English: Saint Cornelius. Pope and Martyr.
Deutsch: Ausstattung der ehemaligen Seitenaltäre
der Meßkircher St. Martinskirche, Standflügel: Heiliger Cornelius als Papst und Märtyrer.
Artist: Meister von Meßkirch (1500–1543).
Date: 1535-1540.
Current location: Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Germany.
Source/Photographer: Eingescannt aus: Anna Moraht-Fromm und Hans Westhoff: Der Meister von Meßkirch – Forschungen zur südwestdeutschen
Malerei des 16. Jahrhunderts, Ulm, 1997, S. 190.
(Wikimedia Commons)
English: Saint Cyprian. Bishop and Martyr.
Deutsch: Ausstattung der ehemaligen Seitenaltäre
der Meßkircher St. Martinskirche, Standflügel:
als Bischof und Märtyrer.
Artist: Meister von Meßkirch (1500–1543).
Date: 1535-1540.
Current location: Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Germany.
Source/Photographer: Eingescannt aus: Anna Moraht-Fromm und Hans Westhoff: Der Meister von Meßkirch – Forschungen zur südwestdeutschen
Malerei des 16. Jahrhunderts, Ulm, 1997, S. 190.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Text from “The Liturgical Year”.
By: Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.
Volume 14.
Time After Pentecost.
Book V.
There is a peculiar beauty in the meeting of these two Saints upon the Sacred Cycle.
Cyprian, in a famous dispute [Editor: On the question of the validity of Baptism conferred by heretics], was once opposed to the Apostolic See: Eternal Wisdom now offers him to the homage of the World, in company with one of the most illustrious successors of Saint Peter.
Cornelius was, by birth, of the highest nobility; witness his tomb, lately discovered in the family crypt, surrounded by the most honourable names in the partrician ranks.
The elevation of a descendant of the Scipios to the sovereign Pontificate linked the past grandeurs of Rome to her future greatness.
Decius, who “would more easily have suffered a competitor in his empire than a Bishop in Rome,” [Editor: Cyprian Epist. x. ad Antonianum, ix] had just issued the edict for the Seventh General Persecution.
But the Cæsar bestowed upon the World’s capital by a village of Pannonia, could not stay the destinies of the Eternal City.
Besides this bloodthirsty emperor, and others like him, whose fathers were known in the City only as slaves or conquered enemies, the true Roman, the descendant of the Cornelii, might be recognised by his native simplicity, by the calmness of his strength of Soul, by the intrepid firmness belonging to his race, wherewith he first triumphed over the usurper, who was soon to surrender to the Goths on the borders of the Danube.
And yet, O holy Pontiff, thou art even greater by the humility which Cyprian, thy illustrious friend, admired in thee, and by that “purity of thy virginal Soul,” through which, according to him, thou didst become the elect of God and of His Christ.
Great in his life, Cyprian was still greater in death. Valerian had given orders for the extermination of the principal Clergy; and in Rome, Sixtus II, followed by Laurence, had led the way to Martyrdom.
Galerius Maximus, Pro-Consul of Africa, was then holding his assizes at Utica, and commanded Thascius Cyprian to be brought before him. But the Bishop would not allow “the honour of his Church to be mutilated,” by dying at a distance from his Episcopal City. He therefore waited till the Pro-Consul had returned to Carthage, and then delivered himself up by making a public entrance into the Town.
The interrogation with the judge was short, for there was no hope of shaking Cyprian’s constancy; and the judge pronounced sentence that Thascius Cyprian must die by the sword.
On the way to the place of execution, the soldiers formed a guard of honour to the Bishop, who advanced calmly, surronded by his Clergy as on days of Solemnity.
The Pontiff Prayed prostrate upon the ground; then rising, he ordered twenty-five Gold Pieces to be given to the executioner, and, taking off his tunic, handed it to the Deacons.
The Bishop, himself, gave the word of command to the executioner. In the evening, the Faithful came with torches and with Hymns to bur Cyprian.
It was 14 September 258 A.D.
