Opening the library…

Search the Bible

Cyprian correspondence, Epistle XXXV

Cyprian of Carthage

Letter 35

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

Epistle XXXV.

To the Clergy, Concerning the Care of the Poor and Strangers.

Argument.—He Cautions Them Against Neglecting the Widows, the Sick, or the Poor, or Strangers.

Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons,

his

beloved

brethren

,

greeting

.

In

safety

,

by

God’s

grace

,

I

greet

you

,

beloved

brethren

,

desiring

soon

to

come

to

you

,

and

to

satisfy

the

wish

as

well

of

myself

and

you

,

as

of

all

the

brethren

.

It

behoves

me

also

,

however

,

to

have

regard

to

the

common

peace

,

and

,

in

the

meantime

,

although

with

weariness

of

spirit

,

to

be

absent

from

you

,

lest

my

presence

should

provoke

the

jealousy

and

violence

of

the

heathens

,

and

I

should

be

the

cause

of

breaking

the

peace

,

who

ought

rather

to

be

careful

for

the

quiet

of

all

.

When

,

therefore

,

you

write

that

matters

are

arranged

,

and

that

I

ought

to

come

,

or

if

the

Lord

should

condescend

to

intimate

it

to

me

before

,

then

I

will

come

to

you

.

For

where

could

I

be

better

or

more

joyful

than

there

where

the

Lord

willed

me

both

to

believe

and

to

grow

up

?

I

request

that

you

will

diligently

take

care

of

the

widows

,

and

of

the

sick

,

and

of

all

the

poor

.

Moreover

,

you

may

supply

the

expenses

for

strangers

,

if

any

should

be

indigent

,

from

my

own

portion

,

which

I

have

left

with

Rogatianus

,

our

fellow

-

presbyter

;

which

portion

,

lest

it

should

be

all

appropriated

,

I

have

supplemented

by

sending

to

the

same

by

Naricus

the

acolyte

another

share

,

so

that

the

sufferers

may

be

more

largely

and

promptly

dealt

with

.

I

bid

you

,

beloved

brethren

,

ever

heartily

farewell

;

and

have

me

in

remembrance

.

Greet

your

brotherhood

in

my

name

,

and

tell

them

to

be

mindful

of

me

.

Notes

1
Oxford ed.: Ep. vii. a.d. circa 251.
2
[Here, as elsewhere, spoken of in this way, in imitation of 1 Pet. v. 1.]