Martyred for an Name

Catholics have what is called a liturgical calendar. I can’t get into the full use of it here but one of the facets that the liturgical calendar has is the feast days of Saints. Now, there are to what I know, more canonized and beatified Saints than the liturgical calendar can fit, but does reserve feast days for those Saints we admire the most. Two weeks ago, on 7 March, the feast day of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity took place. Yes, perhaps I should have written about it then, but these are two saints that we should remember and reflect on throughout the year.

During the reign of Septimius Severus the persecution of Christendom was horrifying. One such punishment to temp others away from the faith was to tie two legs, each to a bent tree. Once the martyr was given the chance to submit to pagan practices and renounce their faith the soldiers would let free the bent trees, ripping the body in two. Others were nailed to crosses, while others were fed to lions and bears. The persecution under Severus was widespread. Edicts were systematic to persecute the clergy, then the deacons, then the laity, and even their children.   

Felicity and her friend/slave Perpetua were of this persecuted lot. They were arrested along with two other men (Saterninus and Secundulus), and were all what is called catechumens which are those entering the church along with a baptism. Felicity recorded all that occurred during their imprisonment up to their eventual martyrdom. She records that her father tried to convince her to give up her faith, for the sake of the family (namely disgracing the name). Under the law at the time of their execution, a pregnant woman could not be killed – which saddened Felicity that she might not get to taste the pains of her suffering in Christ. She had her baby just two days before the games and was then shipped out for the games.

Of the two men, one does in prison, and the other fell to the wild beasts before the crowd. The two women were also scourged as to attract the bloodlust of the wild animals. Finally, after many wounds, they gave each other a kiss of peace and took their final blows by a sword. The year was 203.

The rest of the account, their death, was recorded by an eyewitness. "But Perpetua, that she might have some taste of pain, was pierced between the bones and shrieked out; and when the swordsman's hand wandered still (for he was a novice), herself set it upon her own neck. Perchance so great a woman could not else have been slain (being feared of the unclean spirit) had she not herself so willed it."

                Their story is one of vivid memory, but is also one that can have a patrons effect on specific individuals. Mothers, for example, can recall their pregnancy and thank God that Jesus’ words weren’t fulfilled in their lives while carrying his cross, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and your children. Look, the days are coming when they will say, ‘The women without children, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed, are fortunate!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:28-30, HCSB)

                Others whom these martyrs might be patrons for are the elect, and the modern catechumens. These are the groups of those seeking to enter into communion with the church, baptized and not baptized. As we are all on our journey to know Jesus, find our way through the church, and to learn of our history and our faith, we are vulnerable and sometimes even unfaithful. But here we have a group of believers who never got to taste the Eucharist, did not have the Water of Life flowing in them, and had not been anointed with the chrism oil. There are some who claim the glorious title Christian; but here are four who took on the name as an insult – with their lives. Amazing faith to die for a church and a religion an idea and a faith that they hadn’t yet even come full circle on!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reads:

“Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptized” (1281).

Primative Persecution: Tarcisius

I want to share a story of persecution from the primitive Church.

When the emperor Valerian ordered the execution of bishops, priests, and deacons, Christians attended Mass in basements and in the catacombs outside the city walls. Deacons would take Communion to Christians for whom getting to Mass was too dangerous. On one such occasion, no deacon was available. The priest did not know what he would do until his alter boy, a young Roman boy of 11 names Tarcisius stepped forward after Mass and said that he would carry Communion to some Christians waiting inside the city walls. The priest admired Tarcisius for his grit, gave him the Sacred Hosts wrapped in silk along with a quick blessing, and sent him toward the city.

All was going well until Tarcisius ran into some pagan boys his own age who asked him to come and join their game. Tarcisius thanked them, explained he had an errand to run, but said he would join them later.

“Oh! Christian boy.”  One of the pagan boys sneered. “Is is that you think you are too good to play with us?” And they circled around Tarcisius.

“Not at all,” said Tarcisius. “I have something to deliver and must be on my way.”

“Well – show us what it is! What is the big secret, Christian boy?”

“It is no business of yours,” said Tarcisius, looking each of the boys squarely in the eye. “Now step aside and make way.”

Rather than step aside, the pagan boys closed their circle around Tarcisius, and as they did they picked up heavy sticks and rocks from the ground. One of them shouted, “I bet he’s carrying the Christian Mysteries!”

“Are you, Christian boy?” demanded another. “Show us!”

Tarcisius, clutching his precious cargo to his chest made a dash for what looked like an opening in the circle, but he was not quick enough. The mob of boys closed in around him and they began to club him with stones and heavy sticks. Tarcisius did not cry out, but quietly prayed, ever clutching the Blessed Sacrament to his chest.

The pagan boys beat him to death.

With bloodies hands, they seized the bruised and broke n body of Tarcisius and tried to twist the silk cloth carrying the Eucharist out of his dead arms. Although he had no life left in him, Tarcisius would not let go of our Lord. The boys tried for hours to pry his arms open but they failed and failed again. They left Tarcisius body by the side of the road for the vultures to eat.

After a time, some Christians went looking for Tarcisius, and when they found his broken and bloodied corpse still clinging to the Blessed Sacrament, they guessed what had happened. Carefully lifting the small boy's body, they gently bore it back to the priest, who by now had grown deeply concerned about his young altar boy. Christians set the boy’s body at the foot of the priest, who knelt down and quietly brushed Tarcisius’ hair, matted with blood, away from his face and with his thumb made the sign of the cross on his forehead. At that moment, Tarcisius’ body unfolded its arms and released the Blessed Sacrament to the priest, and all who witnessed this knew that here was a Holy Christian boy who had held Jesus in his arms and who now was being held forever in the arms of Jesus.  

The young boy Tarcisius’ was canonized and his feast day is 15 August.

The story was taken from Catholic Answers magazine from the March-April 2011 issue, p. 11.