The Suffering and Martyrdom of 22 Year Old Perpetua, Christian Mother
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During the reign of Septimius Severus, Roman emperor from 193 to 211, all the subjects under his reign were strictly forbidden to become a Christian or a Jew. The laws governing those who were already Christians or Jews were quite strict, but were not nearly as severe as someone who studied and became one. Five catechumens (those studying to become Christians) were arrested and thrown into prison for their new found faith. All five requested and were permitted to be baptized before being taken to their confinement. Among these five were two young women, 22 year old Perpetua, a mother of a suckling baby. There were apprehended the young catechumens, Revocatus and Felicity his fellow servant, Saturninus and Secundulus. With them also was Vibia Perpetua, nobly born reared in a liberal manner, wedded honorably; having a father and mother and two brothers, one of them a catechumen likewise, and a son, a child at the breast; and she herself was about twenty-two years of age. What follows here shall she tell herself; the whole order of her martyrdom as she left it written with her own hand and in her own words. Perpetua wrote of her own experience in prison and of the visions which she saw and which strengthened her to accept her imminent martyrdom. Her mother and one brother were also studying privately to become Christians but her father was a pagan. Her story is heart rending as she tells of her confrontation with her father whose very life is devoted to her, yet he pleads with her to denounce her new-found faith which she cannot bring herself to do. Her mother and her brother were allowed to visit her and brought her baby to her after two of the deacons from the Lord’s church had bribed the guard to allow her to be brought to another part of the prison. The things which transpired and the things which she envisioned are lengthy but of value to read. Beside those five catechumens, others also befriended Perpetua and were also tortured and killed. The episode concludes with this statement: The rest not moving and in silence received the sword; Saturus much earlier gave up the ghost; for he had gone up earlier also, and now he waited for Perpetua likewise. But Perpetua, that she might have some taste of pain, was pierced between the bones and shrieked out; and when the swordsman's hand wandered still (for he was a novice), herself set it upon her own neck. Perchance so great a woman could not else have been slain (being feared of the unclean spirit) had she not herself so willed it. Although there are many sources of coverage of this martyred woman, one of the most thorough is the one quoted from above. To read this in it’s entirety, Click Here.
Article submitted Tuesday, November 02, 2010 & read 15 times.
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