Saints Cornelius (Pope from 251-253 AD) and Cyprian (Bishop of Carthage) were contemporaries, friends, and martyrs who are celebrated together on September 16th for their support of one another and the early Christian Church during a time of persecution and internal division. Pope Cornelius advocated for the compassionate readmittance of Christians who had apostatized (denied their faith) under persecution, a stance that Bishop Cyprian staunchly supported, while also defending Cornelius's authority against schismatic movements.