The Latin Acts of the Conference of Carthage, held in 411 in Carthage (central North Africa), record that a Donatist bishop and a Catholic priest in the province of Mauretania Caesariensis (western North Africa) had celebrated together a vigil, probably preceding the feast of a local martyr.
E02042
Canonical and legal texts
Acts of the Conference in Carthage, AD 411
Session 1, paragraph 188
... Item recitauit: "Ianuarius episcopus Numidiensis". Cumque accessisset, idem dixit: "Mandaui et subscripsi et traditores non habeo". Fortunatianus episcopus ecclesiae catholicae Siccensis dixit: "Unde es?" Ianuarius episcopus dixit: "Numidia est; Mauretania est Caesariensis". Reparatus episcopus ecclesiae catholicae Sufasaritanae dixit: "Dioecesis mea est. Illic presbyterum habeo, illic tecum uigilauit"...
'... [Marcellinus] read: "Ianuarius, [Donatist] bishop of Numidia". He approached, and said: "I signed the mandate; I do not have traitors". Fortunatianus, bishop of the Catholic church of Sicca [Sicca Veneria in Proconsularis], said: "Where are you from?" Bishop Ianuarius said: "From Numidia; from Mauretania Caesariensis". Reparatus, bishop of the Catholic church of Sufasar [Mauretania Caesariensis], said: "This is my diocese. I have a presbyter there, he kept vigils with you"...'
Text: Lancel 1972, 838-840.
Translation: Stanisław Adamiak.
Saint’s feast
Non Liturgical ActivityVigils
Source
The conference in Carthage was held in 411 with the aim of putting an end to the Donatist schism and re-establishing the unity of the Church in Africa. On the first day of the conference, the Donatists challenged the list of signatures of the Catholic bishops on the document. A roll call followed, in order to ensure that the right people were present. The tribune Marcellinus, who presided, called out the names of the Catholic bishops one by one, and their Donatist counterparts were asked to identify them. Then the roll call proceeded in the opposite way, with the Donatist bishops identified by the Catholics.Discussion
This text does not specify what kind of vigil was held jointly by the Catholics and Donatists. It is hardly possible that the two parties celebrated together Easter or Christmas. This they did in their own churches. But both the Catholics and Donatists certainly will have wanted to celebrate the feast of a local martyr or martyrs at their graves. See also E02038.Bibliography
Edition and French translation:Lancel, S., Actes de la Conférence de Carthage en 411, vol. II (Sources Chrétiennes 195; Paris, 1972).
Robert Wiśniewski
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00060 | Martyrs, unnamed or name lost | Certain |
|---|
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