The Martyrdom Of Saints Of Perpetua And Felicitas

Martyrdom has been cited as a “form of total love for God” (Pope Benedict XVI). In a time when Christians were being persecuted for their worship of God, or more specifically a refusal to worship the emperor, martyrdom was practically an honor bestowed upon unrepentant Christians. The Martyrdom of Sts. Perpetua and Felicitas is a rare first-hand account of sacrifice in its truest form. Perpetua writes of her numerous visions and encounters while mentally preparing herself for the death of a martyr at the hands of the pagans. Prophecies and visions are a time-old symbol of a true follower of God. Perpetua’s martyrdom is no exception. She tells of visions bestowed upon herself and her fellow Christians being held in prison. Each vision helps …show more content…
Despite being a new mother and loving her child dearly, she shows no remorse for leaving her child behind. Her father begs her to renounce her God and sacrifice to the Emperor; he uses her own son as leverage in his own argument. However, none of her father’s begging sways her dedication to Christianity. While her father openly disapproves and mourns Perpetua, her brother seems more understanding as he asks her to request a vision from God in regards to her fate. Perpetua’s family is openly involved and concerned with Perpetua’s condemnation, but this seems to have little to no effect on her to decision to sacrifice for the sake of her …show more content…
The narrator recants the story of the executions as an alleged eyewitness. They tell of the final meal the Christians receive, calling it a “love feast”. The Christians are taken to the theatre where Perpetua fights for the freedom of the Christians to die with free will and no pagan garments to be put on them in their final hours. They enter the arena and the narrator tells many tales of how the Christians are miraculously unharmed by the beasts set upon them. Of those killed by beasts, each one receives the death they prayed for, one being set upon by all the animals, while one asked to be killed with one swift bite from a leopard. After much awe and surprise from the crowd over the strange conditions and stranger behavior of the attacking animals, gladiators are unleashed upon the martyrs, whom calmly welcome their martyrdoms. The prisoners line up, say their goodbyes, and are set upon by the warriors. Perpetua however “could not be dispatched unless she herself were willing”, with this in mind, she guides the sword to her own throat at the hand of the