 | |
| St. Cyprian |
Emperor Decius, was the emperor of the Roman Empire from 249 to 251 AD–not a long reign. But he did a lot of damage and something new. He launched an empire-wide persecution of the Church. Not since Nero was there such a universal persecution, before this, it was usually just local and sporadic. Nero outlawed Christianity and the law stayed on the books, but was only enforced when politically convenient, usually by regional authorities
During his reign, Decius attempted to revitalize the Roman Empire, in January 250, which led to persecution, because he blamed the slow decline of the empire on Christians. He began by killing Pope Fabian, and other bishops. In the past, Nero and Domitian had killed popes, but it was more by chance, than by design.
Decius knew who the pope was, and why he was important. He also understood the importance of bishops. The bishops of Carthage and Alexandria disappeared in the night; the bishops of Antioch and Jerusalem died in prison. This is the persecution that Origen was hidden from by his bishop of Caesarea. The bishop of Smyrna apostatized, and so did thousands of the faithful and some priests.
Emperor Decius was trying to revive the Empire by going to war in the Balkans. The barbarian Goths there were a constant threat. In June of 251 AD, Decius died in the Battle of Abrittus against the Goths; the successor, Emperor Gallus, rescinded Decius's decree against Christians.
Peace led to an internal crisis in the Church. What to do with those who apostatize? Some said that they could not be forgiven. But Pope Cornelius, who was newly elected when persecution eased, said that those who apostatized should be shown mercy. Rigorists opposed the pope on this point, with no forgiveness for "traitors," and started a schismatic church, with an antipope– Novatian.
Pope Cornelius died in 253 AD, succeeded by Lucius, who in turn also shortly died in 254 AD, and was succeeded by Pope Stephan. Pope Stephan opposed a heresy being spread by the bishops in Africa, led by St. Cyprian. Cyprian was rebaptizing those who were validly baptized outside the juridical boundaries of the Church by heretics. This was against Apostolic teaching, the heretics followed the correct form and matter, intending to do what the Apostles taught.
Cyprian is a curious case of a saint, he was martyred for the Faith eventually, but his way there was not smooth. He rose in the ranks of the Church in Carthage very fast after his Baptism. Going from deacon, to priest, to bishop in a short time. Being very wealthy he gave away much of his wealth, showing his conversion was sincere. He was learned but mainly had terrific pastoral skills; but the local clergy were not happy that priests who had served well for many years were overlooked in his promotion to bishop.
When in January 250 AD, Emperor Decius' edict ordering sacrifices to the gods to be made throughout the Empire,(Jews for some reason were specifically exempted from this requirement, but not Christians.) caught the Church off guard after many years of peace. Cyprian had just been elected bishop the year prior. Cyprian chose to go into hiding, rather than face potential execution. Many in the clergy saw that decision as a sign of cowardice.
Cyprian defended himself by claiming not to leave the faithful without a shepherd during the persecution, and that he decided to continue to lead from a distance. He defended his position of hiding in a tract called De Lapsis:
"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..."It is hard to judge people when it comes to persecution. I assume Cyprian was doing what he thought best. We pray we will be led by the Spirit in difficult times. But when Cyprian returned after the persecution was lifted, he was opposed by many in his clergy.
Cyprian, while not as strict as the rigorist schismatics of antipope Novatian, and not as lenient as his local clergy desired; he thought he was taking a middle way. He called a council and the requirements were rather strict by our modern standards. The council decided that each case should be individually decided, and only be restored after a lengthy period of public penance, whereas those who had actually sacrificed might after life-long penance, receive Communion only at the the hour of death.
But it looked like hypocrisy to his clergy. Many witnessed the persecution, losing loved ones, and seeing others crippled by torture. The clergy suffered, while the bishop remained hidden.
The clergy amass reconciled the “lapsi “ (the fallen) with little penance. They refused the middle way of Cyprian and his council or the rigorists. They chose mercy over discipline. But it also led to a small schism not of rigorists but of the laxists.
Cyprian now found himself wedged between laxists and rigorists. Cyprian’s redeemed himself in the eyes of the laity, by his dedication during a great plague and famine that hit his region, which gained him popular support. He exhorted, in writing, to active charity towards the poor and also set a personal example.
Rebaptism of heretics
Cyprian then was led into another controversy– rebaptizing heretics.
Tertullian had argued, long before Cyprian, that heretics do not have the same God– the same Christ with Catholics, therefore their baptisms are null and void. The African Church adopted this view in the First African Council of Carthage, probably 215-217 AD. This was not long before Cyprian became bishop. So it is understandable why he supported rebaptism of heretics.
In the East, the custom of rebaptizing heretics had probably arisen from the fact that so many heretics disbelieved in the Holy Trinity, many were Gnostics, and possibly did not even have the right intentions or use the right form and matter. Similar to how Catholics do not acknowledge Mormon baptisms, but accept most Protestants' baptisms, since most Protestants believe in the Holy Trinity, and use the correct matter and form, with the intention of doing what the Church does, as instructed by Christ.
St. Cyprian and the local council in Africa again agreed all heretics must be rebaptized. But when word of this reached Rome, Pope Stephan immediately opposed this. If the intention with matter and form were followed, as it was with schismatics, then no rebaptism was allowed. There is only one Baptism for the remission of sins.
Although it seems like St. Cyprian was opposing Apostolic Tradition, he was actually set up by a faulty understanding, as were the other bishops who joined him. While corrected by the pope, no further action was taken. There was a debate about whether rebaptism was a discipline or doctrine ? Teachings were still being clarified as problems came up. Not that there were new doctrines since the death of the last Apostle, or evolving doctrines– changing their meaning; but they can become more focused and clearer as challenges arise.
Martyrdom
With all the controversies that surrounded Cyprian, he always seemed to be of good will. He desired to follow Christ and His Church, always faithfully. He was finally brought to the point of being tried for his Faith, proving many wrong that he lacked the courage of his convictions, or that he had grown in his Faith, in the ensuing years .
Valerian became Emperor in 253 AD but as difficulties arose in the Empire; he again as Emperors in the past blamed Christians; who needed to stop offending the Roman gods. In 257 AD, he commanded that Christian clergy must perform sacrifices to the Roman gods or face banishment. The following year, he ordered the execution of Christian leaders. It also required Christian senators to perform acts of worship to the Roman gods or lose their titles and property, and directed that they be executed if they continued to refuse. Flushing out secret Christians.
Cyprian was arrested on the 30th of August, 257 AD, he was brought before the Roman proconsul Aspasius Paternus . Cyprian declared himself a Christian and a bishop, and refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods. The proconsul banished him to Curubis, now Korba.
The following year 258 AD, a new directive was sent out by Emperor Valerian– death to all bishops, priests, and deacons.
In August of 258 AD, Cyprian learned that Pope Sixtus had been put to death in the catacombs, together with four of his deacons, as a consequence of the new edict. One deacon survived the ordeal, the famed Lawrence. He was spared to turnover the treasures of the Church. He brought only the poor and handicapped saying: “these are our treasures” He was condemned to death on the grill –cooked alive.
Soon, Cyprian would follow with the loss of his own life.
He was beheaded, on the 14th of September, in Carthage for refusing to offer sacrifice to the gods. He hung on like a true disciple of Christ in the end. No rumors from the last persecution could question his faith and trust in God.
No comments:
Post a Comment