Cyprian of Carthage→Unknown|c. 252 AD|cyprian carthage
women
What I'm about to share, dearest brothers, belongs to our common joy and to the greatest glory of our Church. You should know that by divine direction I have appointed Numidicus to the rank of presbyter, to sit among us in the clergy.
He is a man illuminated by the brightest light of confession, exalted in the honor of both courage and faith. By his exhortation he sent ahead of himself a great company of martyrs, killed by stones and flames. He watched his own wife — burning at his side, or rather (I should say) preserved through fire — join the company of the blessed.
He himself, half consumed, overwhelmed with stones, and left for dead, was later found by his daughter, who came searching anxiously for her father's body. She discovered him half alive. He was pulled out and revived — and remained behind, against his will, from among the companions he had already sent ahead.
The reason he survived, as we can now see, was this: the Lord wanted to add him to our clergy and adorn with glorious priests the ranks that had been depleted by the fall of some. When God permits, he will be advanced to higher office. For now, let what has been revealed be done. Let us receive this gift of God with thanksgiving, and hope that He will grant us many more such gifts — strengthening His Church with faithful and good leaders in proportion to the damage that has been done.
Epistle 34
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To the Same, About the Ordination of Numidicus as Presbyter.
Argument.— Cyprian Tells the Clergy and People that Numidicus Has Been Ordained by Him Presbyter; And Briefly Commends His Worth.
Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons, and to the whole people, his brethren, very dear and longed-for, greeting. That which belongs, dearest brethren, both to the common joy and to the greatest glory of our Church ought to be told to you; for you must know that I have been admonished and instructed by divine condescension, that Numidicus the presbyter should be appointed in the number of Carthaginian presbyters, and should sit with us among the clergy — a man illustrious by the brightest light of confession, exalted in the honour both of virtue and of faith; who by his exhortation sent before himself an abundant number of martyrs, slain by stones and by the flames, and who beheld with joy his wife abiding by his side, burned (I should rather say, preserved) together with the rest. He himself, half consumed, overwhelmed with stones, and left for dead — when afterwards his daughter, with the anxious consideration of affection, sought for the corpse of her father — was found half dead, was drawn out and revived, and remained unwillingly from among the companions whom he himself had sent before. But the reason of his remaining behind, as we see, was this: that the Lord might add him to our clergy, and might adorn with glorious priests the number of our presbyters that had been desolated by the lapse of some. And when God permits, he shall be advanced to a larger office in his region, when, by the Lord's protection, we have come into your presence once more. In the meantime, let what is revealed be done, that we receive this gift of God with thanksgiving, hoping from the Lord's mercy more ornaments of the same kind, that so the strength of His Church being renewed, He may make men so meek and lowly to flourish in the honour of our assembly. I bid you, brethren, very dear and longed-for, ever heartily farewell.
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What I'm about to share, dearest brothers, belongs to our common joy and to the greatest glory of our Church. You should know that by divine direction I have appointed Numidicus to the rank of presbyter, to sit among us in the clergy.
He is a man illuminated by the brightest light of confession, exalted in the honor of both courage and faith. By his exhortation he sent ahead of himself a great company of martyrs, killed by stones and flames. He watched his own wife — burning at his side, or rather (I should say) preserved through fire — join the company of the blessed.
He himself, half consumed, overwhelmed with stones, and left for dead, was later found by his daughter, who came searching anxiously for her father's body. She discovered him half alive. He was pulled out and revived — and remained behind, against his will, from among the companions he had already sent ahead.
The reason he survived, as we can now see, was this: the Lord wanted to add him to our clergy and adorn with glorious priests the ranks that had been depleted by the fall of some. When God permits, he will be advanced to higher office. For now, let what has been revealed be done. Let us receive this gift of God with thanksgiving, and hope that He will grant us many more such gifts — strengthening His Church with faithful and good leaders in proportion to the damage that has been done.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.