Saint Felicitas of Rome
Saint Felicitas of Rome (died c. 165 AD in Rome, Italy) was a Roman widow and martyr venerated from the earliest centuries of the church. She is traditionally described as the mother of seven sons, all of whom were martyred before her eyes, and was herself martyred last. She is distinct from Saint Perpetua and Felicity (African martyrs, 203 AD). Her feast day is November 23.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Felicitas of Rome
| Saint Felicitas of Rome | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 23 |
| Profession | Christian widow; martyr; mother of martyrs |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; early Roman church |
| Patronage | Mothers; widows; against the loss of children; Rome; Christian parents |
| Attributes | Seven sons; palm of martyrdom; widow's veil; crown (as mother of martyrs) |
| Birthplace | Rome, Italy |
| Death Place | Rome, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; executed under the Antonine persecution; traditional account says beheaded after witnessing the martyrdom of her seven sons |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso / Church of Santi Felicissimo e Agapito (Rome area) — various Roman churches hold her memory; her relics distributed in Rome |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Calendar, November 23) |
| Historic Class | Feast (November 23) |
Biography
Felicitas is one of the most ancient martyrs of the Roman church. She is listed among the women named in the Roman Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer I): Felicitas, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia — a roster of women saints of the first centuries.
According to her Passio (martyrdom account), she was a wealthy Roman widow who devoted herself and her property to the care of the poor and to Christian worship. The pagan priests complained to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (or possibly Antoninus Pius) that her influence was leading Romans away from the old religion. She and her seven sons were arrested.
The seven sons — Januarius, Felix, Philip, Silvanus, Alexander, Vitalis, and Martial — were brought before the prefect separately and each refused to sacrifice to the gods. Each was martyred by a different method. Felicitas, who had been kept separate, was brought to witness each son's death. She encouraged them with great strength. Finally she was beheaded.
The story is parallel to the Jewish martyr story of the mother and seven sons in 2 Maccabees 7, and scholars debate how much the account draws on that typology. Regardless, Felicitas and her sons were venerated from very early in Roman Christianity; the Depositio Martyrum (4th century) attests their cult.
Her feast day is November 23.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Rome, Italy
Death location: Rome, Italy
Notable location: Her city of martyrdom; churches dedicated to her and her sons exist in Rome; the Via Salaria area was the site of early veneration (Rome, Italy)
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Feast day
November 23
Veneration
Saint Felicitas of Rome is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with an Optional Memorial on November 23. She is named in Eucharistic Prayer I (the Roman Canon).
Prayers
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