Letter 47

Cornelius to his brother Cyprian, greetings. So that nothing might be lacking to the eventual punishment of this wretched man — cast down by the power of God, thanks to your expulsion of Maximus, Longinus, and Machaeus — he has risen again. As I mentioned in my earlier letter, which I sent by Augendus the confessor, I believe that Nicostratus, Novatus, Evaristus, Primus, and Dionysius have already arrived in your territory. Take care, therefore, that it be made known to all our co-bishops and brothers: that Nicostratus stands accused of many crimes — not only that he committed frauds and plundered his secular patroness whose affairs he had managed, but also, and this will follow him as a perpetual sentence, that he stole a substantial sum belonging to the Church and denied holding deposits belonging to widows and orphans. That Evaristus was himself the author of a schism, and that Zetus has been appointed in his place as bishop to the people he once served. But Evaristus continued to work worse mischief still through his malice and insatiable wickedness. You can see from all of this what kind of leaders and protectors that schismatic and heretic has always drawn to his side. I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily fare well.

Epistle 47 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... Cornelius to Cyprian, Concerning the Faction of Novatian with His Party. Argument.— Cornelius Gives Cyprian an Account of the Faction of Novatian. Cornelius to Cyprian his brother, greeting. That nothing might be wanting to the future punishment of this wretched man, when cast down by the powers of God, (on the expulsion by you of Maximus, and Longinus, and Machaeus;) he has risen again; and, as I intimated in my former letter which I sent to you by Augendus the confessor, I think that Nicostratus, and Novatus, and Evaristus, and Primus, and Dionysius, have already come there. Therefore let care be taken that it be made known to all our co-bishops and brethren, that Nicostratus is accused of many crimes, and that not only has he committed frauds and plunders on his secular patroness, whose affairs he managed; but, moreover (which is reserved to him for a perpetual punishment), he has abstracted no small deposits of the Church; that Evaristus has been the author of a schism; and that Zetus has been appointed bishop in his room, and his successor to the people over whom he had previously presided. But he contrived greater and worse things by his malice and insatiable wickedness than those which he was then always practising among his own people; so that you may know what kind of leaders and protectors that schismatic and heretic constantly had joined to his side. I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily fare well.