By St. Dionysius of Alexandria
From the letter of St. Dionysius († 264), Bishop of Alexandria, about the times of persecution and the epidemic of the so-called Cyprian plague. The disease that struck the Roman Empire in the 3rd century, went down in history with the name of St. Cyprian of Carthage, who described its symptoms. About five thousand people died from this contagious disease in Rome every day. St. Dionysius writes that there were no residents left in Alexandria older than forty years. In this harsh time, the Bishop of Alexandria describes the behavior of Christians and their attitude towards death: not frivolously and self-confidently, but imitating Christ – as the bitter cup that they drink out of love for their suffering neighbors.
“… After a short interval this disease fell upon us; for them (the pagans) it was the most terrible of all terrible things, the most cruel of all calamities, and, as their own writer says, an extraordinary event that no one could have expected. For us it was not so; as in other cases the Lord tested and tempered us. The disease did not bypass us, but it struck the pagans more.
Many of our brothers, out of abundant charity and moved by brotherly love, without pitying themselves, supported each other, without fear visited the sick, served them without fail, cared for them for Christ’s sake, died joyfully with them; they were filled with the suffering of others, infected themselves with their neighbors and willingly took upon themselves their sufferings. Many, caring for the sick and supporting others, died themselves, accepting death in their place…
Thus passed away the best of our brothers: priests, deacons, laymen. They showered them with praise, because such a death, possible only because of great piety and strong faith, was considered equal to martyrdom.”
Source: Eusebius of Caesarea, “Church History”, book 7
