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June 3rd – St. Cecilius of Carthage (RM)
 (Also known as Caecilius, Caecilian) 

3rd century. Caecilius, a priest of Carthage, brought Saint Cyprian to faith in Christ. Saint Cyprian for his part never ceased to revere Caecilius's name, adding it to his own. On Caecilius's death, Cyprian took charge of the wife and children of the deceased saint. Baronius and other historians believe that this Caecilius is to be identified with the one who was a friend of two other Africans, Octavius, a philosopher, and Marcus Minutius Felix, a lawyer. Both were Africans of the same period and profession, and Saint Cyprian borrows many things from the dialogue below, which he probably received from Cecilius.

Caecilius, Octavius, and Marcus Minutius Felix were all learned men and close friends. In his old age Octavius converted to Christianity and turned his back on worldly preferences. He did all within his power to bring the other two to faith in Christ. First, Marcus joined in his joy. Finally, after much resistance and many prayers, Caecilius, too, embraced Christianity.

This last happened while the three were vacationing together at the sea. As they walked together through the town, Caecilius venerated a statue of the god Serapis by touching his hand to his lips and kissing it. The two Christians were appalled at this act of idolatry and ashamed that they had not already won their friend over to Christ but had allowed him to remain in ignorance. Of course, Caecilius bristled at being accused of ignorance and challenged Octavius to debate the subject.

Immediately the three sat down on the nearby rocks that provided shelter for the baths. Marcus was to take the role of arbitrator. Among Caecilius's arguments against Christianity were that its followers were the poor, the ignorant, and slaves who were subject to the "idolators" who ruled the prosperous empire. He noted that Christians suffer with seeming pleasure; a most content, pitiful, ragged tribe, who skulk about in holes without a word to say for themselves, and only chant in corners about a resurrection, and the joys of another world. He railed against the resurrection of the body: which was a great stumbling-block to the ancient philosophers, as appears from the writings of Athenagoras, Tertullian, Origen, and other Christian apologists. Caecilius felt that his arguments were persuasive.

He then moved on to the calumnies often repeated. He loudly objected to the nocturnal assemblies of Christians, their solemn fasts, inhuman banquets and crimes perpetrated under the name of religion. Caecilius charged: "I hear that they adore the head of an ass, the knees of their bishop or priest, and a man who was punished for his crimes, and the cursed wood of the cross." He ridiculed Christians for despising ornaments and ostentation, for abstaining from lawful pleasures (public shows, pomp, banquets), and for reserving perfumes for their dead.

In response Octavius pointed to the divine providence governing human affairs as evident in the order, beauty, and design of nature. He argued: "Should you chance to come into a house and see all the rooms exquisitely furnished, and kept in great order, you would make no dispute but such a house is under the care and inspection of a master who is preferable to all the furniture. Thus, when you cast your eyes upon heaven and earth, and behold the admirable order and economy of things, can you question whether there is a Lord of the universe, and that he is more glorious than the stars, and more to be admired than all the works of his hands?"

From providence Octavius proceeded to prove the unity and eternity of God, the absurdity of polytheism, and the folly of the oracles. "Most of you know very well that the demons are forced to confess against themselves, as often as we rack them into confession by bare words only, and force them out of the bodies they possess, by such tormenting speeches as they cannot bear. You may well be assured they would never frame lies to their own shame, especially in the presence of you who adore them. Take their word then, and believe them to be devils, when you have it from their own mouths. For when we abjure them by the one living God, the wretches tremble, and either depart forthwith from the bodies they possess, or vanish by degrees, according to the faith of the patient, or the grace of the physician."

Octavius next dealt with the calumnies, which he showed were gross misunderstandings of Christian doctrines or practices. As to the old calumny of Christians' worshiping an ass's head—a prejudice formerly imputed to the Jews as evidenced by Josephus in his books against Appion—Octavius contented himself with denying the groundless charge. He explained the senseless slander that Christians adored the knees of the bishop by explaining that they knelt before him to receive his absolution or blessing.

He confuted the charge of incest by pointing to the purity of Christian morals and the many who vow chastity. He pointed to the immorality of pagan worship that placed Priapus among her divinities, offered sacrifice to Venus the prostitute, and celebrated the festivals of Bona Dea and others with abominations and lewdness. He reminded Caecilius that Christians would not even see men justly put to death, or assist at public executions, and that they refrained from eating blood—which is far from the calumny that they feed on the flesh of children.

He continued by highlighting the sacredness of Christian marriage, the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the dead. In answer to the charge that Christians embrace poverty and simplicity, Octavius said: "Who can be said to be poor who finds himself in no want? He rather is the poor wretch who is necessitous in the midst of plenty. Here no man can be poorer than he came into the world. The Christian art of possessing all things is, by desiring nothing. As a traveler, the lighter he is, the easier he finds himself; so in this journey of life, he is happier who is lightened by poverty, than he who groans under a load of riches.  Innocence is the top of our desire; and patience the thing we beg for. Calamity is the school of virtue. How beautiful a spectacle in the sight of God is a Christian entering the lists with affliction, and with a noble constancy the menaces, racks, and tortures! When, like a conqueror, he triumphs over the judge that condemns him! For he is certainly victorious who obtains what he fights for."

Octavius concluded by stating that Christianity consists in practice, not in pompous words. "We do not look big, nor do we talk great things, but we live in them."

When Octavius had finished speaking, Cecilius cried out, "I congratulate both my Octavius and myself exceedingly: we are both conquerors. Octavius triumphs over me, and I triumph over error. But the chief victory and gain are mine, who, by being conquered, find the crown of truth."

Though this summarizes the celebrated conference, the train of thoughts and the beauty of the discourse are only to be understood from the original recorded by Marcus Minucius Felix in Octavius. If this excellent dialogue seems to have any fault, it is that it appears too short and leaves the reader looking for more. At the end of the book the three companions promised another meeting to initiate Caecilius and instruct him in the discipline of Christianity. Unfortunately, the record of the second conference has been lost. In his apology (The seven books of Arnobius against the heathens), Arnobius seems to have been thinking of Octavius and Marcus when he tells his heathen readers that orators and lawyers of the first rank had embraced the faith.

Pontius assures us that the St. Cecilius was a just man, venerable for his age, and worthy of eternal memory and praise; adding, that Saint Cyprian ever respected him as his own father, and paid him all possible honor, deference, and gratitude (Benedictines, Husenbeth).


Saint Quote
"The predestination of Religious is inseparably connected with love for their Rule, and careful performance of their duties of their vocation"
--St. Francis de Sales

Bible Quote 
O God, when thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst pass through the desert: 9 The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the presence of the God of Sina, at the presence of the God of Israel. (Psalm 67:8-9)


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O God, our refuge and our strength, 
mercifully regard Thy people who cry to Thee,
and turn away the scourges of Thy anger, 
which we justly deserve for our sins. 
Through Christ our Lord.  Amen.