Among Christians, Vibia Perpetua is venerated as a martyr and saint. Perpetua, a young married woman, aged twenty-two, is forever linked with her slave and co-martyr Saint Felicitas; they suffered together at Carthage, traditionally on March 7, 203, though the association of the martyrdom with a birthday festival of the Emperor Geta 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. Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for their convictions or religious faith, such as during the persecution of early Christians in the Roman Empire. ... In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. ... Slavery is a condition in which one person, known as a slave, is under the control of another. ... Saint Felicitas (Felicita, Felicity) (†Carthage, 7 March 202) was the slave of Saint Perpetua, with whom together she was martyred, on 7 march 203 according to tradition. ... A map of the central Mediterranean Sea, showing the location of Carthage (near modern Tunis). ... March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). ... Events Roman Emperor Septimius Severus rebuilds Byzantium. ... Publius Septimius Geta Publius Septimius Geta (March 7, 189–December 211), was a Roman Emperor co-ruling with his father Septimius Severus and his older brother Caracalla from 209 to his death. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Ancient Roman provinces ...

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. 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." Lucius Septimius Severus, (April 11, 146-February 4, 211) was Roman emperor from April 9, 193 to 211. ... In ecclesiology, a catechumen (from Latin catechumenus, Greek κατηχουμενος, instructed) is one receiving instruction in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus of Nazareth, known by Christians as Jesus Christ, as recounted in the New Testament. ... The Passion is the technical term for the suffering and Agony of Jesus that led directly to the Crucifixion, a central Christian event. ...

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 ascending a ladder leading to green meadows, where a flock of sheep was browsing, assured her of her approaching martyrdom. The diaconate is one of three ordained offices in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches. ...

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. Apostasy (from Greek αποστασία, a defection or revolt from a military commander, from απο, apo, away, apart, στασις, stasis, standing) is a term generally employed to describe the formal renunciation of ones religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. ...

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 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 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. Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and derived henotheistic forms. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Publius Septimius Geta Publius Septimius Geta (March 7, 189–December 211), was a Roman Emperor co-ruling with his father Septimius Severus and his older brother Caracalla from 209 to his death. ...

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 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, March 7, was celebrated even outside Africa, 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. The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as the saints day of that saint. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Ancient Roman provinces ... St. ...

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia: Perpetua
• Early Christian Writings: Acts of Perpetua
• Medieval Sourcebook: The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity
• Henry Wace, A Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D. 1911