Cyprian (; la, Thaschus Caecilius Cyprianus; 210 – 14 September 258 AD
[''The Liturgy of the Hours according to the Roman Rite: Vol. IV.'' New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1975. p. 1406.]) was a
bishop of Carthage
The Archdiocese of Carthage, also known as the Church of Carthage, was a Latin Catholic diocese established in Carthage, Roman Empire, in the 2nd century. Agrippin was the first named bishop, around 230 AD. The temporal importance of the city of ...
and an
early Christian
Early Christianity (up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325) spread from the Levant, across the Roman Empire, and beyond. Originally, this progression was closely connected to already established Jewish centers in the Holy Land and the Jewish d ...
writer of
Berber
Berber or Berbers may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa
* Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages
Places
* Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile
People with the surname
* Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
descent, many of whose Latin works are extant. He is recognized as a
saint
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...
in the
Western
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*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
and
Eastern
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
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churches.
He was born around the beginning of the 3rd century in
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
, perhaps at
Carthage
Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classi ...
,
where he received a classical education. Soon after converting to Christianity, he became a bishop in 249. A controversial figure during his lifetime, his strong pastoral skills, firm conduct during the
Novatianist
Novatianism or Novationism was an early Christian sect devoted to the theologian Novatian ( 200–258) that held a strict view that refused readmission to communion of '' lapsi'' (those baptized Christians who had denied their faith or performed t ...
heresy and outbreak of the
Plague of Cyprian
The Plague of Cyprian was a pandemic that afflicted the Roman Empire from about AD 249 to 262. The plague is thought to have caused widespread manpower shortages for food production and the Roman army, severely weakening the empire during the Crisi ...
(named after him due to his description of it), and eventual
martyrdom
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external ...
at Carthage established his reputation and proved his sanctity in the eyes of the Church.
His skillful Latin rhetoric led to his being considered the pre-eminent Latin writer of
Western Christianity
Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic ...
until
Jerome
Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, th ...
and
Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman pr ...
.
Early
Cyprian was born into a rich pagan
Berber
Berber or Berbers may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa
* Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages
Places
* Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile
People with the surname
* Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
(
Roman African),
[ Carthaginian family sometime during the early third century. His original name was Thascius; he took the additional name Caecilius in memory of the ]priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
to whom he owed his conversion.[Butler, Alban. "St. Cyprian, Archbishop of Carthage, Martyr", ''The Lives of the Saints'', Vol, IX, 1866]
/ref> Before his conversion, he was a leading member of a legal fraternity in Carthage, an orator, a "pleader in the courts", and a teacher of rhetoric.[''Butler's Lives of the Saints'', (Michael Walsh, ed.), New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991, p. 289.] After a "dissipated youth", Cyprian was baptised when he was thirty-five years old, 245 AD. After his baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
, he gave away a portion of his wealth to the poor of Carthage
Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classi ...
, as befitted a man of his status.
In the early days of his conversion, he wrote an ''Epistola ad Donatum de gratia Dei'' and the ''Testimoniorum Libri III'' that adhere closely to the models of Tertullian
Tertullian (; la, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus; 155 AD – 220 AD) was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He was the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of L ...
, who influenced his style and thinking. Cyprian described his own conversion and baptism in the following words:
Contested election as bishop of Carthage
Not long after his baptism he was ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
a deacon and soon afterwards a priest. Sometime between July 248 and April 249, he was elected bishop of Carthage
The Archdiocese of Carthage, also known as the Church of Carthage, was a Latin Catholic diocese established in Carthage, Roman Empire, in the 2nd century. Agrippin was the first named bishop, around 230 AD. The temporal importance of the city of ...
, a popular choice among the poor who remembered his patronage as demonstrating good equestrian
The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse".
Horseback riding (or Riding in British English)
Examples of this are:
*Equestrian sports
*Equestrian order, one of the upper classes in ...
style. However, his rapid rise did not meet with the approval of senior members of the clergy in Carthage,[Oshitelu, G.A., ''The African Fathers of the Early Church'', Ibadan, Nigeria, 2002] an opposition that did not disappear during his episcopate
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
.
