Perpetua and Felicity - Martyrdom

Martyrdom

Martyrdom was intended to combine physical punishment with public humiliation and degradation, and understood in context, the resultant cruelty and celebration of imperial power were neither unusual nor extraordinary. Ultimately, martyrdom symbolized obedience to the values represented by the church and reflected the belief that the church can fulfill and commend itself by self-sacrifice and death. As seen in the story of Perpetua and other North African females, martyrdom became a means of self-empowerment for women in Christian circles.

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Famous quotes containing the word martyrdom:

    Every man has a right to utter what he thinks truth, and every other man has a right to knock him down for it. Martyrdom is the test.
    Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)

    The myth of motherhood as martyrdom has been bred into women, and behavioral scientists have helped embellish the myth with their ideas of correct “feminine” behavior. If women understand that they do not have to ignore their own needs and desires when they become mothers, that to be self-interested is not to be selfish, it will help them to avoid the trap of overattachment.
    Grace Baruch (20th century)