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Daily Feed St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor: c. 315-386 A.D.Feast day, March 18Birth and early historySt. Cyril was born in Jerusalem in c. 315 A.D. At the time, Jerusalem was known as Aelia Capitolina - a name given by the Romans. Cyril's parents were Christians and may have been wealthy since Cyril received an excellent education. St. Cyril also obtained a wide knowledge of the Bible and eventually was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Maximus (whom Cyril succeeded in 350 A.D.) As a priest, Cyril was given the responsibility for teaching the catechumens the fundamentals of the faith before their baptism. Life as bishop up to first exile When St. Cyril succeeded St. Maximus as bishop of Jerusalem, he had to contend with Arianism - a heresy rampant throughout most of the Christian world in the mid-fourth century. In spite of this conflict, Cyril still campaigned for the recognition of the church in Jerusalem as the primary church in Palestine. However, this angered the Arian bishops of Caesarea - first Eusebius, and then Acacius. In 357 A.D., Acacius called a council of Arian bishops and ordered Cyril to appear because he was charged with insubordination and the selling of Church property to relieve the poor during a famine. St. Cyril refused to appear before the council. His refusal drove him out of Jerusalem into exile - his first. Second exile and return to Jerusalem St. Cyril went to Tarsus but was soon recalled by the council of Seleucia in 359 A.D. He was again expelled at Acacius' instigation by Emperor Constantius but recalled in 361 A.D. by Emperor Julius the Apostate when Constantius died. Again Cyril was exiled in 367 A.D. when Emperor Valens banished all churchmen recalled during Julian's reign. However, St. Cyril returned to Jerusalem once again in 378 A.D. after Emperor Valens was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople. In Jerusalem When St. Cyril returned, he found Jerusalem in a state of severe moral decay - torn by schisms, heresy and criminal activities. When he asked the council of Antioch for help, the council sent St. Gregory of Nyssa (St. Basil's brother), to see what could be done. St. Gregory reported that the see of Jerusalem was torn by a lot of factionalism and Arianism, but that its basic faith and that of Cyril's was orthodox. St. Gregory soon left and St. Cyril had to try to bring reforms to Jerusalem on his own. The Council of Constantinople St. Cyril attended the second ecumenical council, the First Council of Constantinople, in 381 A.D. St. Gregory of Nyssa was also present in that council. In the council, St. Cyril completely accepted the amended Nicene Creed and the term homoousios. The term homoousios came to be regarded as the test word of orthodoxy. At the Council, St. Cyril was also praised as a champion of orthodoxy against the Arians. A scholar, preacher and doctor of the Church St. Cyril was a scriptural scholar and a successful preacher. The "Catecheses" that he delivered during Lent in about 347 A.D. gives a clear picture of the instruction given to those preparing for baptism and of the Palestinian liturgy of the fourth century. Though Cyril had been befriended by semi-Arian bishops which led to accusations that he shared Arian beliefs, St. Cyril was essentially a firm opponent of Arianism - and his orthodoxy is unquestioned. St. Cyril was declared a doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1882 A.D. The Church celebrates his feast day every March 18. References of this article
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