Father Cyprian Illusions of Power

[Bob Farmer]

I have been cleaning up my library--it's a real mess--and discovering some great things. One of them is a program for a library exhibit created by Father Cyprian: "Illusions of Power," an exhibition of poster art celebrating the portrayal of magic in the movies, December 2-6, 1985, Alice and Hamilton Fish Library, Garrison, N.Y.

I know that Father Cyprian had a huge collection of this material: what happened to it all after his death?

[Richard Kaufman]

As a friar you cannot own anything personally, I believe. It is owned by your community. If that's the case, it was all sold after his death and the money went to the community.

[MagicbyAlfred]

As a friar you cannot own anything personally, I believe. It is owned by your community. If that's the case, it was all sold after his death and the money went to the community.

Richard is correct. Cyp was a Capuchin Franciscan Friar (who was also ordained as a Franciscan priest). The Franciscan Order is named after St. Francis of Assisi, who founded what was at least a predecessor religious order to today's Franciscan Orders. The Franciscans have two missions in accordance with the dream and vision of St. Francis: Helping the poor and preaching the word of God.

According to the Capuchin Vocation Office:
"St. Francis not only wanted to serve the poor; he wanted to be poor. When he devised a habit for his brothers, he chose the clothing typically worn by the poor: a plain brown robe with a hood for protection, a cord fastened around one’s waist, and sandals for one’s feet. It is the habit that Capuchins wear yet to this day."

"Capuchins profess three vows that are traditional for religious communities: poverty, chastity, and obedience. These vows are symbolized in the Capuchin habit by the three knots on a friar’s cords."

"Poverty means that a friar will live as simply as possible, without attachment to material possessions and belongings. Friars do not have savings accounts or property. Even the car that a friar drives is registered in the name of the Capuchin Order, not the individual friar. Poverty is a strong statement in a materialistic world and offers witness to the freedom that comes from detachment, at the same time demonstrating the emptiness of 'things.' "

https://www.capuchinfranciscans.org/who-we-are/faqs

[Bob Farmer]

Well, I wonder what the community did with the collection? Who would we ask?

[MagicbyAlfred]

Well, I wonder what the community did with the collection? Who would we ask?

Bob, the best I can suggest is to contact the powers that be who run the Order. Phone numbers can be found at this link:

https://www.capuchinfriars.org/contact.html

[Tom Gilbert]

He had told me he was working on a book of his magic a few years before his passing.

[Richard Kaufman]

Cyp was working on the book for 20 years of so. L&L was supposed to publish. They wanted to hire Earle Oakes to do the 1000 drawings, but would not pay him if any drawings needed to be redone, so he refused, since at least 100 drawings would have needed to be done twice.
Cyp told me more details about why the book was taking so long, but I can't remember now because it's been so long. Who knows where the manuscript is, if it even existed.