Not long afterward, the entire community was put to an unwanted test. Christians in North Africa had not suffered persecution for many years; the Church was assured and lax. In early 250, the Decian persecution
The Decian persecution of Christians occurred in 250 AD under the Roman Emperor Decius. He had issued an edict ordering everyone in the Empire to perform a sacrifice to the Roman gods and the well-being of the emperor. The sacrifices had to ...
began. Emperor Decius
Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius ( 201 ADJune 251 AD), sometimes translated as Trajan Decius or Decius, was the emperor of the Roman Empire from 249 to 251.
A distinguished politician during the reign of Philip the Arab, Decius was procla ...
issued an edict, the text of which is lost, ordering sacrifices to the gods to be made throughout the Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
. Jews were specifically exempted from that requirement. Cyprian chose to go into hiding, rather than face potential execution. While some clergy saw that decision as a sign of cowardice, Cyprian defended himself by saying that he had fled in order not to leave the faithful without a shepherd during the persecution and that his decision to continue to lead them, although from a distance, was in accordance with divine will. Moreover, he pointed to the actions of the Apostles and Jesus himself: "And therefore the Lord commanded us in the persecution to depart and to flee; and both taught that this should be done, and Himself did it. For as the crown is given by the condescension of God, and cannot be received unless the hour comes for accepting it, whoever abiding in Christ departs for a while does not deny his faith, but waits for the time...".
Controversy over the lapsed
The persecution was especially severe at Carthage, according to Church sources. Many Christians fell away and were thereafter referred to as ''" Lapsi"'' (''fallen''). The majority had obtained signed statements (''libelli'') certifying that they had sacrificed to the Roman gods to avoid persecution or confiscation of property. In some cases Christians had actually sacrificed, whether under torture or otherwise. Cyprian found those ''libellatici
In the Early Christianity, early Christian Church, ''lapsi'' were apostasy, apostates who renounced their faith under persecution by Roman Empire , Roman authorities. The term refers to those who have lapsed Catholic , lapsed or backsliding, fal ...
'' especially cowardly and demanded that they and the rest of the ''lapsi'' undergo public penance
Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of repentance for sins committed, as well as an alternate name for the Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession. It also plays a par ...
before being readmitted to the Church.
However, in Cyprian's absence, some priests disregarded his wishes by readmitting the lapsed to communion with little or no public penance. Some of the ''lapsi'' presented a second ''libellus
A ''libellus'' (plural ''libelli'') in the Roman Empire was any brief document written on individual pages (as opposed to scrolls or tablets), particularly official documents issued by governmental authorities.
The term ''libellus'' has particular ...
'' purported to bear the signature of some martyr or confessor who, it was held, had the spiritual prestige to reaffirm individual Christians. That system was not limited to Carthage, but on a wider front by its charismatic nature, it clearly constituted a challenge to institutional authority in the Church, in particular to that of the bishop. Hundreds or even thousands of ''lapsi'' were readmitted that way against the express wishes of Cyprian and the majority of the Carthaginian clergy, who insisted upon earnest repentance.
A schism then broke out in Carthage, as the laxist party, led largely by the priests who had opposed Cyprian's election, attempted to block measures taken by him during his period of absence. After fourteen months, Cyprian returned to the diocese and in letters addressed to the other North African bishops defended having left his post. After issuing a tract, ''"De lapsis"'' (''On the Fallen''), he convoked a council of North African bishops at Carthage to consider the treatment of the lapsed, and the apparent schism of Felicissimus (251). Cyprian took a middle course between the followers of Novatus of Carthage, who were in favour of welcoming back all with little or no penance, and Novatian of Rome, who would not allow any of those who had lapsed to be reconciled.[Foley, Leonard O.F.M., "St. Cyprian", ''Saint of the Day'', (revised by Pat McCloskey O.F.M.), Franciscan Media]
/ref> The council in the main sided with Cyprian and condemned Felicissimus though no acts of that council survive.
