Early in the reign of Marcus Aurelius modern scholars have placed one of the more famous scenes of martyrdom.
For various reasons the condemnation and passion of Felicitas and her sons have ever been a favorite and popular piece among martyrologists; these martyrs have been, out of numberless similar instances, selected as special objects of veneration. They occupied this position of high esteem in the Church's records certainly as far back as the middle of the fourth century, as we shall presently see.
Two unmistakable marks of the genuineness of the piece are—(1) It is undated save that the name of the magistrate or prefect is given; hence it would seem that the present version or redaction generally reproduced the original document, no attempt having been made to amplify or to render it more interesting or instructive. (2) The place or places of interment of these martyrs is not indicated in the "Acts." This is a mark of high antiquity, as in the early days great secrecy at first, for obvious reasons, was observed as to the place where the remains of any well-known confessor were laid. Accurate modern scholarship has, however, determined the date almost with certainty, and modern scientific research has, curiously, lighted upon some of the places of Sepulcher of these martyrs.
A considerable amount of controversy has arisen on the question of the authenticity of these celebrated "Acts of S. Felicitas"—Aube attacks them, and Renan accepts Aube's view. Tillemont considers that they have not all the characteristics of genuine "Acts." Bishop Lightfoot, in a long note in his appendix to the reign of Marcus Aurelius, Ep. of Polycarp (Apostolic Fathers), suras up against them, but does not consider it improbable that S. Felicitas was a real person, and that she may have had a son or sons who were martyred.
On the whole, the balance of evidence is strongly in favor of their general authenticity. It is possible that they have been redacted in a later age, but probably in the main they are absolutely a genuine piece. They are contained in the "Acta Sine era" of Ruinart.
Felicitas belonged, as we have said, to the higher ranks of the society ot the day; she was a widow, famous in Christian circles for her earnest and devoted piety. The high rank and position which she occupied evidently gave her considerable influence. A deputation from among the Pagan pontiffs of Rome, well aware doubtless of the hostile feeling of the Emperor towards the Christian community, approached Marcus, and laid an information against Felicitas as belonging to the unlawful religion. They played upon the Emperor's well-known superstition, dwelling upon the wrath of the immortal gods stirred up by this woman's impiety towards them; a wrath which they professed to be unable to appease. The Sovereign, acting upon this information, directed the Prefect of the city to see that she and her sons at once publicly sacrificed to the offended gods. From the name of the Prefect, Publius, which is given in the "Acts," we are enabled to date the martyrdom circa A. D. 162. This year, we know, was spent by the Emperor Marcus in Rome.
The Prefect Publius summoned Felicitas, and endeavored, first by gentle words, then by threats of a public execution, to induce her to sacrifice to the gods. Felicitas refused, telling the magistrate that she was conscious of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who would defend her from being overcome by the Evil One. "I am assured that while I live I shall be the victor in my contest with you, and if you cause me to be put to death I shall be still more a conqueror."
Publius then said: "Unhappy one, if it is pleasant for you to die, at least let your sons live."
"My sons," said Felicitas, "will surely live if they do not consent to sacrifice to idols. But if they commit this crime of sacrificing they will die eternally."
The day following the Prefect took his seat in the Forum, a place probably surrounding the Temple of Mars Ultor (The Avenger), and summoned her sons to appear as accused before him.
The first interrogation of Felicitas, due regard being had to her exalted rank, was held apparently in private. But now, as she had proved contumacious, her trial and that of her seven sons was conducted in the open Forum. "Be pitiful at least to your sons, these gallant young men, still in the flower of their youth," said the magistrate to the accused Christian lady. Felicitas, turning to her sons, bade them, "Look up to Heaven, where Christ with His saints is waiting for you, fight the good fight for your souls, and show yourselves faithful in the love of Christ." Then the Prefect Publius ordered his attendants to strike her, saying, "Do you dare in my presence to urge that the commands of our masters (the associated Emperors Marcus and Verus) shall be set at nought?" Then, commanding that her sons one by one should be placed before him, he addressed the eldest, Januarius, offering him a rich and coveted guerdon if he complied with the command and sacrificed, but threatening him with scourging with rods if he refused. Januarius simply answered, "The wisdom of the Lord will support me and enable me to endure all." He was at once scourged and led back to prison. The second, Felix, refused too, saying, "We adore one God, to whom we offer the sacrifice of prayers; never suppose that you will separate me or my brothers from the love of the Lord Jesus Christ; our faith will never be overcome or be changed by any of your threats." To the third son, Philip, Publius said, "Our lord the Emperor Antoninus commands that you should sacrifice to the all-mighty gods." Philip replied, "They are neither gods nor are they all-mighty. They are but vain, pitiful images, and those who shall consent to sacrifice to them will risk an eternal danger." To Silvanus, the fourth son, the Prefect spoke as follows: " I see you have agreed with your ill-starred mother to despise the commands of the Princes (Marcus Antoninus and his colleague Verus), and thus to bring about your ruin." "If," replied Silvanus, "we were to fear a temporary death, we should be punished with an eternal death, but as we know well what rewards are prepared for the just, what punishments are reserved for sinners, we can safely despise the Roman law when it comes in conflict with the Divine law. If we treat these idols with scorn, and serve the All-mighty God, we shall win eternal life." To the fifth of Felicitas' sons, Alexander, the magistrate spoke as follows: "Think of your tender age, be pitiful to your life, still on its threshold, act as your sovereign Antoninus would have you act. Sacrifice to the gods and become the friend of the Augusti." The brave youth at once answered, "I am the servant of Christ, I confess it openly, I love Him from my heart, I am ever adoring Him. Yes, I know I am young, but I have the wisdom of age so I adore our God. As for your gods, they and their worshippers alike will perish."
