The Lives of the Saints through 100 Masterpieces

Felicity

The Lives of the Saints 96 Felicity November 23 Two distinct martyrs are honored under this name, at times being confused with one another. The first, mentioned in the canon of the Mass, from Carthage, was slave to Perpetua, also a Christian. Since Felicity was pregnant at the time of her imprisonment, her executioners waited for her delivery before exposing her to the wild beasts. At her groans during the child’s birth, they promised her much worse pain, to which she replied that with the help of God, martyrdom would be infinitely more bearable than simple human pain such as that. Her feast day is observed on the same day as her mistress’s. Theother Felicity, celebrated on November 23, a Roman, was killed under the emperor Marcus Aurelius, following the martyrdom of her seven sons. In his Philosophical Dictionary, Voltaire mockingly criticizes the historicity of this saint, thus rendering unwitting homage to her, for outside of this mention she is little known except for the few parishes named after her. Paolo Veronese (alias, Paolo Caliari) (1528–1588) Martyrdom of Saint Felicity and Her Seven Sons Galleriea dell’Accademia, Venice ...