The Holy Martyrs Perpetua, Felicitas and Satyrus, and others with them.

Commemorated February 1 in the Orthodox Christian Menaion

From the Prologue

They were all thrown into prison for their Christian faith in the time of the Emperor Septimus Severus. St Perpetua was of a noble family, and she encouraged all the other captives in the prison to be fearless in their suffering for Christ. Perpetua saw in a dream a ladder stretching from earth to heaven, all thickly set with sharp knives, swords, stakes, hooks, nails and other deadly implements. A terrible serpent lay at its foot. She saw Satyrus run first up the ladder to the top without injury, and call thence to her: 'Perpetua! I'm waiting for you. Come on, but mind the serpent!' Encouraged by this, Perpetua stood on the serpent's head, as if on the first rung, then in her turn hastened to the top. When she reached it, she saw the beautiful court of heaven and rejoiced with great joy. When she recounted her dream to the other captives, they all interpreted it as meaning that death would soon come to them, and to Satyrus the first - which quickly came about. Satyrus was killed first, then Perpetua, then the rest in order. As lambs butchered for Christ the Lamb of God, they received from Christ the eternal reward in the Kingdom of light. They all suffered for Christ between 202 and 203.

From The Prologue From Ochrid by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich
©1985 Lazarica Press, Birmingham UK