From the Roman Breviary, Liturgical Year, Dom
Gueranger
St. Cornelius
Cornelius, a Roman by birth, was sovereign Pontiff
during the reign of the emperors Gallus and Volusianus. In concert with a holy
lady named Lucina, he translated the bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul from the
catacombs to a more honourable resting place. St. Paul’s body was entombed by
Lucina on an estate of hers on the Ostian Way, close to the spot where he had
been be headed; while Cornelius laid the body of the Prince of the apostles
near the place of his crucifixion. When this became known to the emperors, and
they were moreover informed that, by the advice of the Pontiff, many became
Christians, Cornelius was exiled to Centumcellae, where Cyprian, bishop of
Carthage, wrote to him to console him.
The frequency of this Christian and charitable
intercourse between the two saints gave great displeasure to the emperors; and
accordingly, Cornelius was summoned to Rome, where, as if guilty of treason, he
was beaten with scourges tipped with lead. He was next dragged before an image
of Mars, and commanded to sacrifice to it; but indignantly refusing to commit
such an act of impiety, he was beheaded on the eighteenth of the Calends of
October. The blessed Lucina, aided by some clerics, buried his body in a
sandpit on her estate, near to the cemetery of Callixtus. His pontificate lasted
about two years.
St. Cyprian
From the book of St. Jerome, priest, on Ecclesiastical
writers.
Cyprian was a native of Africa, and at first taught rhetoric
there with great applause. The priest Caecilius, from whom he adopted his
surname persuaded him to become a Christian. Thereupon, Cyprian distributed all
his goods among the poor. Not long afterwards, having been made priest, he was
chosen bishop of Carthage. It would be useless to enlarge upon his genius,
since his works out shine the sun. He suffered under the emperors Valerian and
Gallienus, in the eighth persecution, on the same day as Cornelius was martyred
at Rome, but not in the same year.
Holy Pontiffs, united now in glory as you once were by
friendship and in martyrdom, preserve with in us the fruit of your example and
doctrine. Your life teaches us to despise honours and fortune for Christ’s
sake, and to give to the Church all our devotedness, of which the world is
unworthy. May this be understood by those countless descendants of noble races,
who are led astray by a misguided society. May they learn from you gloriously
to confound the impious conspiracy that seeks to exterminate them in shameful
oblivion and enforced idleness. If their fathers deserved well of mankind, they
themselves may now enter upon a higher career of usefulness, where decadence is
unknown, and the fruit once produced is everlasting. Remind the lowly as well
as the great in the city of God, that peace and war alike have flowers to crown
the soldier of Christ: the white wreath of good works is offered to those who
cannot aspire to the rosy diadem of martyrdom.1 Watch, O Cyprian over thy
Church of Carthage, now at length renewing her youth. And do thou, O Cornelius,
restore to Rome her glorious past. Put down the foreigner from her throne; for
the mistress of the world must obey no ruler but the Vicar of the King of
kings. May her speedy deliverance be the signal to her people for a complete
renovation, which cannot now be far distant, unless the end of the world be
approaching.
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