St Perpetua was “well-educated” while St Felicity was thought to have been “a slave”. They were two young women among a group of five executed in a sporting Roman amphitheatre in approximately 203 for their unwavering Christian faith.
Both were brutally thrown to wild animals at the end of games organised to celebrate the then Roman Emperor’s birthday and to entertain the audience. Wounded by the animals, the crowd was horrified so, the soldiers ended their lives by cutting their throats.
At the time of their judgement and conviction, Perpetua was 22yrs old and married with a young baby whilst Felicity was an expectant mother but, a few days prior to her martyrdom, she gave birth to her child. Both suffered grave punishment during their imprisonment by the Roman guards.
Once, when the guards taunted Felicity saying, “If you think you suffer now, how will you stand it when you face the wild beasts?” she answered, “Now I’m the one who is suffering, but in the arena, Another will be in me suffering for me because I will be suffering for Him”.
The final days of St’s Perpetua and Felicity’s life were documented by Perpetua in her prison diary. The records show that despite their families constant appeals for them to give up their beliefs, they chose to be martyrs rather than deny the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
St’s Perpetua & Felicity:
Pray for me that my faith will never falter despite the trials and pain in my life.
Glory be to the…
