Opt. Mem. of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs

Lent: March 7th​

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The Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of Saints Perpetual and Felicity (d. 203). The account of their martyrdom forms one of the finest pages of the history of the first centuries of the Church. It shows us clearly the wonderful sentiments of these two women when they heard that they had been condemned to the wild beasts. Knowing their own weakness but relying on the strength of Christ, who was fighting with them, they went to their martyrdom as to a triumphant celebration, to which they were invited by Christ. They were exposed to the fury of wild beasts in the amphitheater at Carthage, A.D. 203, and finally killed by the sword. Their names are still mentioned together in the Roman Canon of the Mass.

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Sts. Perpetua and Felicity

Vibia Perpetua, a well-to-do young woman and mother, and Felicitas, a slave who gave birth to a child three days before suffering a martyr's death, were catechumens. Against such prospective converts the persecution of Septimius Severus was particularly severe. These two holy women suffered death on the seventh of March in Carthage. The Breviary relates the following touching episode:

Now the day had arrived when they were to be thrown to the wild beasts. Felicitas began to be sorrowful because she feared she would have to wait longer than her companions. For eight months she had been pregnant and therefore, according to Roman law, could not be executed before the birth of the child. But the prayers of her fellow sufferers hastened her time and she gave birth to a baby girl.

 

While she was suffering from the pains of childbirth, one of the guards called out to her, "If you are suffering so much now, what will you do when you are thrown to the wild beasts?" "Now I suffer," she answered, "but there Another will be in me, who will suffer for me, because I will suffer for Him." When she was in travail she had sorrow, but when she was set before the wild beasts she rejoiced (Martyrology).

Finally, on the seventh of March, these heroic women were led into the amphitheater and severely scourged. Then they were tossed about by an exceptionally wild cow, gored, and thrown to the ground.

—Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

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Read More:

​https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2026-03-07

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Fr. Don Calloway, MIC: The Rosary: Spiritual Sword of Our Lady

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What is the most powerful weapon on earth? In this talk based on his recent book, "Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon," Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC argues that the rosary is a spiritual sword that has won decisive battles. And he has the stories to prove it. Fr. Don Calloway, MIC, is Vocation Director for the Marians of the Immaculate Conception and author of several books about Mary. Fr. Calloway's talk was sponsored by the Chapel Ministries Dept. at Franciscan University of Steubenville.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwVdYXyxln0

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The Rosary is a spiritual weapon.  Continual prayer and adoration confounds Satan as he loses influence over those who do not cease focusing on Jesus.

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