26
September. St. Cyprian. 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
Three things: (1) brief-bio from http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/notes/saints.html#Cyprian (2) a
wiki-bio, and (3) at the end, an online resource for Mr. (Bp). Cyprian’s
writings in English.
From http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/notes/saints.html#Cyprian, we
read: St. Cyprian, Archbishop, the great
Bishop of Carthage, exercising a kind of metropolitan jurisdiction (from A.D.
248-258). He was of high education and rank, converted in his manhood, and soon
after raised to the Episcopate; notable as the great upholder and establisher
in the Western Church of Episcopal dignity and authority, in staunch resistance
to the growing claims of Rome; stern alike against Puritanism and laxity in the
restoration of those who had "lapsed" under persecution; maintaining
even the need of rebaptism of those baptized by heretics, which was rigidly
opposed by the Bishop of Rome, and disallowed by subsequent Church authority; a
great ruler of unbounded influence and popularity; a writer of great vigor of
thought and perfection of style; finally a martyr under the persecution of
Galerius in 258. -- September 26th.
From Wiki-bio, we read below:
Cyprian (Latin: Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus) (c. 200 – September 14, 258) was bishop of Carthage and an important Early Christian writer, many of
whose Latin works are extant. He was born around the beginning of the 3rd century in North Africa, perhaps at
Carthage, where he received a classical education. After converting to
Christianity, he became a bishop in 249 and eventually died a martyr at Carthage.
Early life
Cyprian was born
sometime in the early third century. He was a leading member of legal
fraternity in Carthage, He was well into middle age when he was converted to
Christianity and baptised.[1] The site of his eventual martyrdom was
his own villa. Before becoming a Christian, he was an orator, "pleader in
the courts", and a teacher of rhetoric.[2] The date of his conversion is unknown,
but after his baptism about 245–248 he gave away a portion of his wealth to the poor of Carthage, as befitted a man of his status.
His original name was Thascius; he took the additional name Caecilius in
memory of the presbyter to whom he owed his conversion. In the early days of his conversion he
wrote an Epistola ad Donatum de gratia Dei and the Testimoniorum
Libri III that adhere closely to the models of Tertullian, who influenced his style and
thinking.
His contested election as bishop of Carthage
Not long after his
baptism he was ordained deacon, and soon afterward presbyter; and some time between July 248 and
April 249 he was chosen bishop of Carthage, a popular choice among the poor who
remembered his patronage as demonstrating good equestrian style, while a
portion of the presbytery opposed it, for all Cyprian's wealth and learning and
diplomacy and literary talents. Moreover, the opposition within the church
community at Carthage did not dissolve during his episcopacy.
Soon, however, the
entire community was put to an unwanted test. Christians in North Africa had
not suffered persecution for many years; the church was assured and lax. Early
in 250 the "Decian persecution" began. Measures were first taken demanding that the bishops
and officers of the church sacrifice to the emperor. The proconsul on circuit,
and five commissioners for each town, administered the edict; but, when the
proconsul reached Carthage, Cyprian had fled.
It is quite
evident in the writings of the church fathers from various dioceses that the
Christian community was divided on this occasion, among those who stood firm in
civil disobedience, and those who buckled, submitting in word or in deed to the
order of sacrifice and receiving a ticket or receipt called a "libellus." Cyprian's secret departure from Carthage was interpreted by his enemies as
cowardice and infidelity, and they hastened to accuse him at Rome. The Roman clergy wrote to Cyprian in terms of
disapproval. Cyprian rejoined that he fled in accordance with visions and the
divine command. From his place of refuge he ruled his flock with earnestness
and zeal, using a faithful deacon as his intermediary.
Controversy over the lapsed
The persecution
was especially severe at Carthage, according to Church sources. Many Christians
fell away, and were thereafter referred to as "lapsi", but afterwards asked to be received again into the Church. Their requests
were granted early, with no regard being paid to the demand of Cyprian and his
faithful among the Carthaginian clergy, who insisted upon earnest repentance.
