Cyprian’s on the Lord’s Prayer

Before his conversion Thascius Caecilianus Cyprianus, better known as Cyprian, was a wealthy, unmarried, aristocrat and rhetorician born sometime around A.D. 200. As a result of knowing a Carthaginian pastor, Caecilius, he became a Christian in 246. Two years later he was elected bishop of the church in Carthage and remained in his post until his martyrdom in 258.

While Cyprian inherited much of the theological and moral outlook of Tertullian, his spirit is perhaps closer to that of Ignatius. His was a wartime bishopric, for in A.D. 250, the Decian persecution began and the government attempted to force Christians to sacrifice or be severely punished. As though that wasn’t enough, a plague broke out in Carthage and there was schism in the Church of Rome. Through these trials, Cyprian remained committed to defending the faith and purity of the Church, holding steady in his conviction and steering the faithful through difficult moral and theological issues.

This episode contains a comparatively short work by Cyprian in which he expounds the Lord’s Prayer petition by petition. In doing so, he follows the pattern laid out by Tertullian and Origen, providing a general framework to understand prayer along with detailing a few practical notes on how he thinks it best for believers to pray. This is a delightful work which provides insight into the devotional life of one of the most influential bishops of this time.

If you would like to read more of the writings of the Early Christian Fathers, please visit ccel.org to view the full collection.