The martyrdom of St. Cyprian in Carthage

After this [death] sentence, the crowd of the brethren said, “Let us also be beheaded with him.” On this account a great commotion broke out among the brethren and a large crowd followed him. Cyprian was led into the field of Sextus. There he took off his mantle and hood, knelt down on the ground and prostrated himself in prayer to the Lord. When he had taken off his dalmatic and given it to the deacons, he stood erect and awaited the executioner. When the executioner came, Cyprian ordered his attendants to give the executioner twenty-five gold coins. Linen cloths and handkerchiefs were spread out in front of him by the brethren [Note: to collect the blood, as the relic of a martyr]. After that, blessed Cyprian put on the blindfold with his own hands, but since he was not able to tie the ends by himself, the priest . . . tied them for him.

            In this manner the blessed Cyprian suffered death and his body was laid in a place nearby on account of the curiosity of the pagans. Then it was taken up at night with candles and torches and brought with prayer and great triumph to the cemetery of the procurator Macrobius Candidianus, which is near the pools. After a few days the proconsul Galerius Maximus died.

            The most blessed martyr Cyprian suffered on the fourteenth of September [A.D. 258] under the emperors Valerian and Gallienus, but in the reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

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