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Cyprian correspondence, Epistle XLIX

Unidentified Cyprian correspondent

Letter 49

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Author: Unidentified Cyprian correspondent

Epistle XLIX.

Maximus and the Other Confessors to Cyprian, About Their Return from Schism.

Argument.—They Inform Cyprian that They Had Returned to the Church.

Maximus, Urbanus, Sidonius, and

Macharius

,

to

Cyprian

their

brother

,

greeting

.

We

are

certain

,

dearest

brother

,

that

you

also

rejoice

together

with

us

with

equal

earnestness

,

that

we

having

taken

advice

,

and

especially

,

considering

the

interests

and

the

peace

of

the

Church

,

having

passed

by

all

other

matters

,

and

reserved

them

to

God’s

judgment

,

have

made

peace

with

Cornelius

our

bishop

,

as

well

as

with

the

whole

clergy

.

You

ought

most

certainly

to

know

from

these

our

letters

that

this

was

done

with

the

joy

of

the

whole

Church

,

and

even

with

the

forward

affection

of

the

brethren

.

We

pray

,

dearest

brother

,

that

for

many

years

you

may

fare

well

.

Notes

1
Oxford ed.: Ep. liii. a.d. 251.
2
[The language of this letter clearly demonstrates the primitive condition of the Roman clergy and their bishop, and their entire unconsciousness of any exceptional position in their estate or relations to other churches. “Our bishop”—not Urbis et Orbis papa.]