Fathers

Loading…

What the Fathers say

Mark 13:6

Eastern Fathers

Cyprian

Even if such men were slain in confession of the Name, that stain is not even washed away by blood: the inexpiable and grave fault of discord is not even purged by suffering. He cannot be a martyr who is not in the Church; he cannot attain unto the kingdom who forsakes that which shall reign there. Christ gave us peace; He bade us be in agreement, and of one mind. He charged the bonds of love and charity to be kept uncorrupted and inviolate; he cannot show himself a martyr who has not maintained brotherly love. …

Treatise I. On the Unity of the Church. ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

As to wars, when has the earth not been scourged by them at different periods and places? To pass over remote history, when the barbarians were everywhere invading Roman provinces in the reign of Gallienus, how many of our brothers who were then alive do we think could have believed that the end was near, since this happened long after the ascension of the Lord! …

Letter 199, To Hesychius 35 ↗