Saint Cyprian

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about Saint Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage. He presents the saint’s biography as a noble, cultured man who was transformed by faith and baptism into a servant and teacher of the church. The saint was born around the year 200 AD and died in the year 258 AD, and he was baptized at a later age; baptism changed his life so he gave his wealth to the poor and was instructed in rhetoric and eloquence, then he was ordained a priest and bishop of Carthage.

In the time of the emperor Decius and other persecutions, the church faced great trials, so Cyprian sought to protect his people sometimes by temporary concealment and to strengthen the believers with spiritual letters. He returned after exile and took the stance of martyrdom; he was condemned and beheaded. He convened a council in Carthage and decided not to accept the baptism of heretics.

Cyprian had a literary output and many letters that dealt with the unity of the church, the role of the bishop, the reception of the lapsed, the interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer, urging martyrdom, and responses to Jews and pagans. In his letters he defended Christians before governors and affirmed that disasters are not because of Christians but because of paganism. He likened the church to Noah’s ark; there is no salvation outside it.

The saint left a strong pastoral example and a source of spiritual and ecclesial teaching, and an exhortation to stand firm in faith and patience in the face of afflictions.

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