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SAINTS OF THE ROMAN CANON
PART II
Sixtus Cornelius Cyprian
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THE SAINTS NAMED IN THE FIRST EUCHARISTIC PRAYER OF THE MASS WERE THE EARLY HEROES OF THE FAITH
BY MARIA HALL
This is our final look at the saints mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer. Their names are so familiar that I’m sure most of us could recite the complete list! They have been part of this ancient prayer since its completion in the 6th century by Pope Gregory the Great. The early Christians viewed these saints as heroes; they were the personalities of their day. With the passage of time, the details of their lives have become obscure and much that remains is tradition; but that does not diminish the fervour of their faith, and of the Christian community at the time, nor the bravery they demonstrated in facing a torturous death. Recalling their lives gives us the opportunity to experience the Roman Canon in a new light.
SIXTUS
It is generally agreed that the pope referred to is Pope Sixtus II. He was born in Greece, a philosopher, who was elected pope in 257 AD. He suffered martyrdom under the persecution of the emperor Valerian in 258. He is one of the few popes in history whose papacy lasted less than a year.
In that short time, he addressed thorny issues within the church, in particular the question of re-baptism. His predecessor, Stephen, believed that baptism was a once-in-a-lifetime event and he refused to re-baptise heretics, but Sixtus tolerated this practice which was enough to mend a rift between the church in Carthage and Rome.
The emperor Valerian had outlawed Christian gatherings in cemeteries, and this is where Sixtus was captured. One day, Roman soldiers broke into the chapel in the cemetery of Callistus and found Sixtus and his companions there. They beheaded Sixtus while still seated, along with a number of his deacons and attendants. Four days later, just as Sixtus had prophesied, the eminent deacon Lawrence was also beheaded. The church was so afraid of the severity of Christian persecution that they waited two years before electing his successor. Pope Damasus had an inscription placed on his tomb:
At the time when the sword pierced the bowels of the Mother… soldiers rushed in and dragged me from the chair. The Faithful offered their necks to the sword, but as soon as the Pastor saw the ones who wished to rob him of the palm of martyrdom, he was the first to offer himself and his own head…
CORNELIUS
Cornelius was an Italian, born around 180 AD. He was one of the first popes to keep the name given to him at birth. He was elected in 251 amidst a period of terrible Christian persecution. Cornelius was a quiet, unassuming man who didn’t want to be pope and he had to be persuaded. He was good friends with Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, from whom he found great support.
He had to deal with a schism brought about as a result of the Christian persecution. Novatian was a Roman priest who declared himself pope. He and his followers believed that those who denied their faith in the face of torture and threat of death could not be readmitted to the church. This was a big issue for the early church and Novatian wasn’t alone in his beliefs. But Cornelius welcomed those who had lapsed back to the church, provided they repented and undertook penance. He called an official synod, which agreed and excommunicated Novatian.
After only two years as pope, Cornelius was arrested by the emperor Gallus and sent into exile outside Rome, but he carried on working and wrote letters on church matters including exorcism. He died because of the hardships of exile and so is considered a martyr. Cyprian wrote of his death: “Our colleague Cornelius was a peaceable and just priest and deemed worthy of a martyr’s death by Our Lord.” He was brought back to Rome and buried in the cemetery of Callistus.
CYPRIAN
Cyprian is the first martyr in the Roman Canon list who was not a pope. He was born to wealthy pagans and only converted to Christianity in his 50s. He was ordained a priest and two years later was elected bishop of Carthage where he had worked as a lawyer. During the persecution of Decian he went into hiding and continued to guide his flock in secret. But during this time many people succumbed to apostacy (sacrifiati) and some obtained certificates which said they had offered sacrifices to the pagan gods (libellatici). When things were safe, Cyprian dealt with the issue of these lapsed Christians wanting to rejoin the church. At a council in 251 AD, it was agreed that the sacrifiati should be forgiven but only when close to death. The libellatici were given suitable penances. Cyprian wrote On the Unity of the Catholic Church, which emphasised that unity was grounded in the authority of the bishop and of Rome:
You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church for your mother.... God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one; one is the faith, and one is the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body.... If we are the heirs of Christ, let us abide in the peace of Christ; if we are the sons of God, let us be lovers of peace.
Cyprian served as bishop for ten years and became well known for his writings (which we still hear in the Office of Readings). In 258 he was arrested, tried and sentenced to death. He paid his executioner 25 pieces of gold, knelt down, took off his robes, prayed, and was then killed by a sword in front of a large crowd of his flock, exclaiming “Thanks be to God.” He became the first bishop-martyr of Africa. It is said that he and Cornelius died on the same day, several years apart, and for that reason they share the same feast day.
JOHN AND PAUL
These two brothers were serving soldiers in the Roman Army. Some details of their lives are derived from legend rather than fact, but they were certainly martyrs and included in the Roman Canon in the 5th century. Favoured by the Emperor Constantine, they were assigned to look after his daughter Constantina. When she died (and was canonised) they dedicated their lives to serving those in need. Julian, a nephew of Constantine, succeeded him, but rejected Christianity (in fact he was the last of the pagan emperors). He asked the brothers to return to court and offer sacrifices to Jupiter, but of course they refused. They knew their actions would cause trouble, so they started to disperse their wealth and possessions to the poor of Rome. The emperor Julian was aware of their popularity and feared a public outcry so he sent Terentianus, a Roman officer, to deal with them at home. They refused to deny their faith and so were beheaded then and there. The three Christians who were assisting them were also killed. Terentianus buried them in the grounds of their house and spread the rumour that they had been sent into exile, but the truth soon emerged after someone praying in the house saw a vision of what really happened. Many people were converted, including Terentianus himself. A year later, Julian himself faced death by an arrow, and his dying words were, “Thou hast conquered, Galilean!”
The account of their brave lives and death lived on and their feast day, June 26, is mentioned in the medieval story of the Pied Piper of Hamlyn! In the 6th century, a basilisca was built in their honour. It survives to this day and beneath the high altar are the remains of John and Paul.
COSMAS AND DAMIAN
Very little is known about the lives and deaths of these twin brothers from Syria. Their mother was St Theodota and their pagan father died when they were young. They became eminent Christian doctors who were known as ‘the moneyless ones’ because they refused to take any payment for the medical services they offered. They reputedly cured many ailments through prayer and treatment including paralysis, blindness, fever, and even expelled a breast serpent.
Under the persecution of Diocletian, in 287 AD they and their three brothers were arrested. First, they were thrown into the sea but were saved by angels. Next, the soldiers tried to burn them at the stake, but they survived. Still alive, they were hung on a cross, stoned and shot by arrows, but their death only came when they were finally beheaded.
A basilica was built over their tomb which became a place of pilgrimage. One story says that there was a man who served at the church and had a diseased leg. The saints appeared to him in a dream, carrying ointment and a surgical instrument. They proceeded to remove his bad leg and replace it with the leg of a Moor who had recently died and was buried in a nearby church. When he woke, the man held a light to his legs and saw they were both fit and healthy, though one clearly wasn’t his. He visited the tomb of the Moor and saw his old leg attached to the body – confirmation of what had taken place! He immediately shared the amazing news with all his friends.
The emperor Justinian claimed to have been healed by the saints’ intercession and he built two churches in Constantinople their honour. Their gift of healing, charitable life and courageous death has made them popular saints. They are the patron saints of twins, surgeons and pharmacists.
Cosmas and Damian
