You're listening to Catholic Sprouts, the daily podcast for Catholic kids that strives to plant seeds of faith.

Hey there, sprouts. Today is Tuesday, March 7, 2020. Today is also the feast day of two really great saints, St. Perpetua and St. Felicity. Now, these saints lived in the 200s. Felicity was actually a slave,

and Perpetua was a woman of status. They lived in North Africa during the time when that was

part of the Roman Empire. Now, in the 200s, the Roman Empire was persecuting the church. The faith had gotten

there through the apostles, and even though they knew that they were putting their lives

in danger, both Felicity and Perpetua decided that they wanted to be baptized. They wanted

to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ. However, while they were still

preparing for baptism, they were arrested and they were sentenced to death. Also, was arrested with them,

was the person instructing them in their faith, so they were able to receive the sacrament of

baptism well in prison.

Now what I didn't mention is that both Felicity and Perpetua were married women.

In fact, Perpetua had a tiny baby and Felicity was expecting her first baby.

Regardless, the women were sentenced to death. In fact, it was the emperor's birthday, and as a present for him,

they were sentenced to die as entertainment for him and the crowds. The women grew in friendship,

and perpetua actually received some incredible visions as she awaited her death in prison. She was allowed to keep her baby with her

as she prepared to die. And then right before they were sentenced to death, Felicity gave birth to a

little girl. They gave both of these children to the community of Christians so that they could be

raised in the faith. The women bravely entered

the amphitheater together hugging each other, willing to die as witness to the true faith,

to the church founded by Jesus Christ. They have been honored as saints since the very beginning.

In fact, one of the coolest parts about Felicity and Perpetua is that even St. Augustine, who lived in the 300th, he wrote homilies talking about these really incredible saints. So venerating saints, looking to them for their intercession, has been something that our church has been doing for hundreds upon hundreds of years.

And we, even though we most likely live in a country where we have the freedom to practice our faith without fear, we have benefited from the witness of these martyrs like perpetua and

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