for which they gave thanks to God.

In a vision Perpetua saw her brother Dinocrates, who had died unbaptized at the early age of seven, in a place of darkness and distress. She prayed for him and later had a vision of him happy and healthy. (See prayer for the dead). Another apparition, in which she saw herself fighting with a savage Ethiopian, whom she conquered, made it clear to her that she would have to do battle not merely with wild beasts but with the Devil himself.

Saturus, who also wrote down his visions, saw himself and Perpetua transported by four angels, towards the East to a beautiful garden, where they met four other North African Christians who had suffered martyrdom during the same persecution, viz. Jocundus, Saturninus, Artaius, and Quintus.

He also saw in this vision Bishop Optatus of Carthage and the priest Aspasius, who besought the martyrs to arrange a reconciliation between them. In the meanwhile the birthday festival of the Emperor Geta approached, on which occasion the condemned Christians were to fight with wild beasts in the military games; they were therefore transferred to the prison in the camp.

The jailer Pudens had learnt to respect the confessors, and he permitted other Christians to visit them. Perpetua's father was also admitted and made another fruitless attempt to dissuade her.

Secundulus, one of the confessors, died in prison. Felicitas, who at the time of her incarceration was with child (in the eighth month), was apprehensive that she would not be permitted to suffer martyrdom with the others, since the law forbade the execution of pregnant women, but two days before the games she gave birth to a daughter, who was adopted by a Christian woman. On the day of the games, the five martyrs were led into the amphitheatre. At the demand of the pagan mob they were first scourged; then a boar, a bear, and a leopard, were set at the men, and a wild cow at the women. Wounded by the wild animals, they gave each other the kiss of peace and were then put to the sword. Their bodies were interred at Carthage.

[edit] Veneration

Their feast day, March 7, was celebrated even outside Africa, and entered in the Philocalian calendar, the 4th century calendar of martyrs venerated publicly at Rome. At Carthage a magnificent basilica was afterwards erected over their tomb, the Basilica Majorum, where an ancient inscription bearing the names of the martyrs has been found.

Perpetua and Felicitas are two of seven women, excluding the Blessed Virgin, commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.

They are also recognized by other Churches, including the Lutheran Church and the Episcopal Church, which commemorate them on March 7. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, and still observed by traditionalist Catholics, their feast day was/is March 6, with Saint Thomas Aquinas recognized on March 7.

[edit] Controversy over Dinocrates

The account of Perpetua comforting her dead brother has been a point of controversy. The text gives no indication that the child had been baptized. Renatus used this account to bolster his claim that unbaptized infants could attain paradise, if not the kingdom of heaven. Augustine in turn proposed an explanation for how Dinocrates could have been baptized but later estranged from Christ by his pagan father.^[1]

[edit] In popular culture

Two historical fiction novels have been written from the point of view of Perpetua. In 2004 Amy Peterson wrote "Perpetua: A Bride, A Martyr, A Passion", and "The Bronze Ladder" by Malcolm Lyon was published in 2006.

[edit] Bibliography

Rex Butler: The New Prophecy and "New Visions": Evidence of Montanism in the Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas: Washington DC: Catholic University of America Press: 2006: ISBN 0-8132-1455-6