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| Saint Perfecto, Pray for us ! |
⛪ Other Names : Perfectus
⛪ Born : At CΓ³rdoba, Spain
⛪ Died : 850 at Cordova, Spain
In the year 850, the Moslems having been masters of southern Spain for more than a century, and Cordova being their capital, the Saint had to come into town for a certain need, and met certain Moors who asked him about his Faith, and what it taught of Christ, and of Mohammed. He spoke at length about the power of Christ and His divinity, calling Him the God over all and blessed for ever. Then he said he durst not tell them what their prophet was held to be among the Christians, because he knew they would torment him; but if they gave their word in friendship to do him no harm, he would tell them this also. They agreed, and urged him to speak freely. So then he, speaking in Arabic, quite freely told them many things about their prophet that gave them to understand that he did not share their reverence for him.
They did not then take him, as observing their word; but not long after, when he had to come into town again, they were seized with fury and haled him to the judge. Fearing momentarily, he denied that he had said such things; but once in prison, he was filled with joy, and became more courageous than ever, adding to his bonds vigils, fasts, and prayers. When he was brought out again to be questioned, he prophetically foretold the death of the court eunuch Nazar within a year.
The end of the fast of Ramadan was come, and they brought the Martyr out on their feast to question him again. He then repeated what he had said before, adding more to it, before a great multitude of Moors out for their feast; and when he had been beheaded, they furiously trampled him underfoot. Not a year passed before the eunuch Nazar was taken with a violent fever in his entrails; and going to a privy place for an urgent necessity, his bowels gushed out. This murder of the holy Presbyter Perfectus was the beginning of some fifty martyrdoms in Cordova between 850 and 859, and was the first recorded by Saint Eulogius of Cordova.