Fr Ben Garren

Dear Siblings in Christ,

As November comes to an end we are given a chance to reflect back upon the start of the month, All Saints Day. The great interweaving of our story with the stories of the saints into one comprehensive narrative of those, from all points of worldly diversity, walking the Way of Jesus. This was an activity much beloved by the early church as they always sought to connect their story into the narratives of the Bible and the Saints. An interweaving which brings us today to the Saints Saturninus and Sisinius of Rome.

We have to begin, however, with Saints Perpetua and Felicity. Major saints of the early church whose devotion has again become popular as they represent the women leaders of the early church. Devotion to these two martyrs included their own testimonies, the first Christian Documents known to be written by women, the first votive lamps devoted to a saint in wide production, an active pilgrimage route... and the mention of a priest by the name of Saturninus.

Which brings us to Rome where, a few years after the death of Perpetua and Felicity, a priest by the name of Saturninus was put to death, along with a deacon Sisinius, for their faith. We don't actually know much more than this about them, nothing about what they did to gain enough notoriety to face public persecution, not even a few gruesome details about the manner of their deaths. We have two tombs of martyrs lost with no clear story... but what if this Saturninus was the priest who visited Perpetua and Felicity before they were martyred?

Then, suddenly, the nascent Christian community tending the shrines of these two martyrs are connected directly to Perpetua and Felicity, are connected to two of the most prominent women of the early church, are connected to something so much greater than themselves, can see themselves amidst the greater overwhelming reality of walking the Way of Jesus. And so they connected the narratives. The Saturninus in their church was the very same priest who learned from Perpetua and Felicity.

Now we may look at this as an ahistorical contrivance by the Early Church... but it is one that holds to a Truth deeper than the historical narrative. The Christians gathering to worship near the resting place of Saturninus were in relationship with the story of Perpetua and Felicity as if their Saturninus was the very priest who administered to them. We are in the same level of relationship with Perpetua, Felicity, and all the saints though no remains of a martyred Saturninus rests in our chapel.

The ahistorical nature of many narratives within the early church point to this truth of our connection with something beyond history by participating in the Way of Jesus. Our connection with saints across time is always something greater than history. We walk with them, today and always. Allow yourself to be part of this greater overwhelming reality.

Pax,

—Ben