00:00Cornelius, a man of strong faith, was elected pope in 251, at a time when the Church was still under
00:07the shock of the fierce persecutions of Emperor Dès.
00:12Thousands of Christians had broken under torture, abjuring their faith; they were called the Lapsi.
00:20The question was tearing the community apart. Should he be reinstated in the Church? And if so, how?
00:27A Roman priest, Novatian, advocated a hard line, refusing any absolution for his fallen ones.
00:36Corneille, however, animated by the spirit of mercy, affirmed that after sincere penance, reintegration was possible.
00:46This position earned him fierce opposition from Novatian, who went so far as to have himself elected as an antipope, provoking a
00:54schism.
00:55But Corneille was not alone.
00:58In Carthage, another giant of the faith, Cyprian, had become bishop.
01:04This former pagan caterer, converted and quickly elevated to the episcopate, was a force of nature.
01:12A brilliant writer, he had a clear vision of the unity of the Church and the role of bishops.
01:18He too had faced persecution and the issue of lapsies in his own diocese.
01:25As soon as he learned of Corneille's position, Cyprien gave him unwavering support.
01:32Together they fought the Novatian heresy, defending the idea of a Church that forgives and welcomes,
01:40rather than a Church of the pure who reject.
01:43Their letters and councils bore witness to this historic alliance between Rome and Carthage.
01:51Cyprien also distinguished himself through his leadership in times of crisis.
01:55organizing support for victims of a plague epidemic.
01:59Despite their victory over the schism, the persecution resumed under the Trebonian emperor Gall.
02:06Corneille was exiled to Chivitavecchia, where he died, worn out by hardship.
02:12his name engraved like a martyr of faith and unity.
02:17A few years later, under the emperor Valerian,
02:20It was Cyprien's turn to shed his blood.
02:23He was arrested and interrogated with dignity.
02:27and finally beheaded in Carthage in 258.
02:31giving the ultimate testimony of his loyalty.
02:35Today, we remember Corneille and Cyprien
02:39their courage in the face of persecution,
02:42their tireless struggle for the unity of the Church
02:45and above all their passionate defense of divine mercy.
02:51He reminds us that a strong Church is a united Church.
02:54and that a holy Church is also a Church
02:57who knows how to forgive and welcome.
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