Thasius Cyprianus, known as St. Cyprian of Carthage today, was born around the year 200 A.D. in the Roman province of Africa (present day Tunisia).
He was the son of a wealthy pagan Senator. Due to his family's wealth, Cyprian was extremely well educated and became an instructor of oration, rhetoric, and philosophy. He was an orator and advocate (the ancient Roman equivalent of a defense attorney).
He studied Christianity under his mentors, Tertullian (also an orator) and Cecilius the Presbyter. Before converting to Christianity, Cyprian gave away all his wealth to the poor. Originally, he believed his life of sin made him irredeemable in the eyes of God. But, upon being baptized, he felt he had been reborn and said, "what the Holy Spirit hath wrought within me is divine and heavenly." The year following his baptism, he was ordained a priest. When Bishop Donatus of Carthage died, the faithful unanimously chose Cyprian as bishop around 248 A.D.
During this time, Christians were heavily persecuted by the Roman Emperor. Pope Fabian was martyred in January 250 A.D. Many Christians renounced Jesus Christ and sacrificed to pagan gods in order to avoid the same fate. Cyprian said that the glory of Fabian's martyrdom "answered the purity and holiness of [the Pope's] life."
The Western Church was very close to disaster. The Pope had been executed and the Church was divided on what to do with the Christians that apostatized to save their lives. One side, led by Novatian, said that the apostates could not rejoin Christianity, even if they repented. He held that idolatry was an unforgivable sin. The other side, led by Cyprian and a priest named Cornelius, believed that the apostates could be restored to communion through repentance and penance.
Due to this conflict and the persecution by the emperor, the papal seat was vacant for over a year. When the emperor left Rome on campaign, Cornelius was elected pope. Though he was reluctant, his friend Cyprian believed it was God's will. Pope Cornelius and a group of bishops including Cyprian excommunicated Novatian and his followers and definitively decided that apostates could be restored to the faith through repentance and penance.
Cyprian and Cornelius were close friends for the rest of their lives. They wrote frequently and addressed each other as "my very dear brother."
Unfortunately, Cornelius did not reign long as Pope. The persecution of Christians resumed and Cornelius was exiled and died in June 253 A.D. Shortly after his death, he was recognized as a Saint.
Cyprian understood that this latest persecution would eventually come to Carthage and wrote many homilies and epistles encouraging the faithful to not fear martyrdom. He was exiled by the Roman governor in 257 A.D. for refusing to sacrifice to pagan Gods and renounce Jesus Christ. He did the best to comfort his flock during his exile through his many letters. He was recalled to Carthage and was held captive until September 14th, 258 A.D. when he was executed.
When the Roman Governor sentenced Cyprian to be beheaded, he simply replied, "thanks be to God." He was recognized as a Saint by the Church soon afterward. September 16th become the feast day of St. Cyprian & St. Cornelius; best of friends in life, they are now bound together forever through their shared feast day.
St. Cyprian guided his community through two great persecutions, the second of which claimed his own life. He chose to be beheaded rather renounce Jesus Christ. Through words and example, St. Cyprian encouraged all Christians to persevere in faith, even unto death. At the same time, he mirrored Christ's mercy and forgiveness by welcoming back Christians that had apostatized out of fear.
St. Cyprian had a deep love for the unity of the Church and did all he could to protect that unity. He wrote:
You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church for your Mother. God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one; one in faith, one in the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of the body... If we are heirs of Christ, let us abide in the peace of Christ; if we are children of God, let us be lovers of peace.
St. Cyprian is the Patron Saint of North Africa and the Berber people.
May we, the Christian Community named for St. Cyprian, persevere in our faith in the twenty-first century and seek the same unity in Christ for which St. Cyprian offered his life.