The schism continued as the laxists elected a certain Fortunatus as bishop in opposition to Cyprian. At the same time, the rigorist party in Rome, who refused reconciliation to any of the lapsed, elected Novatian as bishop of Rome in opposition to Pope Cornelius
Pope Cornelius was the bishop of Rome from 6th or 13th March 251 until his martyrdom in June 253. He was pope during and following a period of persecution of the church, while a schism occurred over how Lapsi (Christianity), repentant church membe ...
. The Novatianists
Novatianism or Novationism was an early Christian sect devoted to the theologian Novatian ( 200–258) that held a strict view that refused readmission to communion of '' lapsi'' (those baptized Christians who had denied their faith or performed t ...
also secured the election of a certain Maximus as a rival bishop of their own at Carthage. Cyprian now found himself wedged between laxists and rigorists, but the polarisation highlighted the firm but moderate position adopted by Cyprian and strengthened his influence by wearing down the numbers of his opponents. Moreover, his dedication during the time of a great plague and famine gained him still further popular support.[
Cyprian comforted his brethren by writing his ''De mortalitate'' and in his ''De eleemosynis'' exhorted them to active charity towards the poor and set a personal example. He defended Christianity and the Christians in the '']apologia
An apologia (Latin for apology, from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is a formal defense of an opinion, position or action. The term's current use, often in the context of religion, theology and philosophy, derives from Justin Mar ...
'' ''Ad Demetrianum'', directed against a certain Demetrius, and countered pagan claims that Christians were the cause of the public calamities.
Persecution under Valerian
In late 256, a new persecution of the Christians broke out under Emperor Valerian
Valerian (; la, Publius Licinius Valerianus; c. 199 – 260 or 264) was Roman emperor from 253 to spring 260 AD. He persecuted Christians and was later taken captive by the Persian emperor Shapur I after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the fir ...
, and Pope Sixtus II
Pope Sixtus II ( el, Πάπας Σίξτος Β΄), also written as Pope Xystus II, was bishop of Rome from 31 August 257 until his death on 6 August 258. He was martyred along with seven deacons, including Lawrence of Rome, during the persecutio ...
was executed in Rome.
In Africa, Cyprian prepared his people for the expected edict of persecution by his ''De exhortatione martyrii'' and set an example when he was brought before the Roman proconsul Aspasius Paternus (30 August 257). He refused to sacrifice to the pagan deities and firmly professed Christ
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
.
The proconsul banished him to Curubis, now Korba, where, to the best of his ability, he comforted his flock and his banished clergy. In a vision, he believed he saw his approaching fate. When a year had passed, he was recalled and kept practically a prisoner in his own villa in expectation of severe measures after a new and more stringent imperial edict arrived, which Christian writers subsequently claimed demanded the execution of all Christian clerics.
On 13 September 258, Cyprian was imprisoned on the orders of the new proconsul
A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority.
In the Roman Republic, military command, or ' ...
, Galerius Maximus
Galerius Maximus was a Roman senator, who was active during the mid third century. He was suffect consul for an undetermined ''nundinium'' in the early 240s. Galerius Maximus is best known as the proconsul of Roman Africa who condemned Bishop Cypri ...
. The public examination of Cyprian by Galerius Maximus, on 14 September 258, has been preserved:
''Galerius Maximus'': "Are you Thascius Cyprianus?"
''Cyprian'': "I am."
''Galerius'': "The most sacred Emperors have commanded you to conform to the Roman rites."
''Cyprian'': "I refuse."
''Galerius'': "Take heed for yourself."
''Cyprian'': "Do as you are bid; in so clear a case I may not take heed."
''Galerius'', after briefly conferring with his judicial council, with much reluctance pronounced the following sentence: "You have long lived an irreligious life, and have drawn together a number of men bound by an unlawful association, and professed yourself an open enemy to the gods and the religion of Rome; and the pious, most sacred and august Emperors ... have endeavoured in vain to bring you back to conformity with their religious observances; whereas therefore you have been apprehended as principal and ringleader in these infamous crimes, you shall be made an example to those whom you have wickedly associated with you; the authority of law shall be ratified in your blood." He then read the sentence of the court from a written tablet: "It is the sentence of this court that Thascius Cyprianus be executed with the sword."
