Cyprian, bishop of Carthage (North Africa), in a letter of 250 (Letter 12), encourages his presbyters to write down the dates of the martyrs' deaths, in order that they be properly commemorated. Written in Latin in Carthage.
E08125
Literary - Letters
Cyprian, Letter 12
Cyprian writes to the presbyters and deacons of Carthage, exhorting them to care for those Christians suffering imprisonment and martyrdom.
2. Denique et dies eorum quibus excedunt adnotate, ut conmemorationes eorum inter memorias martyrum celebrare possimus; quamquam Tertullus, fidelissimus ac deuotissimus frater noster, pro cetera sollicitudine et cura sua quam fratribus in omni obsequio operationis inpertit, qui nec illic circa curam corporum deest, scripserit et scribat ac significet mihi dies quibus in carcere beati fratres nostri ad inmortalitatem gloriosae mortis exitu transeunt, et celebrentur hic a nobis oblationes et sacrificia ob conmemorationes eorum, quae cito uobis cum domino protegente celebrabimus.
'Finally, also, take note of their days on which they depart, that we may celebrate their commemoration among the memorials of the martyrs, although Tertullus, our most faithful and devoted brother, who, in addition to the other solicitude and care which he shows to the brethren in all service of labour, is not wanting besides in that respect in any care of their bodies, has written, and does write and intimate to me the days, in which our blessed brethren in prison pass by the gate of a glorious death to their immortality; and there are celebrated here by us oblations and sacrifices for their commemorations, which things, with the Lord's protection, we shall soon celebrate with you.'
Text: Diercks 1994
Translation: R.E. Wallis
Eucharist associated with cult
Service for the saint
FestivalsSaint’s feast
Cult PlacesBurial site of a saint - unspecified
Source
Cyprian was born probably in about AD 200. He converted to Christianity in around 245 and in 248 was elected bishop of Carthage. Soon after, the Decian persecution began (in 249/250) and Cyprian went into hiding. In 251 he returned to the city. Under Valerian, he was exiled in 257 and executed in 258. The epistolary of Cyprian consists of 81 letters (16 of them by his correspondents, and 6 synodal or collective); the majority are from the period 250-251, when they were the means of Cyprian's communication with his clergy. They offer us a wide view on the organisation of the Church in Carthage in the middle of the third century, its relations with the Church of Rome, on the development of the persecutions, and on the conflicts that they caused inside the Church.Different numerations of Cyprian's letters exist; we follow the edition of Diercks in Corpus Christianorum.
Discussion
The letter is addressed to the presbyters and deacons of Carthage.It is one of the earliest testimonies of the eucharist and wider celebrations held in honour of martyrs. It shows also the importance attached to the exact days of their deaths. For Cyprian and the annual commemoration of martyrs, see also E08493.
Bibliography
Editions:Diercks, G.F. (ed.), Sancti Cypriani Episcopi Epistularium. Epistulae 1-57 (Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 3B; Turnhout 1994).
Deléani S. (ed.), Saint Cyprien, Lettres 1-20, Introduction, texte, traduction et commentaire, (Paris 2007).
Translation:
Wallis, Robert Ernest (trans.), in Roberts, Alexander, Donaldson, James and Cleveland Coxe, A. (eds), The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 5 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.). Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050636.htm>.
Further reading:
Patout Burns, J., Cyprian the Bishop (London / New York, 2002).
Stanisław Adamiak
09/02/2021
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00060 | Martyrs, unnamed or name lost | Certain |
|---|
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