To the sixth son, Vitalis, the Prefect put the following question: "Perhaps you will choose to live, and will not prefer dying?" Vitalis in reply asked, "Who is it who really chooses to live? The one who adores the true God, or he who seeks the protection of a demon?" Publius then inquired, "What demon do you refer to?" Vitalis quietly answered, "All the gods of all nations are demons; so too are they who worship them."
Martial, the seventh and last of the accused, was thus apostrophized by the magistrate, "You are your own enemies, you despise the ordinances of the Augusti (Marcus and Verus), and you persist in your own destruction." "Oh," cried Martial, "if you only knew what punishments were reserved for those who worship idols! But God still restrains His anger from (crushing) you and your idol gods. All who do not confess that Christ is the true God will go into eternal fire."
This offer to the young Christian was a highly coveted distinction bestowed now and again on persons of rank. The "Amici Augusti" (friends of Augustus) possessed the right of access to the Imperial presence and a seat at his table. It was reckoned a great distinction, and we find it inscribed among the titles of honor on funeral tablets.
The decision of the Emperor does not seem to have tarried. The accused were placed in the hands of the three officers whose duties consisted in the charge of the prisons and of the arrangements connected with capital punishments. (Triumviri capitales.)
Januarius was sentenced to be beaten to death by whips loaded with lead. The second and third brothers were doomed to a somewhat similar fate. The fourth was hurled from a height, and so died. The three remaining brothers and their mother, Felicitas, were decapitated. The punishment of Januarius and the second and third of his noble brothers was somewhat unusual in the case of illustrious Romans, but this last degradation in death no doubt was intended as a stern warning to like offenders belonging to the higher ranks of society.
The text of the "Acts" implies that the executions of the martyrs were not all carried out in the same place. It is probable that the places of their sepulcher were chosen as near as possible to the scenes of the martyrdom. The State, as a rule, was merciful to the friends of the executed and usually gave up the bodies of those put to death to their friends for burial. But in the case of the unpopular Christians, the violence of the mobs, as we have seen in the case of Polycarp of Smyrna, sometimes destroyed these sacred relics; hence the silence in the "Acts" as to the place of interment. But the tradition of these sacred spots was faithfully kept in the Roman Church, and in the list of the "birthdays" (as the anniversaries of the day of their deaths were termed) of the more famous martyrs, which were kept solemnly in the first quarter of the fourth century, when Miltiades, A. D. 311-314, was Bishop of Rome, we find four of the well-known cemeteries (or catacombs) specified as the places of sepulcher of Felicitas and her seven sons. This ancient reference is reproduced in the several lists of the catacombs containing tombs of famous martyrs usually visited by pilgrims between the fourth and seventh centuries.
Time, and the successive ravages by barbarian invaders and others to which the catacombs have been subjected, have removed all traces of the sepulcher of six of the martyred sons. But a broken portion of the inscription Sanct Fel (icitas) has been unearthed in the spot designated by the ancient documents as the place of the mother's sepulcher, leaving no doubt as to the perfect accuracy of the ancient tradition.
But a far more striking discovery by De Rossi in the ancient catacomb of "Praetextatus on the Appian Way," has shown us the tomb of Januarius scarcely changed, though more than seventeen hundred years have passed since the blood-stained remains ot the eldest of the martyred seven were tenderly and reverently laid to rest.
The catacomb of Praetextatus, from many ancient references, was known to be rich in historic memories; and when part of it was being carefully excavated, and the heaps of earth and rubbish removed, a large and carefully decorated crypt or cubiculum was uncovered, the peculiar masonry and decorations of which experts referred to the times of the Antonines; scratched in the plaster of a fast fading fresco of the Good Shepherd on the wall was an uncouth inscription containing words and fragments of words.
Agatopus and Felicissimus were two martyrs, deacons of Pope Sixtus II., buried in the catacomb of Praetextatus A. D. 258. The friends of some dead Christian interred at a later period near the spot had scratched these words some two or three centuries after, invoking the protection of the three famous saints for their dear dead one.
The invocation implied that Januarius was buried in this cubiculum. The inference was shown eventually to be absolutely correct, for in A. D. 1863, as De Rossi was making further investigation on the spot, he found some fragments of marble on which, when put together, the following inscription could be deciphered. It was the work of Philocalus, the artist of Pope Damasus, A. D. 366-384, by whose reverent care so many of the precious martyr tombs of the second and third century were restored and marked:
BEATISSIMO MARTYRI lANVARIO DAMASVS EPISCOP FECIT.
thus localizing beyond doubt the site of the Sepulcher where the remains of Januarius, the eldest of the martyred sons of Felicitas, were originally deposited.