The Importance Of Redemption In Perpetua's Passion

In the book Perpetua’s Passion, rituals are very influential in Perpetua’s life, as well as every Roman and Christian. These rituals often influenced how someone identified themselves, such as Perpetua who views herself primarily as a Christian martyr. Perpetua sees this identity as someone who was chosen by god to die for Christianity and to rid her sins. She also sees this as a privilege because at this time dying for a cause was very respected. My goal in this paper is to demonstrate how Perpetua feels that redemption is essential in identifying herself in society and how this need for redemption is brought on by the rituals she witnesses and participates in, specifically the sacrificial suicide ritual, the baptismal ritual, and the martyrdom

Although she never participated in this ritual herself, she grew up hearing many many stories of these sacrifices. The best example of these stories is the story of Queen Dido, which is told in the book. Queen Dido was a Carthaginian queen who built her own funeral pyre, then climbed on it and killed herself with her own sword. Dido is said to have sacrificed herself because of her love for Aeneas. Although the redemption in this ritual is not the redemption of oneself, it is a very powerful kind of redemption. The people of Carthage felt they needed redemption for the cause they believed in. For most Carthaginians, the opportunity to die for a cause was a deeply ingrained value (p. 56). I feel that this influenced Perpetua’s identity by showing how the society as a whole felt the need to redeem themselves and their causes. This helps Perpetua end her own life in the arena when her executioner misses on his first try. This also helped Perpetua feel comfortable with her need for redemption and willing to seek that redemption in her own rituals like her

This ritual was one that was extremely important to Perpetua because she actually participated in it and was very highly persecuted for participating. Baptism is used to convert people to Christianity by anointing them in holy oils, immersing them in holy water, anointing them again, then wrapping them in white robes to symbolize the purity of their new state (p.76). This ritual was purposely deeply alienating to separate the catechumen, people in the process of converting, from their old lives as Romans. By alienating them from their old lives, it made it easier for the converts to completely cut ties from their old lives and families. This is important because in order to be “reborn,” they cannot be mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, etc. They must simply become a brother or sister in Christ. When they cut their ties and participated in the baptismal ritual, they were officially reborn into Christianity. This ritual has a need for redemption written all over it. Christians view themselves as having an essential sinful nature, which they deal with through Christianity. As people convert, they are seeking redemption by being reborn into Christianity with that sinful nature, but they have the promise that their sins will be forgiven because Christ died for them. This ritual very deeply influenced Perpetua’s identity. She views herself primarily as a Christian and this ritual is