''Cyprian'': "Thanks be to God.”
The execution was carried out at once in an open place near the city. A vast multitude followed Cyprian on his last journey. He removed his garments without assistance, knelt down, and prayed. After he blindfolded himself, he was beheaded by the sword. The body was interred by Christians near the place of execution.
Cyprian's martyrdom was followed by the martyrdom of eight of his disciples in Carthage.
Writings
Cyprian's works were edited in volumes 3 and 4 of the ''Patrologia Latina
The ''Patrologia Latina'' (Latin for ''The Latin Patrology'') is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1841 and 1855, with indices published between ...
.'' He was not a speculative theologian, his writings being always related to his pastoral ministry. The first major work was a monologue spoken to a friend called ''Ad Donatum,'' detailing his own conversion, the corruption of Roman government and the gladiatorial spectacles, and pointing to prayer as "the only refuge of the Christian". Another early written work was the ''Testimonia ad Quirinum''. During his exile from Carthage Cyprian wrote his most famous treatise, ''De Ecclesiae Catholicae Unitate'' (''On the Unity of the Catholic Church'') and on returning to his see, he issued ''De Lapsis'' (''On the Fallen''). Another important work is his ''Treatise on the Lord's Prayer''. Doubtless only part of his written output has survived, and this must apply especially to his correspondence, of which some sixty letters are extant, in addition to some of the letters he received.
Cyprian of Carthage is often confused with Cyprian of Antioch
Saints Cyprian and Justina are honored in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodoxy as Christians of Antioch, who in 304, during the Diocletianic Persecution, suffered martyrdom at Nicomedia (modern-day İzmit, Turkey) on ...
, reputedly a magician before his conversion. A number of grimoires
A grimoire ( ) (also known as a "book of spells" or a "spellbook") is a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination, and h ...
, such as ''Libellus Magicus'', are thus mistakenly attributed to Cyprian of Carthage.
Biography
Pontius the Deacon
Pontius, or Pontius the Deacon, (died in the mid third century) was a Christianity, Christian saint and Latin author from Carthage. He served as a deacon under Cyprian of Carthage (c. 200 –258) and wrote the ''Vita Cypriani'' ("Life of Cypria ...
wrote a biography of Cyprian titled ''The Life and Passion of St. Cyprian'', which details the saint's early life, his conversion, notable acts, and martyrdom under Valerian.
Theology
Sacraments
Cyprian believed in infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. Infant baptism is also called christening by some faith traditions.
Most Christians belong to denominations that practice infant baptism. Branches of Christianity that ...
and infant communion
Infant communion, also known as paedocommunion, refers to the practice of giving the Eucharist, often in the form of consecrated wine mingled with consecrated bread, to young children. This practice is standard throughout Eastern Christianity, wher ...
. Cyprian however spoke against the efficiency of baptism done by heretics and insisted on their rebaptism, and he believed that the Eucharist cannot be properly consecrated outside the church.
Cyprian was one of the earliest of the Church Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity. The historical per ...
to enunciate clearly and unambiguously the doctrine of baptismal regeneration ("the idea that salvation happens at and by water baptism duly administered"): "While he attributed all the saving energy to the grace of God, he considered the 'laver of saving water' the instrument of God that makes a person 'born again,' receiving a new life and putting off what he had previously been. The 'water of new birth' animated him to new life by the Spirit of holiness working through it."
Church
Cyprian believed that the lapsed can be re-admitted to the Church after penance and he opposed the Novatians
Novatianism or Novationism was an early Christian sect devoted to the theologian Novatian ( 200–258) that held a strict view that refused readmission to communion of '' lapsi'' (those baptized Christians who had denied their faith or performed t ...
.
Cyprian believed that every bishop occupies Peter's throne, but the see of Peter (Rome) is the direct heir of Peter. Cyprian believed that all the apostles were equal and that all the bishops followed the Apostles in succession.
