Felix the Roman

Holy Martyr Felix the Roman was one of the seven sons of the Holy Martyr Felicitas: Januarius, Felix, Philip, Silvanus, Alexander, Vitalis and Martialis. The family suffered in Rome, around the year 164.

Felicitas came from a wealthy Roman family. Pagan priests accused her of insulting the gods by spreading the Christian faith. The saint gave away all her property and, with her sons, openly confessed faith in Christ. All of them were given over to torture. Felicitas, seeing the sufferings of her sons, prayed to God that they would stand firm in the struggle and enter the Kingdom of Heaven before her. All the sons died as martyrs before their mother's eyes, and after them she herself received a martyr's end. Saint Gregory the Dialogist devoted a homily of praise to the martyr Felicitas, in his third discourse, delivered in the church that bears her name.

Felix is commemorated on 7 February (new style), together with his mother and brothers. Their story was also written down by Saint Demetrius of Rostov.