Letter 20

Celerinus to Lucian, greetings. Writing this letter to you, my lord and brother, I am torn between joy and sorrow. Joy — because I have heard that you were put on trial for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, and that you confessed his name before the magistrates of this world. Sorrow — because since we last saw each other, I have never once received a letter from you. And now a double grief has struck me: even though you knew our brother Montanus was coming to me from prison on your behalf, you sent no word about how you are or what is happening to you. But this is how it goes for servants of God, especially those appointed for the confession of Christ. I know that everyone in your position looks past the things of this world and fixes their hope on a heavenly crown. Still, I said to myself, perhaps you simply forgot to write. When I was enduring my own confession — my own "purple trial" — I remembered my oldest brothers in the faith and took notice of them in my letters, because their love still surrounded me and mine. Yet I beg you, beloved of the Lord: if you have already been washed in that sacred blood and have suffered for the Lord's name before my letters reach you in this world — or if they do reach you in time — please write back to me. May he crown you whose name you have confessed. But now let me tell you why I am in such anguish. I need you to share my grief over the spiritual death of my sisters, who in this devastating time have fallen from Christ. They offered sacrifice and provoked the Lord. Even during this paschal season of rejoicing, I weep day and night for them. I beg you and the other confessors: ask the Lord on their behalf. I know that you who still stand in the body are the friends of God. Grant what I ask for my sisters — and not only for them, but for all who have fallen. Here is what happened: Numeria and Candida were the ones who lapsed. I ask you to grant them peace and to make this known through a letter to the other confessors as well. [Context: Celerinus was a Roman Christian who had endured imprisonment and torture for his faith. He writes from Rome to the confessor Lucian in Carthage, begging him to use the authority of his suffering to grant certificates of peace to Celerinus's sisters, who had lapsed during the Decian persecution. The letter reveals the emotional texture of the crisis — family bonds stretched across the Mediterranean, entangled with questions of sin, forgiveness, and spiritual authority.]

Epistle 20 Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... Celerinus to Lucian. Argument.— Celerinus, on Behalf of His Lapsed Sisters at Rome, Beseeches Peace from the Carthaginian Confessors. 1. Celerinus to Lucian, greeting. In writing this letter to you, my lord and brother, I have been rejoicing and sorrowful — rejoicing in that I had heard that you had been tried on behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, and had confessed His name in the presence of the magistrates of the world; but sorrowful, in that from the time when I was in your company I have never been able to receive your letters. And now lately a twofold sorrow has fallen upon me; that although you knew that Montanus, our common brother, was coming to me from you out of the dungeon, you did not intimate anything to me concerning your wellbeing, nor about anything that is done in connection with you. This, however, continually happens to the servants of God, especially to those who are appointed for the confession of Christ. For I know that every one looks not now to the things that are of the world, but that he is hoping for a heavenly crown. Moreover, I said that perhaps you had forgotten to write to me. For if from the lowest place I may be called by you yours, or brother, if I should be worthy to hear myself named Celerinus; yet, when I also was in such a purple confession, I remembered my oldest brethren, and I took notice of them in my letters, that their former love was still around me and mine. Yet I beseech, beloved of the Lord, that if, first of all, you are Washed in that sacred blood, and have suffered for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ before my letters find you in this world, or should they now reach you, that you would answer them to me. So may He crown you whose name you have confessed. For I believe, that although in this world we do not see each other, yet in the future we shall embrace one another in the presence of Christ. Entreat that I may be worthy, even I, to be crowned along with your company. 2. Know, nevertheless, that I am placed in the midst of a great tribulation; and, as if you were present with me, I remember your former love day and night, God only knows. And therefore I ask that you will grant my desire, and that you will grieve with me at the (spiritual) death of my sister, who in this time of devastation has fallen from Christ; for she has sacrificed and provoked our Lord, as seems manifest to us. And for her deeds I in this day of paschal rejoicing, weeping day and night, have spent the days in tears, in sackcloth, and ashes, and I am still spending them so to this day, until the aid of our Lord Jesus Christ, and affection manifested through you, or through those my lords who have been crowned, from whom you are about to ask it, shall come to the help of so terrible a shipwreck. For I remember your former love, that you will grieve with all the rest for our sisters whom you also knew well — that is, Numeria and Candida — for whose sin, because they have us as brethren, we ought to keep watch. For I believe that Christ, according to their repentance and the works which they have done towards our banished colleagues who came from you — by whom themselves you will hear of their good works — that Christ, I say, will have mercy upon them, when you, His martyrs, beseech Him. 3. For I have heard that you have received the ministry of the purpled ones. Oh, happy are you, even sleeping on the ground, to obtain your wishes which you have always desired! You have desired to be sent into prison for His name's sake, which now has come to pass; as it is written, The Lord grant you according to your own heart; and now made a priest of God over them, and the same their minister has acknowledged it. I ask, therefore my lord, and I entreat by our Lord Jesus Christ, that you will refer the case to the rest of your colleagues, your brethren, my lords, and ask from them, that whichever of you is first crowned, should remit such a great sin to those our sisters, Numeria and Candida. For this latter I have always called Etecusa — God is my witness — because she gave gifts for herself that she might not sacrifice; but she appears only to have ascended to the Tria Fata, and thence to have descended. I know, therefore, that she has not sacrificed. Their cause having been lately heard, the chief rulers commanded them in the meantime to remain as they are, until a bishop should be appointed. But, as far as possible, by your holy prayers and petitions, in which we trust, since you are friends as well as witnesses of Christ, (we pray) that you would be indulgent in all these matters. 4. I entreat, therefore, beloved lord Lucian, be mindful of me, and acquiesce in my petition; so may Christ grant you that sacred crown which he has given you not only in confession but also in holiness, in which you have always walked and have always been an example to the saints as well as a witness, that you will relate to all my lords, your brethren the confessors, all about this matter, that they may receive help from you. For this, my lord and brother, you ought to know, that it is not I alone who ask this on their behalf, but also Statius and Severianus, and all the confessors who have come thence hither from you; to whom these very sisters went down to the harbour and took them up into the city, and they have ministered to sixty-five, and even to this day have tended them in all things, For all are with them. But I ought not to burden that sacred heart of yours any more, since I know that you will labour with a ready will. Macharius, with his sisters Cornelia and Emerita, salute you, rejoicing in your sanguinary confession, as well as in that of all the brethren, and Saturninus, who himself also wrestled with the devil, who also bravely confessed the name of Christ, who moreover, under the torture of the grappling claws, bravely confessed, and who also strongly begs and entreats this. Your brethren Calphurnius and Maria, and all the holy brethren, salute you. For you ought to know this too, that I have written also to my lords your brethren letters. which I request that you will deign to read to them.