On the Unity of the Catholic Church · §7 · Cyprian of Carthage

The seamless tunic as sign of the Church's indivisible unity

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Cyprian is explaining how the seamless tunic of Christ in the Gospel, and Ahijah's torn garment in the Old Testament, both signify the unity of the Church.

This sacred sign of unity, this bond of harmony holding inseparably together, is shown in the Gospel when the tunic of the Lord Jesus Christ is not divided or torn at all. Instead, as they cast lots for Christ's clothing to see who would rather put on Christ, the garment is received whole, and the tunic is possessed undamaged and undivided. Divine Scripture speaks and says: "Now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top, so they said to one another, 'Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be'" (John 19:23-24). He bore the unity that comes from above—that is, from heaven and from the Father—which could not be torn at all by the one who received and possessed it, but held its whole and solid firmness once for all, inseparably. Whoever tears and divides the Church of Christ cannot possess Christ's garment. Finally, when Solomon was dying and his kingdom and people were being divided, the prophet Ahijah met King Jeroboam in the field and tore his own garment into twelve pieces, saying: "Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord says: 'Look, I am tearing the kingdom out of Solomon's hand and will give you ten scepters, and two scepters will remain his for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I chose to put my name there'" (1 Kings 11:30-32). When the twelve tribes of Israel were being divided, the prophet Ahijah tore his garment. But because the people of Christ cannot be divided, his tunic, woven throughout and holding together, was not divided by those who possessed it. Undivided, joined, connected, it shows the cohering harmony of our people who have put on Christ. By the sacred sign of the garment and its meaning, he declared the unity of the Church.

Latin

Hoc unitatis sacramentum, hoc uinculum concordiae inseparabiliter cohaerentis ostenditur, quando in euangelio tunica Domini Iesu Christi non diuiditur omnino nec scinditur, sed sortientibus de ueste Christi, quis Christum potius indueret, integra uestis accipitur et incorrupta adque indiuidua tunica possidetur. loquitur ac dicit scriptura diuina: de tunica autem, quia de superiore parte non consutilis sed per totum textilis fuerat, dixerunt ad inuicem: non scindamus llam sed sortiamur de ea, cuius sit. unitatem ille portabat de superiore parte uenientem id est de caelo et a patre uenientem quae ab accipiente ac possidente scindi omnino non poterat, sed totam semel et solidam firmitatem inseparabiliter obtinebat. possidere non potest indumentum Christi qui scindit et diuidit ecclesiam Christi. contra denique cum Salomone moriente regnum eius et populus scinderetur, Achias propheta Hieroboam regi obuius factus in campo in duodecim scissuras uestimentum suum discidit dicens: sume tibi decem scissuras, quia haec dicit Dominus: ecce scindo regnum de manu Salomonis et dabo tibi decem sceptra, et duo sceptra erunt ei propter seruum meum Dauid et propter Hierusalem ciuitatem quam elegi, ut ponam nomen meum illic. cum duodecim tribus Israel scinderentur, uestimentum suum propheta Achias discidit. at uero quia Christi populus non potest scindi, tunica eius per totum textilis et cohaerens diuisa a possidentibus non est: indiuidua, copulata, conexa ostendit populi nostri qui Christum induimus concordiam cohaerentem. sacramento uestis et signo declarauit ecclesiae unitatem.

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.