Perpetua and Felicity were Christian martyrs of the third century. At the time, Vibia Perpetua was a recently married, well-educated noblewoman, said to have been 22 years old at the time of her death, and mother of an infant son she was nursing. Felicity, a slave woman imprisoned with her and pregnant at the time, was also martyred with her.
The two, along with others, were put to death at Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. Little is known about the life of Felicity because, unlike Perpetua, she did not keep a diary of her life. After imprisonment and torture, St. Felicity was also condemned to die at the games. Only a few days before her execution, she gave birth to a daughter, who was secretly taken away to be cared for by some of the Faithful.
The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity narrates their death. According to the narrative, five people were arrested and executed at the military games in celebration of the birthday of emperor Septimius Severus.
Along with Saints Felicity and Perpetua, were two free men, Saturninus and Secundulus, and an enslaved man named Revocatus; all were catechumens or Christians being instructed in the faith but not yet baptized. To this group of five was further added, a man named Saturus, who voluntarily went before the magistrate and proclaimed himself a Christian. St. Perpetua’s first person narrative was published posthumously as part of the Passion.
In Carthage, a basilica was erected over the tomb of the martyrs, called the Basilica Maiorum, where an ancient inscription bearing the names of Perpetua and Felicitas has been found.
Saints Felicitas and Perpetua are among the martyrs to be commemorated by name in the Roman Canon of the Mass.
The feast of these Saints is March 7.
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