He was a determined and courageous fighter against heresy – and he paid for his theological integrity during three agonizing periods in which he was exiled from his post as Patriarch of Jerusalem, and even thrown into prison for a while. During his tumultuous lifetime (315-386 A.D.), St. Cyril witnessed some of the most convulsive doctrinal struggles in the history of the early Church.
Nonetheless, his tenacious defense of the Orthodox doctrines outlined in the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ was destined to play a key role in defeating several dangerous heresies and protecting the purity of Christian dogma.
A skilled theologian and author, this mild-mannered cleric was also a humble monk who put his faith not in his ability to analyze Church doctrine – but in his simple trust that Almighty God would protect His Church and the loyal bishops whom He had chosen to lead it. For the ever-faithful Patriarch, that trust was repaid again and again . . . and especially on an astonishing night in Jerusalem
What happened on that unforgettable occasion still looms as a holy mystery for Christians everywhere. The incident began a few hours after midnight, according to historians of the period, as the recently appointed Patriarch lay tossing and turning in his residence near the center of the Holy City
Led by a group of renegade bishops, a powerful faction within the Christian world had come to believe in a terrible heresy – the idea that Christ had not been present in God through all of eternity, but had appeared only at a certain historical moment. Known as “Arianism,” this false doctrine was tearing the Church apart.
Already, bishops from A keenly sensitive man who hated conflict and preferred to spend his days in quiet contemplation of Almighty God, St. Cyril was born in 315, under the reign of St. Constantine the Great. As the son of pious Christians who carefully educated him in the Sacred Scriptures and the Church’s teachings, Cyril had grown up to become a devout monk with a gift for ascetic living. And within a few decades – having served as monk, priest and presbyter at various times – he would find himself chosen by God to succeed Archbishop Maximos (upon his death in 350) as the Primate of the City of Jerusalem
Within a year, the continuing struggle over the heresy that had been championed by Arius exploded into widespread internecine warfare that threatened to hurl the entire Church into chaos. Increasingly, the Arian bishops were attacking St. Cyril and the other Holy Fathers of Jerusalem, while insisting that they should be defrocked and exiled.
With growing desperation, the humble monk of Jerusalem had been praying in recent days for a sign from God – a vivid and dramatic portent that might be visible throughout all of Jerusalem – so that he could point to this unmistakable sign as proof that the Church in Jerusalem
This was the backdrop then against which the sleepless Patriarch lay exhausted and fretful, on the early morning of Pentecost in the Year of Our Lord 351. Eyes closed, he was beseeching Almighty God for the thousandth time to help protect the Holy Gospel from Arian pollution . . . when a sudden brightness in the room suddenly caught his attention.
Gazing toward the window, he could hardly believe his eyes; a fiery light was flooding into his chamber! In a moment he was on his feet and hurrying to look at the sky. Then he caught his breath. As thousands of Jerusalem residents would confirm over the next few days, a flaming cross now filled the heavens – so large that it outshone the sun and stretched in an immense arc all the way from the Mount of Olives to Golgotha , where Christ Jesus had been crucified!
Surely his prayers had been answered; here was the sign! Within a few hours, he had begun writing what would become a priceless artifact of history: the Letter to the Emperor Constantius, which described the miracle of the Flaming Cross in vivid, unforgettable detail.
From that moment forward, St. Cyril the Patriarch understood that the great struggle over the Arian heresy would eventually be resolved, and that the doctrinal purity of Orthodox teaching would be protected forever by the Lord God of Hosts. There would still be great battles ahead; indeed, the humble bishop would find himself exiled and stripped of his Jerusalem
If St. Cyril had left us nothing more than the writings contained in his Creed – in many ways the foundation stone for the basic teachings of the Holy Church
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten by the Father true God before all ages, God of God, Life of Life, Light of Light by Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary, and was made man. He was crucified ... and buried. He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, and sat at the right hand of the Father. And He cometh in glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end. And in one Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, Who spake by the prophets; and in one baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, and in one holy Catholic Church, and in the resurrection of the body and in life everlasting.
Among the supremely important writings of St. Cyril was his Catechetical Discourses, which defined and confirmed the basic beliefs and practices of Orthodox Christianity. He also wrote a well-known and highly persuasive sermon on the Pool of Bethesda, in addition to many shorter essays that discuss various aspects of Christian belief.
The life of St. Cyril, Patriarch of Jerusalem, teaches us a marvelous lesson about having patience in the Lord. Again and again, this thoughtful bishop and wise thinker was tempted to despair over the chaotic conflict that threatened to devour his beloved Church. In spite of his anguish, however, he held onto his faith – and was finally rewarded with a fiery “sign” that showed how God’s eternal protection for his true servants will never waver. As a fighter for the truth of God’s revealed message though His Beloved Son, St. Cyril has inspired generations of Christians to cling to their faith through the inevitable storms of our mortal life!
We honor him for his great teachings and for his courage, despite persecution, to remain faithful to Christ. Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause, thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Cyril, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
Kontakion in the First Tone
Thy speech inspired of God hath enlightened thy people to honour the One God, undivided in essence, yet known and distinguished in His Three Persons, the Trinity. Wherefore, with great joy we keep thy holy remembrance, and we have thee as our intercessor, wise Cyril, to pray unto God for us.
