Letter 34: What I'm about to share, dearest brothers, belongs to our common joy and to the greatest glory of our Church.

What I'm about to share, dearest brothers, belongs to our common joy and to the greatest glory of our Church. You should know that by divine direction I have appointed Numidicus to the rank of presbyter, to sit among us in the clergy. He is a man illuminated by the brightest light of confession, exalted in the honor of both courage and faith. By his exhortation he sent ahead of himself a great company of martyrs, killed by stones and flames. He watched his own wife — burning at his side, or rather (I should say) preserved through fire — join the company of the blessed. He himself, half consumed, overwhelmed with stones, and left for dead, was later found by his daughter, who came searching anxiously for her father's body. She discovered him half alive. He was pulled out and revived — and remained behind, against his will, from among the companions he had already sent ahead. The reason he survived, as we can now see, was this: the Lord wanted to add him to our clergy and adorn with glorious priests the ranks that had been depleted by the fall of some. When God permits, he will be advanced to higher office. For now, let what has been revealed be done. Let us receive this gift of God with thanksgiving, and hope that He will grant us many more such gifts — strengthening His Church with faithful and good leaders in proportion to the damage that has been done.

Epistle 34