E02489: The Martyrdom of *Cornelius (bishop and martyr of Rome, 00172) is written in Latin, presumably in Rome, in the 5th or early 6th c. It narrates Cornelius' arrest and stay in prison in Centumcellae, his correspondence with bishop Cyprian of Carthage, his return to Rome, where he performs a healing on Sallustia the wife of Cerealis, and converts them both, along with 21 soldiers; his martyrdom together with the couple and the soldiers, and their burial by a certain Lucins in a crypt near the cemetery of Callixtus on the via Appia.

Martyrdom of Cornelius (BHL 1958)

Summary:

The emperor Decius begins a persecution of the Christians: the clergy are to be punished without trial. Bishop Cornelius and his clergy (both priests and deacons) are arrested and deported to Centumcellae; many Christians come to visit him in search of consolation; others write from prison to console him. The bishop Cyprianus writes to him too from prison, telling him about the suffering endured by the reader (lector) Celerinus.

Decius, on hearing of these numerous letters, sends Cyprianus to Centumcellae, while he brings Cornelius back to Rome, and has him presented in Tellure, before the Temple of Pallas at night. He interrogates Cornelius about his neglect of the precepts of the ancients (maiores), his lack of fear of the gods and of any sort of tortures, and the letters he received and sent against the state (res publica). Cornelius replies that none of his activities—particularly the receipt of letters—has been disloyal. Decius becomes angry and orders his mouth to be beaten with leaden scourges (plumbatae) and that he be brought to offer sacrifice before the temple of Mars; if he does not oblige, he is to be beheaded.

While Cornelius is led away, one of Decius’ soldiers, Cerealis, asks Cornelius to come into his house and cure his wife, who has been confined to bed for five years because of paralysis. When they reach the Arcum Stellae, where he lives, all the soldiers ask Cornelius to intervene. Cornelius goes into Cerealis’ house with two priests and one cleric (clericus). He prays to God to show His mercy and cure this woman. At the completion of this prayer, Cornelius takes the hand of the woman, who is called Sallustia, and tells her to get up, following the command of Jesus Christ. All reply ‘Amen’, Sallustia, gets up from her bed, proclaiming that Christ is the Son of God and asking Cornelius to baptise her. Water is fetched and Cornelius performs the blessing. At this point all the soldiers throw themselves at Cornelius’ feet and ask him to baptise them too so as to save their souls. Cornelius asks if they really do believe; they reply that they would all rather die with him happily than live unhappily, and that their faith in idols had been a result of their ignorance. They beseech him to purify them. Cornelius commands them to kneel and offer tearful prayers. Then all are baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and all take part in a celebration of the Eucharist.

When Decius hears that 21 soldiers have been baptised, he has all those at Cerealis’ house arrested, and brought to the temple of Mars. Either they must sacrifice or die along with the bishop. As they are led away, together they all offer praise to God in the highest. They come outside the walls by the Porta Appia before the temple of Mars, where they pledge that the demons will die, as will Decius. Cornelius is beheaded, and with him the 21 converts, as well as Cerealis and Sallustia. That night clerics, and Lucina and her household, steal the bodies of the holy martyrs and bury them on her land (ager) in a crypt near the cemetery of Callixtus. There prayers in their honour flourish, in praise of Jesus Christ, who rules with His Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever, Amen.

Text: Mombritius 1910, I, 373. Summary: M. Humphries, The Roman Martyrs Project, Manchester University; revised by M. Pignot.