Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Tue, 15 Sep 1992 02:21:53 EDT
From:         JEK@NIHCU.BITNET
Subject:      Cyprian of Carthage (14 Sep 258)

CYPRIAN, BISHOP OF CARTHAGE AND MARTYR (14 SEPTEMBER 258)

Cyprian was born around 200 AD in North Africa, of pagan parents. He
was a prominent trial lawyer and teacher of rhetoric. Around 246 he
became a Christian, and in 248 was chosen Bishop of Carthage. A year
later the persecution under the Emperor Decius began, and Cyprian
went into hiding. He was severely censured for this (unjustly on my
view -- see Mt 2:13; 10:23; 24:16). After the persecution had died
down, it remained to consider how to deal with the lapsed, meaning
with those Christians who had denied the faith under duress. Cyprian
held that they ought to be received back into full communion after
suitable intervals of probation and penance, adjusted to the gravity
of the denial. In this he took a middle course between Novatus, who
received apostates with no probation at all, and Novatian, who would
not receive them back at all, and who broke communion with the rest
of the Church over this issue, forming a dissident group
particularly strong in Rome and Antioch. (Novatus, somewhat
surprisingly, ended up joining the party of Novatian.) Cyprian, who
held the same position as the Bishop of Rome on the treatment of the
lapsed, wrote urging the Christians of Rome to stand with their
bishop.
     Later, the question arose whether baptisms performed by
heretical groups ought to be recognized as valid by the Church, or
whether converts from such groups ought to be rebaptized. Cyprian
favored re-baptism, and Bishop Stephen of Rome did not. The
resulting controversy was not resolved during Cyprian's lifetime.

During the reign of the Emperor Valerian, Carthage suffered a severe
plague epidemic. Cyprian organized a program of medical relief and
nursing of the sick, available to all residents, but this did not
prevent the masses from being convinced that the epidemic resulted
from the wrath of the gods at the spread of Christianity.  Another
persecution arose, and this time Cyprian did not flee. He was
arrested, tried, and finally beheaded on 14 September 258.  (Because
14 is Holy Cross Day, he is usually commemorated on a nearby open
day.) We have an account of his trial and martyrdom.

Many of his writings have been preserved. His essay ON THE UNITY OF
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH stresses the importance of visible, concrete
unity among Christians, and the role of the bishops in guaranteeing
that unity. It has greatly influenced Christian thought, as have his
essays and letters on Baptism and the Lord's Supper. He has been
quoted both for and against the Roman Catholic claims for Papal
authority.

PRAYER
   Almighty God, who didst give to thy servant Cyprian boldness to
   confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers
   of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we
   may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in
   us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of the same our Lord
   Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy
   Spirit, one God, for ever and aver.
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