The martyrs defined the true nature of the Church. One tiny detail makes this clear. He instructed his presbyters to give special care to the bodies of the martyrs in Carthage. He wished them not only to see to their proper burial, but also to keep a record of the day on which each martyr died. If we know the date of their martyrdom, said Cyprian, “we will be able to include the celebration of their memories in our commemoration of the martyrs.”
