Early Church
Cyprian of Carthage
c. 210 – 258 · Carthage
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
1 John 3:16 (KJV)
In the Life of the Saints
A wealthy Roman orator who converted to Christianity as an adult, Cyprian became bishop of Carthage and steered the church through a brutal wave of persecution, debating how harshly to treat believers who had recanted their faith under threat. He was ultimately beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods, meeting his execution, by contemporary accounts, with calm resolve.
Read more on Wikipedia ↗Portrait: Russian icon · Public domain