Acts of Cyprian · §1 · Origen of Alexandria

Cyprian confesses he is a Christian bishop and accepts exile

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At Carthage the governor Paternus questions Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, about the emperors order to perform Roman worship.

In the fourth consulship of Valerian and the third of Gallienus, three days before the Kalends of September, at Carthage in the council chamber, Paternus the governor spoke to Cyprian the bishop: "The most sacred emperors Valerian and Gallienus have seen fit to send me a letter, commanding that those who do not practice the Roman religion must perform the Roman worship rites. I have asked about your identity, so what do you answer?"

Cyprian the bishop said: "I am a Christian and a bishop. I know no other gods but the one true God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them. We Christians serve this God, and we pray to him day and night for ourselves and for all people and for the safety of the emperors themselves."

Paternus the governor said: "Do you stand firm in this resolve then?" Cyprian the bishop replied: "A good resolve that knows God cannot be changed."

Paternus the governor said: "Then will you go into exile to the city of Curubis, as Valerian and Gallienus command?" Cyprian the bishop said: "I will go."

Greek

I. Imperatore Valeriano quartum et Gallieno tertium consulibus, tertio kalendarum Septembrium, Carthagine in secretario Paternus proconsul Cypriano episcopo dixit: Sacratissimi imperatores Valerianus et Gallienus litteras ad me dare dignati sunt, quibus praeceperunt eos qui Romanam religionem non colunt, debere Romanas caeremonias recognoscere. exquisivi ergo de nomine tuo, quid mihi respondes? Cyprianus episcopus dixit: Christianus sum et episcopus. nullos alios deos novi nisi unum et verum deum, qui fecit caelum et terram, mare et quae sunt in eis omnia. huic deo nos Christiani deservimus, hunc deprecamur diebus ac noctibus pro nobis et pro omnibus hominibus et pro incolumitate ipsorum imperatorum. Paternus proconsul dixit: In hac ergo voluntate perseveras? Cyprianus episcopus respondit: Bona voluntas, quae deum novit, immutari non potest. Paternus proconsul dixit: Poteris ergo secundum praeceptum Valeriani et Gallieni exsul ad urbem Curubitanam proficisci? Cyprianus episcopus dixit: Proficiscor.

About this text

The work preserves a sequential record of Bishop Cyprian's interrogations, condemnation, and execution at Carthage for communal memory.

This work is anonymous and names no addressee. It follows in sequence the interrogations, condemnation and execution of Cyprian at Carthage for communal memory, and it states its purpose only in its closing doxology.

Before Paternus the governor, Cyprian confesses that he is a Christian and bishop who worships only the one true creator God and refuses the worship rites, and he refuses to name the priests. After exile at Curubis he is brought before Galerius Maximus the next governor, where he again admits his leadership and refuses the rites ordered by the emperors Valerian and Gallienus. Galerius Maximus consults his council and condemns him as organizer of an unlawful association hostile to Roman gods and laws. He is executed by the sword, thanks God, and is carried away by night by fellow Christians for burial on the grounds of Macrobius Candidianus, with Julian the priest and Julian the subdeacon helping to blindfold him. The speeches of Paternus, Cyprian, Galerius Maximus and the crowd of fellow Christians are quoted in direct exchange, with Cyprian answering the two governors.

Here bishop means leader of the local Christians, priests means its subordinate clergy, governor means the Roman governor judging the case, worship rites means the acts of Roman worship demanded, gatherings means forbidden Christian gatherings, cemeteries means places for burial that Christians were forbidden to enter, and fellow Christians means those accompanying and burying Cyprian. No book of the Bible is formally quoted and no titles occur. The only biblical language is Cyprian's creator formula of the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, which recalls Exodus, Acts and Revelation.

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 Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.