Perpetua: young, beautiful, well-educated, a noblewoman of Carthage in North Africa, mother of an infant son and chronicler of the persecution of the Christians by Emperor Septimius Severus.Perpetua’s mother was a Christian and her father a pagan. He continually pleaded with her to deny her faith. She refused and was imprisoned at 22.
In her diary, Perpetua describes her period of captivity: “What a day of horror! Terrible heat, owing to the crowds! Rough treatment by the soldiers! To crown all, I was tormented with anxiety for my baby…. Such anxieties I suffered for many days, but I obtained leave for my baby to remain in the prison with me, and being relieved of my trouble and anxiety for him, I at once recovered my health, and my prison became a palace to me and I would rather have been there than anywhere else.”
Despite threats of persecution and death, Perpetua, Felicity–a slavewoman and expectant mother–and three companions, Revocatus, Secundulus and Saturninus, refused to renounce their Christian faith. For their unwillingness, all were sent to the public games in the amphitheatre. There Perpetua and Felicity were beheaded, and the others killed by beasts. Felicity gave birth to a daughter a few days before the games commenced. Perpetua’s record of her trial and imprisonment ends the day before the games. “Of what was done in the games themselves, let him write who will.” The diary was finished by an eyewitness.
Sts Perpetua and Felicity Prayer
“Heavenly Father,
your love enabled the saints Perpetua and Felicity
courage to endure a cruel martyrdom.
By their prayers, help us to develop in love of you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.”
Saints Perpetua and Felicity Prayer
“Blessed Saints Perpetua and Felicity, please watch over all mothers and children who are separated from each other because of war or persecution. Give special attention to mothers who are imprisoned and guide them to follow your example of faith and courage. ”
Amen.
NOVENA PRAYER
Saints Felicity and Perpetua, your martyrdom was an act of bravery, which moved the Christians of your age and continues to move us today. Give all who invoke your names similar courage, fortitude, and faith to overcome timidity in witnessing to Christ in difficult circumstances. Amen
(Mention your request here…)
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…
Sts Perpetua and Felicity Novena
Intro Prayer
O God, at the urging of whose love the Martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity defied their persecutors and overcame the torment of death, grant, we ask, by their prayers, that we may ever grow in your love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
V. You have crowned them with glory and honour, O Lord.
R. And have set them over the works of your hands.
Grant, we beseech you, O Lord our God, that we may venerate with unceasing devotion the triumphs of your holy Martyrs, Perpetua and Felicity; and although we cannot pay them the honour that is their due, may we at least present to them our humble homage.
Amen
Concluding Prayer
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Sts Perpetua and Felicity, pray for us!
Day 1
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you lived in a pagan society but chose to become Christians and to follow Christ. This choice to follow Christ came at a great cost, because the Christian faith was not allowed in your society. Despite this cost, you did not waver in your faith. Imprisonment, mockery, and threats did nothing to keep you from serving Christ. You remained faithful to Christ and His Church through great sufferings, until you finally gave up your life for Him. Pray that I may also choose to be as steadfast in my own faith against the influences of the world as you were, no matter what it may cost me. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be ‘
Day 2
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you willingly endured a brutal imprisonment in a dark, overcrowded prison for the sake of Christ. You were not willing to renounce your Christian faith, no matter how severely you had to suffer for it. The conditions you endured were so harsh that many would have despaired or given up their faith in order to escape. But you did not let your trials keep you from serving Christ. Instead, you bore your harsh sufferings joyfully, knowing that the reward would be great in heaven. Help me to endure my trials, no matter how overwhelming they might feel. Help me to embrace them with joyful submission as you did for love of God. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that we may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that we may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Day 3
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you exhorted one another and your other fellow prisoners to holiness, as you prepared to die together. You thought not of yourselves or of your own sufferings, but instead looked to your brothers and sisters. You did your best to best to encourage them in their darkest time and to raise their minds and hearts to God amidst their sufferings. Even though you were suffering just as much as they were, you thought more of their struggles than of your own. Pray that I may be filled with a deep love of neighbor like you showed to your fellow Christian prisoners. Pray that I may show others such a deep charity even when I am suffering myself. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Day 4
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you remained steadfast in your path toward martyrdom. You held fast despite the efforts of family and even those in charge of your punishment to dissuade you from devotion to Christ. It would have been much easier for you to give up and return to the pagan faith of those around you, but you knew that dying for Christ was worth more than the world could offer you. You knew that the reward for your steadfast faith and courage would be great in heaven. Pray for me, that I may remain steadfast in my own faith, despite the efforts of the devil and the world to lead me away from Christ. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Day 5
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you said that you could not be called by any other name than what you were: a Christian. You were happy to be called Christians, though you lived in a society that hated and persecuted followers of Christ. You embraced not only the title given to followers of Christ, but the characteristics of a Christian as well. Your example of love and courage showed others what it means to be a Christian, and you did not let the ill-treatment you received deter you from the path of virtue. As I strive to follow Christ amidst the hostilities of modern society, help me to joyfully embrace the title of Christian like you did. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Day 6
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you looked to one another as a source of strength amidst the terrible suffering and persecution you endured. You knew that you could help give one another the strength necessary to die well for the sake of Christ. Your bond grew closer with one another as the time of your death drew near, and you both grew more fervent in the faith that was leading you to martyrdom. You hoped to be able to die together, knowing that you were gifts from God to one another in this trial. Help me to see my brothers and sisters in Christ as the gift that they are and as sources of strength, when I am at my lowest. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Day 7
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, we know from recorded eyewitness accounts that you showed great strength and courage as your martyrdom approached. We know that you thought more of your brothers and sisters than of yourself as the time for you to die drew near. Rather than dwelling on your own suffering, you encouraged your fellow Christians as they went to meet their brutal martyrdom.You called out to them, “Stand fast in the faith, and love one another. Do not let our sufferings be a stumbling block to you.” Pray for me, that I may be a help and encouragement to my brothers and sister in Christ on their path to heaven. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Day 8
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you so impressed your jailors with your holiness and strength that they began to fear you and to question where your strength came from. They did not expect to see such courage or selflessness among prisoners waiting to meet a brutal death. Instead of dwelling on your sufferings and fearing to die, you surprised them by showing unimaginable virtue amidst your sufferings. You even led your jailer to faith in Christ by your holy example. Pray for me, that my example may never lead others astray. Pray that I may instead be a strong example of a holy Christian and lead others to Christ through that example. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven.
Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Day 9
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, you put love of Christ above all other earthly loves, even love for your family. Though it pained you greatly, you even left behind the children that you loved so much, in order to serve Christ. You knew that your family members were gifts from God, but you did not let the painful separation from them become a stumbling block on your path to serve God. Though you loved your family dearly, you loved Christ even more. Pray for me, that I may love Christ with a love that places Him above all others. Pray that I may be ready even to die for Him as you did. Please also pray for (mention your intention here). Lord God, grant that I may love and serve You as faithfully as Your martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity, so that I may someday join them to praise You in Heaven. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, your love gave the saints Perpetua and Felicity courage to suffer a cruel martyrdom. By their prayers, help us to grow in love of you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
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