On the Unity of the Catholic Church · §25 · Cyprian of Carthage

The early Church's unanimity in prayer

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Cyprian is describing the unity of the early believers under the apostles, before he contrasts it with the decline of his own time.

This unanimity once existed under the apostles. So the new people of believers, keeping the Lord's commands, held fast to its love. Scripture proves this when it says: "The crowd of those who had believed acted with one soul and mind" (Acts 4:32). And again: "They were all persevering with one mind in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers" (Acts 1:14). That is why they prayed with effective prayers; that is why they were able to obtain with confidence whatever they asked from God's mercy.

Latin

. Haec unanimitas sub apostolis olim fuit: sic nouus credentium populus Domini mandata custodiens caritatem suam tenuit. probat scriptura quae dicit: turba autem eorum qui crediderant anima ac mente una agebant. et iterum: et erant perseuerantes omnes unanimes in oratione cum mulieribus et Maria quae fuerat mater Iesu et fratribus eius. et ideo efficacibus precibus orabant, ideo impetrare cum fiducia poterant quodcumque de Dei misericordia postulabant.

About this text

Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, writes in 251 against the Novatian schism: the Church Christ founded is one and cannot be divided.

Cyprian of Carthage (c. 200–258) wrote this treatise as bishop of Carthage, addressing the faithful brethren and especially the bishops who preside in the Church. He composed it in 251 to warn Christians against schism and heresy, which he regarded as a subtler and more dangerous attack by the devil than open persecution, and to defend the unity of the Church against those who had broken away from it.

The immediate occasion was the schism of Novatian, which had been stirred up in part by Novatus and other presbyters of Cyprian's own church. Cyprian wrote to keep the Carthaginians from following the breakaway movement. He argues that the Church is one and indivisible, founded by Christ upon Peter as the single source of its unity, and that this unity is preserved through the one episcopate. Schismatics and heretics, even if they claim the name of Christian and suffer death, are cut off from the Church and cannot be saved.

A reader will meet Peter, the apostle upon whom Christ founded the Church, and Paul and John, whose letters and Gospel are quoted on unity, love, and those who went out from the Church. Old Testament figures such as Korah, Dathan, Abiram, Uzziah, Aaron, Ahijah, Rahab, Solomon, and Judas appear as examples of rebellion, division, or prefigurations of the Church. The Lord, Paul, John, the Holy Spirit, Ahijah the prophet, and Scripture all speak in the treatise.

New English from the Latin base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from CSEL 3.1 (1868) (Latin)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.