Cyprian of Carthage – Church Order and Discipline in a Time of Chaos

Saint Cyprian is one of my favorite early Fathers of the Church.  Raised in a pagan household, he trained as a rhetorician and converted to Christianity in his late 40s.   A North African of Berber decent, Cyprian was one of those gifted shepherds that God graced his Church with during a time of persecution and schism. We are blessed today to have over 80 letters and a dozen treatises written more than 1,700 years ago.  

Elected Bishop of Carthage in 248 A.D. (just two years after his conversion), his new found faith and leadership skills would be shortly put to the test, for in 250 A.D. an empire-wide persecution began.  For 18 long months he would lead his flock through numerous perils of which the persecution was only the beginning.  Faithful in perseverance, he proved himself to be the right shepherd in the right place at the right time.  For, unlike many Church Fathers who were known for their theological and apologetical prowess, Cyprian’s skills at administration and communication would help to safeguard both orthodoxy and orthopraxy at a time when each were attacked externally and internally.  His written testaments clearly indicate his knowledge of both Sacred Scripture and Ecclesial order which, given the four years between his conversion and the persecution - showed his rare intellectual and spiritual acumen. 

The Decian Persecution (250-251 A.D.)

In late 249 A.D. Decius became the new emperor of the Roman empire and in early 250 he forced the state religion on all the inhabitants.  His motive? To unite the Roman Empire (which he saw as disjointed) under the Roman gods. Rome, having conquered vast territories and diverse peoples, was awash in cultural and religious differences and Decius seemed to think that by forcing everyone on to one religious page he could unify the territory.  His shrewd edict would reflect the seriousness of his quest.      

The Initial Impact of the Edict

The Decian persecution was not the first for Christianity, but it was first in terms of geography and administrative compliance.  Geographically, prior persecutions were localized, however Decius’ edict would be applied to the entire realm.  Administratively, he ensured that there were no loopholes, for he demanded that not only the people sacrifice to the Roman gods, but that their sacrifice be witnessed by a Roman magistrate who would then issue a certificate of compliance.  Only those who fled the empire - leaving home, work and possessions – escaped the edict.  Those who could not or would not flee, either obeyed (later called the Lapsi) or were subjected to imprisonment, torture and/or death.    

Because the Jews were exempt, and the polytheistic pagans did not care, the focus of Decius’ persecution seems to have been the destruction of Christianity.  The Christians, with their “One God Only” policy and exponential growth (from 40,000 in 150 to over 1 million in 250) were a thorn in his side.  Though still in the minority, the Church was easily considered a threat to Decius’ unification plans. Therefore, heads began to roll in his own back yard, beginning with the bishop of Rome, Pope Fabian, who was martyred in the earliest days of the edict.  From there, the diabolical tentacles of Decius spread throughout the empire, spurred by vengeful pagans who called for blood.  Harassing the chief leaders of the Church throughout the empire, it was not long before the bishops of Antioch and Jerusalem were slain.  From there, the call for blood reached Alexandria and Carthage where both bishops, Dionysius and Cyprian, respectively, were able to flee to safety. It may have been the geographical advantage of distance that allowed them time to escape, but I think it was by divine providence they were saved. 

The Fallout: Weak Sheep and Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

Weak Sheep:  With shepherds murdered, imprisoned or in flight - one can imagine the chaos for the priests, deacons and laity who remained.  The weak (the Lapsi) were the first show their lack of faith and perseverance, for vast numbers turned against their Lord immediately.  In addition there were Lapsi who, though unwilling, still complied for one reason or another.  Regardless of their willing or unwillingness, these apostates wreaked havoc on the churches and left a sour taste in the mouths of the faithful.  Before the persecution had ended, there arose no small debate on how to deal with the Lapsi who desired to return to the Church, and it was this debate that brought out the wolves. 

Two Wolves: At Carthage, the deacon Felicissimus took it upon himself to freely discharge communion to the Lapsi against his bishops directives.  Empowered by a great many who desired (even demanded) to return, he was subsequently charged with encouraging the people to disobey their bishop and forming a schismatic group. He and his faction, which included five priests, were excommunicated, but not before much damage had been done.  Cyprian, in a letter to the laity, encouraged them to avoid this seditious group for, “There is one God, and one Christ, and there is one church, and one chair founded upon the rock by the word of the Lord.  Another alter cannot be constituted or a new priesthood be made, except the one altar, and the one priesthood.”

At Rome, the priest Novatian went further in his errors and, to much dismay, garnered greater support for his cause.  Unlike Felicissimus, Novatian preached universal rejection of all Lapsi; no matter how penitent they were.  As one of the leaders in Rome, who had hopes of filling Fabian’s shoes, Novatian exploited the raw nerves of the faithful who saw the Lapsi as both idolaters and traitors to the faith.  The first charge brought against him was his denial of Church authority in the matter of forgiveness; claiming that only God had the right to forgive.  The second charge was unlawfully ordaining himself a bishop and then setting himself up as counter-pope to Cornelius - who was lawfully elected to fill Fabian’s seat.  In these two actions Novatian became both a heretic and a schismatic.  Excommunicated by Pope Cornelius and a council of bishops in 251, the aftermath was bitter-sweet.  Novatian had been weeded out, but subsequent “Novatianists” continued for several centuries outside the Church.

The Interim between Persecution and Peace and the Strength of Cyprian   

Through correspondence and messengers, Cyprian was kept informed, and extremely busy with the mounting situations in Carthage.  He also noted that these issues were not unique to his region, but that the problem of the Lapsi and schism were universal.  Both he and the faithful clergy at Rome (who ruled during the sede vacante) wrote dozens of letters discussing the issues and how best to proceed.  Regarding the Lapsi, they concluded that, during this time of duress, the matter should be placed on hold until the Mother Church was again at peace.  Then, the Church would review each Lapsi on a case-by-case basis.  Until that time, the Lapsi who wanted to return to the Church must remain patient, penitent and not given communion (only those on death’s doorstep could be treated otherwise).  Regarding all the other issues, they agreed to continue to exhort the faithful, rebuke the unfaithful, and serve in their official capacity as if there were peace. Order and discipline were paramount to maintain the integrity and unity of the Church. 

His concern for the flock of Christ, who suffered greatly, is evident in his letters. During his time in exile, Cyprian wrote continually to his fellow bishops, priests, deacons, and the laity both free and imprisoned.   His primary concern was to keep the Mother Church unified through order, discipline and a call to patience.  In addition, he regularly encouraged continued teaching, exhortations to bravery and perseverance in the face of death, and assistance to the widows and poor.  He never lost sight of all the duties that were required of himself or the clergy. 

This newly minted Catholic and Bishop proved himself to be a faithful shepherd at one of the worst moments in Church history.  Though Cyprian was able to return to Carthage after the persecution ended (with the death of Decius), he would not escape martyrdom. During a fresh persecution in Carthage in 258 A.D., Cyprian did not flee, neither did he make the proscribed pagan sacrifice.  He was tried, and beheaded, on September 14, 258 A.D.

His Feast Day is celebrated on September 16th.