# Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of His Saints; The Story of Perpetua



## Phil D. (Mar 5, 2011)

In A.D. 202, the Roman emperor Septimius Severus outlawed all conversions to Christianity. In the wake of that act, severe persecution broke out against Christians, particularly in North Africa. However, those who were turned in could escape punishment if they would simply deny being a Christian, and prove their sincerity by offering a sacrifice to a pagan god.

Living in Carthage at the time was Vibia Perpetua, a young noblewoman and new Christian who was preparing for baptism. Though Perpetua was only about 22 years old, and was still nursing her infant son, she (with four other catechumens) was arrested and thrown into prison. 

The first part of the following account is from Perpetua’s personal diary, which she wrote while in prison. It is the first document we know of from the pen of a Christian woman, and appears to be one of the most reliable surviving accounts of early Christian martyrdom. The account of her actual death was, of course, added later by a fellow Christian, who witnessed the event.

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While we were still under arrest, my father, out of love for me, was trying to persuade me and shake my resolution. “Father,” I said, “do you see this vase here, for example, or that water pot?” 
“Yes, I do,” said he. 
And I told him: “Could it be called by any other name than what it is?” 
And he said: “No.” 
“Well, so too I cannot be called anything other than what I am, a Christian.” 
At this my father was so angered by the word “Christian” that he moved toward me as though he would pluck my eyes out. But he left it at that and departed, vanquished along with his diabolical arguments. 

Then Tertius and Pomponius, those blessed deacons who tried to take care of us, bribed the soldiers to allow us to go to a better part of the prison to refresh ourselves for a few hours. Everyone then left that dungeon and shifted for himself. I nursed my baby, who was faint from hunger. In my anxiety I spoke to my mother about the child, I tried to comfort my brother, and I gave the child into their charge. I was in pain because I saw them suffering out of pity for me. 

These were the trials I had to endure for many days. Then I got permission for my baby to stay with me in prison. At once I recovered my health, relieved as I was of my worry and anxiety over the child. My prison had suddenly become a palace, so that I wanted to be there rather than anywhere else. 

…A few days later there was a rumor that we were going to be given a hearing. My father also arrived from the city, worn with worry, and he came to see me with the idea of persuading me [_to recant_]. 

“Daughter,” he said, “have pity on my grey head—have pity on me your father, if I deserve to be called your father, if I have favored you above all your brothers, if I have raised you to reach this prime of your life. Do not abandon me to be the reproach of men. Think of your brothers, think of your mother and your aunt, think of your child, who will not be able to live once you are gone. Give up your pride! You will destroy all of us! None of us will ever be able to speak freely again if anything happens to you.” 

This was the way my father spoke out of love for me, kissing my hands and throwing himself down before me. I tried to comfort him, saying, “It will all happen in the prisoner’s dock as God wills; for you may be sure that we are not left to ourselves but are all in his power.” And he left me in great sorrow. 

...One day while we were eating breakfast we were suddenly hurried off for a hearing [_before Hilarianus the governor_]...All the others when questioned admitted their guilt. Then, when it came my turn, my father appeared with my son, dragged me from the step, and said: 

“Perform the sacrifice—have pity on your baby!” 
Hilarianus the Governor also said to me, “Have pity on your father’s grey head; have pity on your infant son. Offer the sacrifice for the welfare of the emperors.” 
“I will not,” I retorted. 
“Are you a Christian?” demanded Hilarianus. 
And I said: “Yes, I am.” 

When my father persisted in trying to dissuade me, Hilarianus ordered him to be thrown to the ground and beaten with a rod. I felt sorry for father, just as if I myself had been beaten. Then Hilarianus passed sentence on all of us: we were condemned to the beasts, and we returned to prison in high spirits.

[_A fellow-Christian observer picks up the story_]

Now Felicity [_Perpetua’s personal servant who had converted along with her master_] was eight months pregnant, and the law did not allow a pregnant woman to be executed. She was accordingly fearful that her death would be postponed, and instead of dying with her fellow Christians she would be put to death later in the company of some group of criminals. 

