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Cyprian correspondence, Epistle XXXIV

Cyprian of Carthage

Letter 34

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

Epistle XXXIV.

To the Same, About the Ordination of Numidicus as Presbyter.

Argument.—Cyprian Tells the Clergy and People that Numidicus Has Been Ordained by Him Presbyter; And Briefly Commends His Worth.

Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons,

and

to

the

whole

people

,

his

brethren

,

very

dear

and

longed

-

for

,

greeting

.

That

which

belongs

,

dearest

brethren

,

both

to

the

common

joy

and

to

the

greatest

glory

of

our

Church

ought

to

be

told

to

you

;

for

you

must

know

that

I

have

been

admonished

and

instructed

by

divine

condescension

,

that

Numidicus

the

presbyter

should

be

appointed

in

the

number

of

Carthaginian

presbyters

,

and

should

sit

with

us

among

the

clergy

,

—

a

man

illustrious

by

the

brightest

light

of

confession

,

exalted

in

the

honour

both

of

virtue

and

of

faith

;

who

by

his

exhortation

sent

before

himself

an

abundant

number

of

martyrs

,

slain

by

stones

and

by

the

flames

,

and

who

beheld

with

joy

his

wife

abiding

by

his

side

,

burned

(

I

should

rather

say

,

preserved

)

together

with

the

rest

.

He

himself

,

half

consumed

,

overwhelmed

with

stones

,

and

left

for

dead

,

—

when

afterwards

his

daughter

,

with

the

anxious

consideration

of

affection

,

sought

for

the

corpse

of

her

father

,

—

was

found

half

dead

,

was

drawn

out

and

revived

,

and

remained

unwillingly

from

among

the

companions

whom

he

himself

had

sent

before

.

But

the

reason

of

his

remaining

behind

,

as

we

see

,

was

this

:

that

the

Lord

might

add

him

to

our

clergy

,

and

might

adorn

with

glorious

priests

the

number

of

our

presbyters

that

had

been

desolated

by

the

lapse

of

some

.

And

when

God

permits

,

he

shall

be

advanced

to

a

larger

office

in

his

region

,

when

,

by

the

Lord’s

protection

,

we

have

come

into

your

presence

once

more

.

In

the

meantime

,

let

what

is

revealed

be

done

,

that

we

receive

this

gift

of

God

with

thanksgiving

,

hoping

from

the

Lord’s

mercy

more

ornaments

of

the

same

kind

,

that

so

the

strength

of

His

Church

being

renewed

,

He

may

make

men

so

meek

and

lowly

to

flourish

in

the

honour

of

our

assembly

.

I

bid

you

,

brethren

,

very

dear

and

longed

-

for

,

ever

heartily

farewell

.

Notes

1
Oxford ed.: Ep. xl. a.d. 250.
2
Otherwise, “unconquered.”
3
[Let us put ourselves in Cyprian’s place, and share his anxiety to fill up the vacant places in his list of presbyters at this terrible period.]