The confessors among the more liberal group intervened to allow hundreds of the
lapsed to return to the Church.
Though he had
remained in seclusion himself, Cyprian now censured all laxity toward the
lapsed, refused absolution to them except in case of mortal sickness, and
desired to postpone the question of their re-admission to the Church to quieter
times. A schism broke out in Carthage. Felicissimus, who had been
ordained deacon by the presbyter Novatus during the
absence of Cyprian, opposed all steps taken by Cyprian's representatives.
Cyprian deposed and excommunicated him and his supporter Augendius.
Felicissimus was upheld by Novatus and four other presbyters, and a determined
opposition was thus organized.
When, after an
absence of fourteen months, Cyprian returned to his diocese, he defended
leaving his post in letters to the other North African bishops and a tract "De
lapsis," and called a council of North African bishops at Carthage to
consider the treatment of the lapsed and the apparent schism of Felicissimus
(251). The council in the main sided with Cyprian and condemned Felicissimus,
though no acts of this council survive. The "libellatici" were to be restored at once upon sincere repentance; but
such as had taken part in heathen sacrifices could be received back into the
Church only when on the point of death. Afterward this regulation was
essentially mitigated, and even these were restored if they repented
immediately after a sudden fall and eagerly sought absolution; though clerics
who had fallen were to be deposed and could not be restored to their functions.
In Carthage the
followers of Felicissimus elected Fortunatus as bishop in opposition to
Cyprian, while in Rome the followers of the Roman presbyter Novatian, who also refused absolution to all
the lapsed, elected their man as bishop of Rome, in opposition to Cornelius. The Novatianists secured the election
of a rival bishop of their own at Carthage, Maximus by name. Novatus now left
Felicissimus and followed the Novatian party.
But these extremes
strengthened the firm but moderating influence exhibited in Cyprian's writings,
and the following of his opponents grew less and less. He rose still higher in
the favor of the people when they witnessed his self-denying devotion during the time of a great plague and famine.
He comforted his
brethren by writing his "De mortalitate," and in his "De
eleemosynis" exhorted them to active charity towards the poor, while
he set the best pattern by his own life. He defended Christianity and the
Christians in the apologia "Ad Demetrianum," directed against a certain Demetrius
and the reproach of the heathens that Christians were the cause of the public
calamities.
Persecution under Valerian
At the end of 256
a new persecution of the Christians under Emperor Valerian I broke out, and both Pope Stephen I and his successor, Pope Sixtus II, suffered
martyrdom at Rome.
In Africa Cyprian
courageously prepared his people for the expected edict of persecution by his "De
exhortatione martyrii," and himself set an example when he was brought
before the Roman proconsul Aspasius Paternus (August 30, 257). He refused to
sacrifice to the pagan deities and firmly professed Christ.
The consul
banished him to Curubis, modern Korba, whence he comforted to the best of his ability his
flock and his banished clergy. In a vision he saw his approaching fate. When a
year had passed he was recalled and kept practically a prisoner in his own
villa, in expectation of severer measures after a new and more stringent
imperial edict arrived, demanding the execution of all Christian clerics,
according to reports of it by Christian writers.
On September 13,
258, he was imprisoned at the behest of the new proconsul, Galerius Maximus. The day following
he was examined for the last time and sentenced to die by the sword. His only
answer was "Thanks be to God!" The execution was carried out
at once in an open place near the city. A vast multitude followed Cyprian on
his last journey. He removed his garments without assistance, knelt down, and
prayed. After he blindfolded himself, he was beheaded by the sword.
The body was
interred by Christian hands near the place of execution, and over it, as well
as on the actual scene of his death, churches were afterward erected, which,
however, were destroyed by the Vandals. Charlemagne is said to have had the bones
transferred to France, and Lyons, Arles, Venice, Compiegne, and Roenay in
Flanders claim the possession of the martyr's relics.
Writings
 |
Wikisource has original works
written by or about:
|
Cyprian's works
were edited in volumes 3 and 4 of the Patrologia Latina. Besides a number
of epistles, which are partly collected with the answers of those to whom they
were written, Cyprian wrote a number of treatises, some of which have also the
character of pastoral letters.