Other
Cyprian was amillenial. Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman pr ...
argued that Cyprian taught the gift of perseverance
Gift of perseverance is the doctrine of Augustine of Hippo that persevering in the faith is a gift given by God, but a person can never know if they have the gift. According to Augustine, without having the gift of perseverance a person is damned, ...
. Cyprian argued that each days of Genesis consisted of 1000 years.
Veneration
Churches were erected over his tomb and over the place of his death. In later centuries, however, these churches were destroyed by the Vandals
The Vandals were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal Kingdom, Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century.
The ...
. The graves of such saints as Cyprian and Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours ( la, Sanctus Martinus Turonensis; 316/336 – 8 November 397), also known as Martin the Merciful, was the third bishop of Tours. He has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints in France, heralded as the ...
came to be regarded as "contact points between Heaven and Earth", and they became the centres of new, redefined, Christian urban communities. A surviving homily from Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman pr ...
on Cyprian's feast day indicates that his following was fairly widespread throughout Africa by the fourth century.
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...
is said to have had the bones transferred to France; and Lyons
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of th ...
, Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
, Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
, Compiègne
Compiègne (; pcd, Compiène) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France. It is located on the river Oise. Its inhabitants are called ''Compiégnois''.
Administration
Compiègne is the seat of two cantons:
* Compiègne-1 (with 19 c ...
, and Roenay in Flanders all have claimed to possess part of the martyr's relics.
The Catholic Church celebrates his feastday together with that of his good friend Pope St. Cornelius on 16 September,[ and in the Catholic Middle Ages the Sarum use observed it on the day of his death, 14 September. The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates him on 31 August."Cyprian the Hieromartyr & Bishop of Carthage", Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]
/ref> Lutherans now commemorate him on 16 September, while Anglicans celebrate his feast usually either on 13 September (e.g. the Anglican Church of Australia) or 15 September (the present-day Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
remember
Remember may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Remember?'', a 1939 film starring Robert Taylor and Greer Garson
* ''Remember'' (1926 film), an American silent drama film
* ''Remember'' (2015 film), a Canadian film by Atom Egoyan, starring Chris ...
him with a Lesser Festival Lesser Festivals are a type of observance in the Anglican Communion, including the Church of England, considered to be less significant than a Principal Feast, Principal Holy Day, or Festival, but more significant than a Commemoration. Whereas Princ ...
.
References
Sources
* Brent, Allen, editor and translator, "St Cyprian of Carthage: Selected Treatises," St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2007,
* Brent, Allen, editor and translator, "St Cyprian of Carthage: Selected Letters," St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2007,
*
*Campbell, Phillip, editor, "The Complete works of Saint Cyprian" Evolution Publishing, 2013,
*Daniel, Robin, "This Holy Seed: Faith, Hope and Love in the Early Churches of North Africa", (Chester, Tamarisk Publications, 2010: from www.opaltrust.org)
Christian Classics Ethereal Library: Cyprian texts
*J.M. Tebes
"Cyprian of Carthage: Christianity and Social World in the 3rd. century"
Cuadernos de Teología 19, (2000)
*
External links
* ttps://archive.today/20121220213151/http://www.sonic.net/~rbeale/mysite/Plague%20of%20AD251.htm "The Plague of AD 251"br>Works by Cyprian at the IntraText Digital Library, with concordance and frequency lists
Pope, Charles. "The Life of Saint Cyprian of Carthage"
*
* https://www.patheos.com/blogs/nightowlmeditations/2019/04/saints-and-witchcraft-the-patron-saints-of-witches/
{{Authority control
200s births
258 deaths
3rd-century bishops of Carthage
3rd-century Christian martyrs
3rd-century executions
3rd-century Romans
3rd-century Christian theologians
3rd-century Latin writers
Ancient Christians involved in controversies
Berber Christians
Christian martyrs executed by decapitation
Church Fathers
Converts to Christianity from pagan religions
Executed ancient Roman people
Executed Tunisian people
Post–Silver Age Latin writers
Saints from Roman Africa (province)
Year of birth uncertain
Anglican saints