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Cyprian correspondence, Epistle XXXI

Cyprian of Carthage

Letter 31

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

Epistle XXXI.

To the Carthaginian Clergy, About the Letters Sent to Rome, and Received Thence.

Argument.—The Carthaginian Clergy are Requested to Take Care that the Letters of the Roman Clergy and Cyprian’s Answer are Communicated.

Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons,

his

brethren

,

greeting

.

That

you

,

my

beloved

brethren

,

might

know

what

letters

I

have

sent

to

the

clergy

acting

at

Rome

,

and

what

they

have

replied

to

me

,

and

,

moreover

,

what

Moyses

and

Maximus

,

the

presbyters

,

and

Rufinus

and

Nicostratus

,

the

deacons

,

and

the

rest

of

the

confessors

that

with

them

are

kept

in

prison

,

replied

likewise

to

my

letters

,

I

have

sent

you

copies

to

read

.

Do

you

take

care

,

with

as

much

diligence

as

you

can

,

that

what

I

have

written

,

and

what

they

have

replied

,

be

made

known

to

our

brethren

.

And

,

moreover

,

if

any

bishops

from

foreign

places

,

my

colleagues

,

or

presbyters

,

or

deacons

,

should

be

present

,

or

should

arrive

among

you

,

let

them

hear

all

these

matters

from

you

;

and

if

they

wish

to

transcribe

copies

of

the

letters

and

to

take

them

to

their

own

people

,

let

them

have

the

opportunity

of

transcribing

them

;

although

I

have

,

moreover

,

bidden

Saturus

the

reader

,

our

brother

,

to

give

liberty

of

copying

them

to

any

individuals

who

wish

it

;

so

that

,

in

ordering

,

for

the

present

,

the

condition

of

the

Church

in

any

manner

,

an

agreement

,

one

and

faithful

,

may

be

observed

by

all

.

But

about

the

other

matters

which

were

to

be

dealt

with

,

as

I

have

also

written

to

several

of

my

colleagues

,

we

will

more

fully

consider

them

in

a

common

council

,

when

,

by

the

Lord’s

permission

,

we

shall

begin

to

assemble

into

one

place

.

I

bid

you

,

brethren

,

beloved

and

longed

-

for

,

ever

heartily

farewell

.

Salute

the

brotherhood

.

Fare

ye

well

.

Notes

1
Oxford ed.: Ep. xxxii. a.d. 250.
2
[Administering jurisdiction sede vacante.]
3
[Illustrating the Treatise on Unity.]