Cyril of Jerusalem

Lore & Background

Little is known of Cyril's life before he became a bishop; his birth year is conjectured as 315. He was ordained a deacon by Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem around 335 and a priest some eight years later by Bishop Maximus. Around the end of 350, he succeeded Maximus as Bishop of Jerusalem, though evidence relies on his own writings where he refers to himself as 'bishop'. Jerome suggests Cyril may have been an Arian at this stage. Cyril is described as a preacher and liturgist by the pilgrim Egeria.

Relations between Cyril and Metropolitan Acacius of Caesarea became strained, with Acacius charging Cyril with selling church property during a food shortage. Cyril secretly sold sacramental ornaments and a valuable holy robe donated by Constantine, possibly to keep people from starving. After resisting Acacius's summons, a church council deposed Cyril in 357, and he took refuge with Silvanus of Tarsus. The Council of Seleucia reinstated him in 359, but Emperor Constantius reversed this in 360, leading to another year's exile. Cyril returned in 361 under Emperor Julian, was banished again by Emperor Valens in 367, and returned after Valens's death in 378, remaining undisturbed until his death in 386.

Cyril's theological position was initially somewhat indefinite in phraseology, but he gave thorough adhesion to Nicene Orthodoxy. He avoided the term homoousios but expressed its sense, excluding Patripassianism, Sabellianism, and the Arian formula. He emphasized freedom of the will, repentance, and high moral living. His doctrine of the Resurrection is less realistic than that of other Fathers, and his interpretation of the Eucharist is disputed, with some arguing he approaches a symbolic view while professing a strong realistic doctrine. Cyril's writings are filled with the loving and forgiving nature of God, and he never showed ill will toward those who wronged him during his exiles.

Reader's Guide

Cyril of Jerusalem's significance lies primarily in his catechetical lectures, which provide a detailed account of Christian instruction and liturgical practices in the 4th century. His twenty-three lectures, divided into the Catechetical Lectures and the Mystagogic Catecheses, cover topics such as faith, the Crucifixion, and the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. These works are of great importance for understanding the method of instruction and liturgical practices of that age. Cyril's career also illustrates the theological and political conflicts of the period, particularly the Arian controversy and the shifting fortunes of bishops under imperial favor. His eventual acceptance of the term homoousios at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 represents the journey of many Eastern bishops who came to embrace Nicene Orthodoxy. Cyril's legacy as a Doctor of the Church and his commemoration on 18 March in various Christian traditions underscore his enduring influence.

Did You Know?

• Cyril was exiled on more than one occasion due to the enmity of Acacius of Caesarea and the policies of various emperors.
• He secretly sold church ornaments and a holy robe donated by Constantine, possibly to feed the starving during a food shortage.
• Cyril's catechetical lectures include vigorous polemics against pagan, Jewish, and heretical errors.
• He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883.