Donatus Magnus

See also: Donat

Donatus Magnus , (death towards 355), schismatic bishop of North Africa, bishop of Cellae Nigrae in Numidie, whose partisans took the name of Donatiste S.

It excited a schism towards 305 while refusing to admit with the communion the Traditeurs ( traditores ), i.e. those which during the persecution of Dioclétien had delivered to Pagan the sacred vessels and the holy books.

Intransigent organizer of the dispute against the nomination of the bishop of Carthage in 307, it is at the origin of the schism which bears its name: the Donatisme and which divided the African Christians during the 4th century. It made deposit Cécilien, bishop of Carthage, that it showed indulgence compared to the tradileurs; but it itself was excommunicated by the pope Miltiade (313), and by the councils of Rome and Arles. He revolted, went with his partisans to greatest excesses against the Catholique S and lit a civil war which afflicted the Africa under the reigns of Constantin and its successors until the invasion of the Vandales, which also persecuted Donatistes and Catholiques.

Source

Vincent Serralda and André Huard, Berber… the Light of the Occident , p95-97, New Latin Editions, Paris, 1990 (ISBN 978-2723302395)

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