The seven brothers were the sons of St. Felicitas, a noble Christian widow in Rome. After the death of her husband she and her sons were such an edifying example of the practice of Christianity and charity that many idolators were moved to renounce the worship of their false gods, and to embrace the faith of Christ, so much so that the people complained to the emperor Antoninus. The family was apprehended and the prefect, after gaining no ground in requiring Felicitas and her sons to worship to the gods, said, “Take pity on your children, Felicitas; they are in the bloom of youth and may aspire to the greatest honors and preferments.” The holy mother answered, “Your pity is really impiety, and the compassion to which you exhort me would make me the most cruel of mothers.” Each brother, after many trials and tortures were sent to different judges and suffered different deaths. Rufina and Secunda are two Martyrs of Rome, whose tomb was some miles from the city. As early as the fifth century the Church at Rome celebrated their feast on July 10.