Pudens was a soldier, an assistant in charge of the Carthage prison. He was on duty when six prisoners from a small town were brought to the jail awaiting trial. The charge against them was a refusal to offer sacrifice to the emperor. They were Christians preparing for baptism. There were four men and two young women– Perpetua, age twenty-one and her young servant Felicia. Perpetua was a young mom and Felicia eight months pregnant.
Perpetua’s father came to the jail to beg her to deny that she was a Christian. Perpetua said, “Father, do you see this vase here? Could it be called by any other name than what it is?” “No,” he answered. “Well, neither can I be called anything than what I am, a Christian.” Pudens took notice of his prisoners’ fortitude and courage. He observed that they had a “great power among them.” On their last night together, they worshipped and shared the Lord’s Supper. The six were brought before the governor the next day but again they refused to offer incense to the emperor. Their primary allegiance was to Jesus Christ. They were taken to the amphitheater and fed to the wild animals. Saturus, their leader, admonished Pudens with his dying words, “Remember me and remember the faith. Don’t let these things disturb you but confirm you.” The deaths of these two young mothers, Perpetua (ca. 182-203) and Felicia, unnerved the crowd. Their courage and composure became a striking contrast to the way most prisoners died in the arena.
Pudens became a Christian, as did others who witnessed their testimony. There are no recorded prayers from these “cloud of witnesses” but believers in the early church recalled their uncommon sacrifice with the following prayer: