Gospel in Art: Saints Pope Cornelius and Bishop Cyprian, Martyrs

Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, from the Book of Hours of Catherine of Cleves, 1440. MS M.917/945, pp 246-247. The Netherlands, Utrecht © The Morgan Library & Museum, New York

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 16 September 2025
Luke 7:11-17

At that time: Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, 'Do not weep.' Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise.' And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has arisen among us!' and 'God has visited his people!' And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Reflection on the illuminated manuscript

Saints Pope Cornelius and Bishop Cyprian are celebrated together on 16th September because of their close friendship and shared dedication to the early Christian Church during a time of intense persecution by the emperor Decius. Cornelius served as Pope from 251 to 253 AD. His papacy was characterised by his compassionate stance towards Christians who had lapsed under persecution and had apostatised. Apostasy refers to the act of renouncing one's Christian faith, often under the threat of death or severe punishment, by publicly denying belief in Christ or participating in pagan rituals. Pope Cornelius was advocating that people who did this should be forgiven and welcomed back into the Church, rather than being given harsh punishments.

Cyprian, the Bishop of Carthage, was a staunch supporter of Cornelius in this matter, and the two maintained a strong correspondence, with Cyprian defending Cornelius against schismatic movements that sought to undermine his authority. Pope Cornelius and Bishop Cyprian remain profoundly relevant today because they championed forgiveness as a cornerstone of our Christian faith. In a world that is becoming increasingly unforgiving and, as a result, harsher and more difficult to navigate, their message is more important than ever. While calls for justice are often appropriate and necessary, we must never lose sight of the imperative to forgive, a principle that lies at the heart of our faith.

Our illustration comes from a double page of the Book of Hours of Catherine of Cleves, created around 1440 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Here we see Saints Cornelius and Cyprian sharing the top right page illumination: Cornelius holds a horn (cornus in Latin-a visual pun on his name), while Cyprian bears the sword, the symbol of his martyrdom. The scene is framed by exquisite borders of birdcages rendered in silver and gold, perhaps a reference to Cornelius as patron saint of pets. The Hours of Catherine of Cleves is recognised as the greatest Dutch illuminated manuscript, containing 157 extraordinary miniatures by the anonymous artist known as the 'Master of Catherine of Cleves '. He is celebrated as the finest and most original illuminator of the medieval northern Netherlands, and this book is considered his masterpiece.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-7-11-17-2025/