She and her companions accordingly prayed, and Felicity went into labor, with the pains normal to an eight–month delivery. 
And a servant of the jailers said to her, “If you cry out like that now, what will you do when you are thrown to the beasts, which you despised when you refused to sacrifice?” 
And she replied: “Now it is I that suffer what I suffer; but then Another will be in me, who will suffer for me, because I also am about to suffer for Him.” 
Thus she brought forth a little girl, whom a certain sister brought up as her own.

[_March 7, 203 AD._] The day of their victory dawned, and they marched from the prison to the amphitheater joyfully, as though they were going to heaven, with calm faces, trembling, if at all, with joy rather than fear. Perpetua went along with shining countenance and calm step, as the beloved of God, as a wife of Christ, putting down everyone’s stare by her own intense gaze.… 

They were then led up to the gates, and the men were forced to put on the robes of priests of Saturn, the women the dress of the priestesses of Ceres. But the noble Perpetua strenuously resisted this to the end. 
“We came to this of our own free will, that our freedom should not be violated. We agreed to pledge our lives provided that we would do no such thing. You agreed with us to do this.” 
Even injustice recognized justice. The military tribune agreed. They were to be brought into the arena just as they were. 

Perpetua then began to sing a psalm; she was already treading on the head of the Egyptian [_dragon?_]. Revocatus, Saturninus, and Saturus [_the person who had led Perpetua to Christ_] began to warn [_i.e. witness to_] the on-looking mob. 

...At this time the crowds became enraged and demanded that they be scourged before a line of gladiators. And they rejoiced at this, that they had obtained a share of the Lord’s sufferings

...For the young women, however, the Devil had prepared a mad heifer. This was an unusual animal, but it was chosen that their sex might be matched with that of the beast. So they were stripped naked, placed in nets and thus brought out into the arena. Even the crowd was horrified when they saw that one was a delicate young girl and the other was a woman fresh from childbirth with the milk still dripping from her breasts. And so they were brought back again and dressed in unbelted tunics.

First the heifer tossed Perpetua, and she fell on her back. Then sitting up, she pulled down the tunic that was ripped along the side so that it covered her thighs, thinking more of her modesty than of her pain. Next she asked for a pin to fasten her untidy hair; for it was not right that a martyr should die with her hair in disorder, lest she might seem to be in mourning in her hour of triumph. 

Then she got up. And seeing that Felicitas had been crushed to the ground, she went over to her, gave her her hand, and lifted her up. Then the two stood side by side. But the cruelty of the mob was now appeased, and so they were called back through the Gate of Life… 

Perpetua then called for her brother and spoke to him together with the other catechumens and said: “You must all stand fast in the faith and love one another, and do not be weakened by what we have gone through.” 

...[_Later, when the martyrs were returned to the arena_], and as the contest was coming to a close, a leopard was let loose, and after one bite Saturus was drenched in blood... Shortly afterward, he was thrown unconscious with the rest in the usual spot to have his throat cut. But the mob asked that their bodies be brought out into the open. 

And so the martyrs got up and went to the spot of their own accord, and kissing one another they sealed their martyrdom with the ritual kiss of peace. The others took the sword in silence and without moving, especially Saturus, who being the first to climb the stairway was the first to die. So once again he was waiting for Perpetua. 

Perpetua, however, had yet to taste more pain. She involuntarily screamed as her executioner bungled his death-stroke, and only struck her bluntly on the bone; afterward she rose and took the trembling hand of the petrified young gladiator, and with a calm hand positioned the sword near her own throat for him. It was as though so great a woman could not be dispatched unless she herself were willing. 

Ah, most valiant and blessed martyrs! Truly you are called and chosen for the glory of Christ Jesus our Lord! 

[_It is not known what happened to Perpetua’s son._] 

From, _Christian History Magazine: Persecution in the Early Church_, (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today), 1990.

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_Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it._ (Matthew 10:34–39)

_Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years._ (Revelation 20:4–6)


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