Many early saints had devoted same-sex friendships, many of which may have included an erotic element, according to the late gay Catholic historian John Boswell. Among these intimate pairs were Sts. Perpetua (a noblewoman) and Felicity (a slave), two Christian martyrs who were known to be "as close as a married couple" and who embraced and kissed each other as they were thrown to wild animals in the amphitheater. (Another such couple was Sts. Serge and Bacchus, Roman officers who served under Emperor Maximian in the late 3rd century until they were revealed by jealous rivals to be Christians and homosexuals. They are co-patrons of the Moorish Orthodox Church's Diocese of New Jersey).

These two SAints died in the persecution of Septimus Severus in the year 203 at Carthage. There is an impressive narrative of their martyrdom in existence, partly written by the saints themselves and partly by a contemporary writer.

According to Professor Boswell, in Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality, The popularity of the story of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas...was largely dues to the appeal of love between two women. Five Christians were martyred together at Carthage on March 7, 203, suffering death at the hands of wild animals and the sword, but only Perpetua and Felicitas captured the fancy of the Christian community, apparently because of the tale of the two women comforting each other in jail, suffering martyrdom together as friends, and bestowing upon each other the kiss of peace as they met their end, charmed the tastes of the age.

Sts Perpetua and Felicitas were North African friends martyred for their Christian faith in the amphitheatre at Carthage We know precise details of their imprisonment because Vibia Perpetua, a twenty-two year old of a distinguished noble family, kept a journal -- the first known document written by a Christian woman, with a con­cluding narrative by an eye-witness

Perpetua mentions that those arrested with her were a slave named Felicitas and three men, Saturninus, Secundulus, and Revocatus She details the misery of their cell, the efforts her father made to persuade her to recant, the naming of her family members, everyone who helped the martyrs, and those who condemned them One person con­spicuous in not being mentioned was her husband As a noblewoman, she would have been married, but, for whatever reason, he was not there for her when one would think he would have been most needed The person there for her was Felicitas, who was expecting to give birth at any time

Perpetua’s greatest concern was that Felicitas have her baby son with her as long as she lived Felicitas was worried that she might not be allowed to die with her com­panions because of her pregnancy In answer to prayer, she gave birth to a girl The pain of the delivery was compounded by the mockery of the jailer, but she was assist­ed and comforted by Perpetua On the day of their death, they alone refused to wear the required pagan costumes -- insisting on maintaining the dignity of their female­ness They gave each other the kiss of peace, held on to each other as they were attacked by wild animals, and were finally beheaded

The companionship of these women inspired subsequent ages. Their feast has always been called by their two names Together they are named in the Roman Canon of the Mass Perpetuas journal became such a beloved text in North Africa that St Augustine felt he had to warn people not to give it a reverence due only to Scripture