Cyprian, St
Cyprian, St (d. 258). Bishop of Carthage and martyr. He was elected bishop only two years after his conversion to Christianity c.246. During the persecution of Decius (249–51) he ruled his church from exile. After his return he pursued the policy of reconciling the ‘lapsed’ (i.e. those who had apostatized during the persecution), not easily, but after appropriate penance and delay. The subsequent schism of Novatian gave rise to the question whether schismatics returning to the Church needed rebaptism. Cyprian's writings in Latin include a number of short theological works, among them On the Unity of the Catholic Church (251), and letters. Feast days variously 16 and 26 Sept., 2 Oct.
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Cyprian, St
