Why would early Christians celebrate Perpetua's death - Assignment Example

Why would early Christians celebrate Perpetuas death? The account of Perpetua and Feli s life and dedication to Christianity makes them be considered some of the female martyrs that early Christians needed to celebrate. Their commitment to Christianity and the spread of Christian values makes them one of the martyrs that the early Christians had to celebrate and appreciate as some of the early women that displayed the model for Christianity (Logan, 23). Even though Perpetua was a catechumens, meaning a Christian who had not been baptized, it is clear that the persecution that Perpetua due to her defense for Christianity makes her a person that can be seen as a Christian martyr, who the early Christians had to celebrate.

The execution of Perpetua for her faith can be termed as one of the indications of her commitment to Christianity just like other martyrs that need to be appreciated for their staunch support for Christianity (Logan, 23). The physical punishment combined with public humiliation, Perpetua went through in order to denounce Christianity can be termed as akin to what other Christian martyrs like Stephen went through and hence the need to celebrate Perpetua as a Christian martyr.The suffering and persecution that Perpetua went through symbolized obedience to the Christian values and was a reflection of what self-sacrifice for the sake of Christianity through death was important to make Christianity continue.

The punishment and suffering that Perpetua went through makes her be celebrated as someone who used self-sacrifice as a form of empowering Christians to embrace the true values of Christianity. Saints Perpetua and Felicity, represent a symbol of people who embraced Christianity and accepted suffering as motivation for other Christians not to lose their faith by renouncing Christianity no matter what suffering and punishments they got for being Christians. Perpetua can be termed as one of the people who lived an extraordinary life along with the other martyrs who were killed with her and hence the reason why early Christians had to celebrate their lives as martyrs (Dronke 45).

The commitment to Christianity that made her denounce even her father’s wish is one of the hallmarks of their martyrdom since Jesus said that whoever, decides to follow him have to be prepared to even leave their families for his sake (Butler 22).One of the main traits of a true martyr that needs to be celebrated is someone who can endure persecution for the sake of faith and yet not give up on his or her faith. This was one of the traits that were displayed by Perpetua and made her be celebrated by early Christians as a martyr.

Septimus persecution, of Perpetua is one of the hallmarks of martyrdom that were celebrated by early Christians in liturgies (Butler 23). The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity, was very popular in the early centuries and most Christians looked at them as very courageous people who showed that Christianity was a religion that had a strong faith such that any suffering should not make people to denounce the church. Hence, the celebration of The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity, by early Christians is justified.

Works CitedButler, Rex: The New Prophecy and "New Visions": Evidence of Montanism in the Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas: Washington DC: Catholic University of America Press: 2006:  Dronke, Peter. Women Writers of the Middle Ages. Cambridge, 1984.Logan, Barbara Ellen.. The Askesis of Abjection: The Ethics of Everyday Suffering in Early Christian Martyrdoms (Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Santa Cruz), 2002.