March 7th - Sts. Felicitas and Perpetua, Visionary
Martyrs, suffered at Carthage, 7 March 203, together with three
companions,
Revocatus, Saturus, and Saturninus. The details of the martyrdom of these
five
confessors in the North African Church have reached us through a genuine,
contem****ary description, one of the most affecting accounts of the
glorious
warfare of Christian martyrdom in ancient times. By a rescript of Septimus
Severus (193-211) all imperial subjects were forbidden under severe
penalties to
become Christians. In consequence of this decree, five catechumens at
Carthage
were seized and cast into prison, viz. Vibia Perpetua, a young married
lady of
noble birth; the slave Felicitas, and her fellow-slave Revocatus, also
Saturninus and Secundulus. Soon one Saturus, who deliberately declared
himself a
Christian before the judge, was also incarcerated. Perpetua's father was a
pagan; her mother, however, and two brothers were Christians, one being
still a
catechumen; a third brother, the child Dinocrates, had died a pagan.
After their arrest, and before they were led away to prison, the five
catechumens were baptized. The sufferings of the prison life, the attempts
of
Perpetua's father to induce her to apostatize, the vicissitudes of the
martyrs
before their execution, the visions of Saturus and Perpetua in their
dungeons,
were all faithfully committed to writing by the last two. Shortly after
the
death of the martyrs a zealous Christian added to this do***ent an account
of
their execution. The darkness of their prison and the oppressive
atmosphere
seemed frightful to Perpetua, whose terror was increased by anxiety for
her
young child. Two deacons succeeded, by sufficiently bribing the jailer, in
gaining admittance to the imprisoned Christians and alleviated somewhat
their
sufferings. Perpetua's mother also, and her brother, yet a catechumen,
visited
them. Her mother brought in her arms to Perpetua her little son, whom she
was
permitted to nurse and retain in prison with her. A vision, in which she
saw
herself ascending a ladder leading to green meadows, where a flock of
sheep was
browsing, assured her of her approaching martyrdom.
A few days later Perpetua's father, hearing a rumour that the trial of the
imprisoned Christians would soon take place, again visited their dungeon
and
besought her by everything dear to her not to put this disgrace on her
name; but
Perpetua remained steadfast to her Faith. 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, on which occasion 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 did at the early age of seven, at first seeming to be sorrowful
and in
pain, but shortly thereafter happy and healthy. Another apparition, in
which she
saw herself fighting with a savage Ethiopian, whom she conquered, made it
clear
to her that she would not have to do battle with wild beasts but with the
Devil.
Saturus, who also wrote down his visions, saw himself and Perpetua
trans****ted
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 prayed
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
pervert 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 at the same time as the
others,
since the law forbade the execution of pregnant women. Happily, two days
before
the games she gave birth to a daughter, who was adopted by a Christian
woman. On
7 March, the five confessors 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. Their feast day was solemnly commemorated even
outside Africa. Thus under 7 March the names of Felicitas and Perpetua are
entered in the Philocalian calendar, i.e. the calendar of martyrs
venerated
publicly in the fourth century at Rome. A magnificent basilica was
afterwards
erected over their tomb, the Basilica Majorum; that the tomb was indeed in
this
basilica has lately been proved by Pere Delattre, who discovered there an
ancient inscription bearing the names of the martyrs.
The feast of these saints is still celebrated on 7 March. The Latin
description
of their martyrdom was discovered by Holstenius and published by
Poussines.
Chapters iii-x contain the narrative and the visions of Perpetua; chapters
xi-ciii the vision of Saturus; chapters i, ii and xiv-xxi were written by
an
eyewitness soon after the death of the martyrs. In 1890 Rendel Harris
discovered
a similar narrative written in Greek, which he published in collaboration
with
Seth K. Gifford (London, 1890). Several historians maintain that this
Greek text
is the original, others that both the Greek and the Latin texts are
contem****ary; but there is no doubt that the Latin text is the original
and that
the Greek is merely a translation. That Tertullian is the author of these
Acts
is an unproved assertion. The statement that these martyrs were all or in
part
Montanists also lacks proof; at least there is no intimations of it in the
Acts.
This version taken from:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06029a.htm
Saint Quote:
Jesus Christ, Lord of all things! You see my heart, you know my desires.
Possess
all that I am - you alone. I am your sheep; make me worthy to overcome the
devil.
-Saint Agatha
Bible Quote:
That he was caught up into paradise, and heard secret words, which it is
not
granted to man to utter. For such an one I will glory; but for myself I
will
glory nothing, but in my infirmities. (2 Corinthians 4-5)
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Indulgenced Prayers
O most merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I beseech Thee,
through the agony of Thy most holy Heart and through the
sorrows of Thy Immaculate Mother, wash in Thy Blood the
sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony and
will die today. Amen.
V. Heart of Jesus once in agony.
R. Pity the dying.
(a) V. Praised be Jesus Christ.
R. Amen - or - Forever.
(b) V. Praised be Jesus and Mary.
R. Today and forever.
(c) V. Glory to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
R. Glory to the immaculate heart of Mary.
Graciously grant, O Lord, peace in our times, that, aided by
the help of Thy mercy, we may always be free from sin and
secure from all disturbance. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Burn, O Lord, our loins and our hearts with the fire of the Holy
Ghost, that we may serve Thee with a chaste body and
please Thee with a pure heart. Through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
**Don't forget to pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays
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