Perpetua and Felicity
Perpetua and Felicitas (c. 181; † March 7 203 in Carthage ) are among the first Märtyrinnen whose fate is reliably delivered.
After surviving early Christian witnesses, the noble Perpetua and her slave Felicitas were arrested in the year 203 in the Roman Carthage and sentenced to death because they were preparing for baptism and refused to renounce their faith. Both are as outstanding figures of early Christianity mentioned in the first Roman Eucharistic Prayer and revered as a saint. Among the companions of Perpetua and Felicitas are still Revocatus, Saturninus and Secundulus.
Life and Martyrdom
Perpetua was born of noble house, was about 22 years old, classically educated, married and had a son in infancy. She and her pregnant slave Felicitas, and the Christians Revocatus, Saturninus and Secundulus as a catechumen, that is arrested as candidates for baptism. On the occasion of the 14th birthday of Geta, son of the Emperor Septimius Severus, the others should be killed in the Carthaginian amphitheater of wild cattle. The catechumens were baptized only during detention. Saturus, the teacher of catechumens had volunteered and was accused with the other animals. Secundulus the arena was spared; he died while in custody. Felicitas brought two days before the start of the games to a daughter who was adopted by a Christian woman. Since Perpetua survived the attacks of the animals in the arena, she was then stabbed to death.
About her ordeal on March 7, 203 reported one of the earliest Christian writings in Latin, which was published soon after the events, the Passio et Sanctarum Perpetuae Felicitatis ( " Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas "). This consists largely of records of the martyr Perpetua from the time of their detention. Scientists do not doubt the authenticity of the document. An unknown Christian has written an introduction to these records and supplemented by a description of martyrdom. With the records of Perpetua is the only preserved, albeit brief diary of a woman, a martyr to from Christian antiquity.
Perpetua is often depicted in the arena with a raging cow. They show some pictures with her child in prison.
Remembrance
- Catholic: March 7 Perpetua and Felicitas ( bid Memorial in general Roman calendar, along with Revocatus, Saturninus and Secundulus )
- Evangelical: March 7 ( in the Protestant calendar name of the EKD and the calendar of the ELCA and LCMS )
- Anglican: March 7
- Orthodox: February 1, March 24