Religious Intolerance in the Later Roman Empire - Bad request ...

Diocletian’s persecution of 303-5 produced numerous instances of
collaboration, traditores and martyrs. A self-confessed traditor, the sub-deacon
Secundus was elected bishop of Cirta in late 304 through popular choice. Although
Secundus was a traditor, Frend indicates that his popular practice of robbing pagan
temples was apparently sufficient to atone for his sins in the opinion of the mob. Just
as potentially important for the question of whether Secundus’ enthronement was
valid, was the fact that four out of the twelve bishops to ordain him were also
traditores. Despite this seemingly inexorable barrier, the bishops conveniently forgot
that they had to be pure of any sin in order to be bishops, but did remember to invoke
the dogma that bishops were only answerable to God and, therefore, Secundus
remained in possession of his bishopric. 10 Despite opposition from elite elements in
the church at Cirta, and tacit opposition from Mensurius bishop of Carthage, there
was no immediate schism. 11
The schism only emerged after the death of Mensurius during the winter of
311-12. The Carthaginian clergy attempted to enthrone a successor without the
customary involvement of the Numidian primate. The clergy were unable to agree on
a candidate so opted for a compromise in the person of Caecilian, Mensurius’
archdeacon. Unfortunately for him, Caecilian appears to have been unpopular with
just about every element of society, essentially because he was a longstanding opponent
of the “exaggerated esteem of martyrs.” 12 Twelve years earlier he had rebuked a
Carthaginian noblewoman Lucilla for kissing the bone of a martyr before she received
communion from him and thus secured her lasting enmity. 13 He was also popularly
blamed for denying aid and sustenance to the so-called martyrs of Abitina while they
were imprisoned in Carthage during Diocletian’s persecution, and thus contributing to
10
The doctrine that bishops could only be judged by God was formulated in Cyprian’s address to the
September 256 Council of Carthage. See Frend (1952) 132-133 n 6 for references.
11
Frend (1952) 11-14
12
Frend (1952) 17
13
Opt. 1.16; See Lockwood (1989) on the role of women in the north African church and in particular
that women were attracted to the cult of martyrs which Donatism was to foster. Lockwood argues
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