St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (feast: March 18)

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor: c. 315-386 A.D.

Feast day, March 18

Birth and early history

St. Cyril was born in Jerusalem in c.315 A.D. At the time, Jerusalem was known as Aelia Capitolina - a name given by the Roman Empire. Cyril's parents were both Christians. They may have been wealthy since Cyril received an excellent education. Cyril's education included a wide knowledge of the Bible, which eventually led to his ordination to the priesthood by Bishop Maximus (whom Cyril succeeded as bishop in 350 A.D.). As a priest, Cyril performed his responsibility in teaching the catechumens the fundamentals of the faith before their baptism.

Life as bishop up to his first exile

When St. Cyril succeeded St. Maximus as bishop of Jerusalem, he had to contend with Arianism - a heresy rampant throughout many areas in the Christian world of the mid-fourth century. Even when this conflict raged within the Church of his time, Cyril still campaigned for the recognition of the church in Jerusalem as the primary church in Palestine. His work 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. He was charged with insubordination and the selling of Church property to relieve the poor during a famine. But St. Cyril refused to appear before the council. His refusal drove him out of Jerusalem into exile - his first of many.

Second exile and return to Jerusalem

St. Cyril went further to Tarsus but was recalled by the council of Seleucia in 359 A.D. He was again expelled at Acacius' instigation by Emperor Constantius. However, he was recalled in 361 A.D. by Emperor Julius the Apostate when Constantius passed away. Again Cyril was exiled in 367 A.D. when Emperor Valens banished all churchmen recalled during Julian's reign. But St. Cyril returned to Jerusalem in 378 A.D. after Emperor Valens was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople.

In Jerusalem

When St. Cyril returned to Jerusalem, he found the city in a state of severe moral degeneration - torn by many 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 Jerusalem and St. Cyril worked to bring the reforms needed for Jerusalem.

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 Greek 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 Bible 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 in the Palestinian liturgy of the fourth century. Though Cyril had been befriended by semi-Arian bishops and led to accusations that he shared Arian beliefs, St. Cyril's stance against Arianism was ckear. This vindicated his orthodoxy and remained 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.

Edited from the following sources

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom
• The Doctors of the Church, by John F. Fink
• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.