Saint Cornelius & Saint Cyprian
Lives of the Saints
by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. edition
[1894]
September 16.—ST. CYPRIAN, Bishop, Martyr.
CYPRIAN was an African of noble birth, but of evil life, a pagan, and a teacher of rhetoric.
In middle life he was converted to Christianity, and shortly after his baptism was ordained priest, and made Bishop of Carthage, notwithstanding his resistance.
When the persecution of Decius broke out, he fled from his episcopal city, that he might be the better able to minister to the wants of his flock, but returned on occasion of a pestilence. Later on he was banished, and saw in a vision his future martyrdom.
Being recalled from exile, sentence of death was pronounced against him, which he received with the words “Thanks be to God.” His great desire was to die whilst in the act of preaching the faith of Christ, and he had the consolation of being surrounded at his martyrdom by crowds of his faithful children.
He was beheaded on the 14th of September, 258, and was buried with great solemnity. Even the pagans respected his memory.
Reflection.—The duty of almsgiving is declared both by nature and revelation: by nature, because it flows from the principle imprinted within us of doing to others as we would they should do to us; by revelation, in many special commands of Scripture, and in the precept of divine charity which binds us to love God for His own sake, and our neighbor for the sake of God.
Saint Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyr 1 Cor 15:12-20/Lk 8:1-3 (447).
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/cornelius-533
CATHOLICISM SAINTS ST. CORNELIUS
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/cyprian-535
CATHOLICISM SAINTS ST. CYPRIAN
*Pope Cornelius was the bishop of Rome from 6 or 13 March 251 to his martyrdom in June 253. He was pope during and following a period of persecution of the church and a schism occurred over how repentant church members who had practiced pagan sacrifices to protect themselves could be readmitted to the church. He agreed with Cyprian of Carthage that those who had lapsed could be restored to communion after varying forms of penance. That position was in contrast to the Novatianists, who held that those who failed to maintain their confession of faith under persecution would not be received again into communion with the church. That resulted in a schism in the Church of Rome that spread as each side sought to gather support. Cornelius held a synod that confirmed his election and excommunicated Novatian, but the controversy regarding lapsed members continued for years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Cornelius
**Cyprian (/ˈsɪpriən/ SIP-ree-ən; Latin: Thaschus Caecilius Cyprianus; c. 210 – 14 September 258 AD) was a bishop of Carthage and an early Christian writer of Berber descent, many of whose Latin works are extant. He is recognized as a saint in the Western and Eastern churches.
He was born around the beginning of the 3rd century in North Africa, perhaps at Carthage, 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 heresy and outbreak of the Plague of Cyprian (named after him due to his description of it), and eventual martyrdom 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 until Jerome and Augustine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprian
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
Jn 15:26–27