Martyr
Martyr Secundulus of Carthage
† 203
Also known as: Секунд Карфагенский
Martyr Secundulus of Carthage — a catechumen of noble rank from Martyr Perpetua's group, who died in prison before the public spectacle and thus was spared exposure to the beasts.
Saint Secundulus was a catechumen "of noble class" from Martyr Perpetua's group (already documented in our database as a separate entry, martyr_perpetua), arrested together with her, Revocatus, Saturninus, Saturus, and Felicity in Carthage under Emperor Septimius Severus.
Unlike the rest of the group, Secundulus died in prison before the public spectacle in the arena — tradition describes it thus: "if not in soul, then at least in flesh he knew the sword," meaning his martyric struggle was accomplished and counted complete by the Church through his prison death alone, sparing him exposure to the beasts.
His feast is kept on February 1/14 together with the whole group of Carthaginian martyrs.