Today is the liturgical memorial of two Christian martyrs, Sts. Perpetua and Felicity. Vibia Perpetua, a well-to-do young woman and mother, and Felicity, a slave who gave birth to a child three days before suffering a martyr's death, were catechumens. Despite threats of persecution and death, the two, together with three companions, Revocatus, Secundulus and Saturninus, refused to renounce their Christian faith. For their unwillingness, all were sent to the public games in the amphitheater. Perpetua and Felicity were tossed about by an exceptionally wild cow, gored, and thrown to the ground. Finally they were beheaded, and the others killed by beasts. All this took place on the seventh of March, year 203.The Book of Martyrology relates that while Felicity was suffering from the pains of childbirth, one of the guards called out to her, "If you are suffering so much now, what will you do when you are thrown to the wild beasts?" "Now I suffer," she answered, "but there Another will be in me, who will suffer for me, because I will suffer for Him." When she was in travail she had sorrow, but when she was set before the wild beasts she rejoiced.
Their suffering reminds us of the One who first suffered for us and conquered all violence and its consequence, death, that goes with our destiny. In two-week’s time, we shall be celebrating Good Friday, commemorating the unjust persecution and death of our Lord Jesus Christ and his willing acceptance of his Passion.
As I reflect and pray over the lives of the Christian martyrs in their full participation in the passion and death of our Lord, I am reminded too of the many Christian disciples who are still suffering the same persecution. In this regard, I’d like to invite everyone to pray especially for the liberation of the Archbishop of Mosul in Iraq, Msgr. Faraj Rahho. The 67-year-old bishop was kidnapped last Friday, February 29, after celebrating the Way of the Cross at the parish of the Holy Spirit. The three persons with him were brutally murdered. The faithful of his diocese express great concern over their pastor: "The bishop must take medicines every day; we trust in the humanity of these people".
Yesterday, in the church of St Ephrem here in Rome, the Chaldean community celebrated a Mass of intercession on behalf of the three men killed, and for the safety of Archbishop Rahho. In Syria as well, which has the greatest concentration of Christians from Iraq, "they are praying that the Bishop may be restored to his flock". Last Sunday in Damascus, in the Chaldean parish of St Teresa, the Mass was dedicated to the "three martyrs" and to the liberation of the prelate.
To follow the news about the Archbishop, you can also consult Asianews.
