Saint of the day, March 7 – Zeale
St. Perpetua, a young Christian noblewoman and mother, openly proclaimed her faith during a time of intense Christian persecution. As a result, she was imprisoned and tortured at the age of 22 even though many people, including her father, urged her to renounce her faith. She continued to care for her baby in prison.
March 7 – Sts. Felicity and Perpetua
Born: c. 182
Died: c. 203
Nationality: Roman
Attributes: two women holding a cross, bull
Vocation: lay mothers
Patronage: mothers, expectant mothers, ranchers, butchers, Carthage, Catalonia
Canonization: pre-congregation
St. Perpetua, a young Christian noblewoman and mother, openly proclaimed her faith during a time of intense Christian persecution. As a result, she was imprisoned and tortured at the age of 22 even though many people, including her father, urged her to renounce her faith. She continued to care for her baby in prison.
She persevered until the end of her young life, when she was sacrificed as a public spectacle. After being gored by a rabid bull, Perpetua took a moment to fix her hair. According to the account: “Next, looking for a pin, [Perpetua] likewise pinned up her disheveled hair; for it was not meet that a martyr should suffer with hair disheveled, lest she should seem to grieve in her glory.”
Details of her life are from her own diary and eyewitness accounts.
Like Perpetua, St. Felicity was another Christian woman who was imprisoned for her faith. Not much is known about her life, but she also suffered torture while in prison even though she was expecting a child. A few days before her execution, she gave birth to a daughter, who was adopted by another Christian woman.
Sts. Felicity and Perpetua, pray for us.
LISTEN TO TODAY'S EPISODE OF ZEALE'S 'MY DAILY SAINT' HERE
