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SalonyRoongta

Perpetua
PerpetuawasaChristianmartyrinthe3rdCenturyaccordingtotexts.Shewasjust22 yearsoldandhadanursingsonwhenshewasimprisonedforcallingherselfaChristian, then,atabooinRome.Shegotherselfbaptizedinprisonevenafterherfatherspleading hernottodosoforthesakeofherson.ButshebelievedinChristianityanddidnotlistento him.Shewasnottheonlyfemalemartyrgoingthroughthisalone.Felicity,ayoungwoman whowaseightmonthspregnant,toosufferedwithPerpetuaoncallingherselfChristian. Perpetuainitiallywaskeptinaprisonwhereshewasn'tallowedtonursehersonbutafter herfatherbribedtheguards,shewasmovedtoabetterprisonandhersonstayedwithher inprison.Perpetuausedtohavevisionsintheprisonaboutwhatshewasgoingtogo throughinthenextfewdaysandthefirstnightshesawadragonguardingaladderwhose sidesweretiedwithdifferentarms.Shethenconcludedthatshewasgoingtosuffer.The nextvisionofherswasthatofherbrotherDinocrates,whodiedunbaptizedattheageof sevenduetocancer.Sheprayedforhimandhisfacialdisfigurementsreducedtoscars. NextshesawavisionofherselfdefeatinganEgyptianandfiguredoutthatshewouldhave tofightwiththedevil.Saturus,anothermartyr,issaidtohavevisionofPerpetuabeing takentothegardenaccompaniedbyfourangels,notflyingbutalmostwalkinginair,where shemeetsothermartyrs.Perpetuafoughtontheampitheatreinitiallynakedandlaterwitha tuniconherselfanddidnotgetslain,butinsteadputherownnecktothesword.

Therefore,thistextshowshowmartyrswerehumiliatedandprosecutedinpublicduringthat timeforcallingthemselvesChristians.Thepublictoo,didnotshowanymercyandsaw Christianityasanoffence.Also,thefaithfuldidnotputtheirfamilyfirst,insteadbelieved morestronglyintheirreligion.Therefore,ChristianitywasseenasatabooinancientRome andwasnotacceptedwhollyuntilinlatercenturies.