His most important
work is his "De unitate ecclesiae." In it, he states: "He
can no longer have God for his Father who has not the Church for his mother; .
. . he who gathereth elsewhere than in the Church scatters the Church of
Christ" (vi.); "nor is there any other home to believers but
the one Church" (ix.).
The following
works are of doubtful authenticity: De spectaculis ("On Public
Games"); De bono pudicitiae ("The Virtue of Modesty"); De
idolorum vanitate ("On the Vanity of Images," written by Novatian); De laude martyrii ("In
Praise of Martyrdom"); Adversus aleatores; De duobus montibus
Sina et Sion (On the Two Mountains Sinai and Zion); Adversus Judaeos;
and the Cena Cypriani ("Cyprian's Banquet", which enjoyed wide circulation in the
Middle Ages). The treatise entitled De duplici martyrio ad Fortunatum
and attributed to Cyprian was not only published by Erasmus, but probably also composed by him.
St Cyprian's first
writing starts out as a speech he made to his friends. It is called, Ad
Donatum. It speaks out against the Roman Government and gladiator shows. He
says that the only refuge from these evils is the prayerful life of a
Christian. St. Cyprian was the first great Latin writer among the Christians.
Until the days of Jerome and Augustine, Cyprian's writings had no rivals in the
West.[3]
Notes
2.
Jump up ^ Michael Walsh,
ed. "Butler's Lives of the Saints," New York: HarperCollins
Publishers, 1991, p. 289.
3.
Jump up ^ Chapman, John. "St. Cyprian of Carthage." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 15 Jan. 2013
. The Catholic
Church celebrates his feasts together with that of his good friend Pope St.
Cornelius on September 16.
References
- Brent, Allen, editor and translator, "St Cyprian of Carthage: Selected Treatises," St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2007, ISBN 0-88141-312-7
- Brent, Allen, editor and translator, "St Cyprian of Carthage: Selected Letters," St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2007, ISBN 0-88141-313-5
- Campbell, Phillip, editor, "The Complete works of Saint Cyprian" Evolution Publishing, 2013, ISBN 1-935228-11-0
- Daniel, Robin, "This Holy Seed: Faith, Hope and Love in the Early Churches of North Africa," (Chester, Tamarisk Publications, 2010: from www.opaltrust.org) ISBN 095385634
- Christian Classics Ethereal Library: Cyprian texts
- J.M. Tebes, "Cyprian of Carthage: Christianity and Social World in the 3rd. century", Cuadernos de Teología 19, (2000) (Spanish)
External links
- Pontius the Deacon (Pontius Diaconis), "The Life and Passion of Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr"
- "The Plague of AD 251"
- Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Cyprian
- Works by Cyprian at the IntraText Digital Library, with concordance and frequency lists
- Acta proconsularia S. Cypriani
- Multilanguage Opera Omnia
English
Translations of Mr. (Bp.) Cyprian are available at: http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/20_30_0200-0258-_Cyprianus_Carthaginensis,_Sanctus.html
Some Wiki-quotes
from Cyprian:
Quotes
- Habere non potest Deum patrem qui ecclesiam non habet matrem.
- No one can have God for his Father, who has not the Church for his mother.
- De Ecclesiae Catholicae Unitate (AD 251), ch. vi.
- Salus extra ecclesiam non est.
- There is no salvation outside the Church.
- Letter to Jubaianus (AD 256), Letter 73
- For the helmsman is recognized in the tempest; in the warfare the soldier is proved.
- It is a persistent evil to persecute a man who belongs to the grace of God. It is a calamity without remedy to hate the happy.
- Treatise on Jealousy and Envy ch. ix
- Think not that you are thus maintaining the Gospel of Christ when you separate yourselves from the flock of Christ.
- Letter to the Roman Confessors, that they should return to unity Letter 43.
- Men imitate the gods whom they adore, and to such miserable beings their crimes become their religion.
- Letter to Donatus Letter 1, ch. viii
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