Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Vol. 7 (Augustine: Gospel and Epistle of John)

to Cæsarea in Cappadocia he asks, “What means this opposing array of new altars? Do we announce another Jesus? Do we produce other Scriptures? Have any of ourselves dared to say ‘Mother of Man’ of the Holy Virgin, the Mother of God?”

In the year A.D. 381, Theodosius summoned the bishops of his division of the Empire to meet in Council at Constantinople, in order to settle the disputes by which the Eastern Church had been so long distracted and to secure the triumph of the Nicene Faith over the various forms of heresy which had arisen in the half-century that had elapsed since the first General Council. Among the bishops present were Cyril of Jerusalem and his nephew Gelasius, who on the death of Valens had regained possession of the See of Cæsarea from the Arian intruder Euzoius. Cyril is described by Sozomen as one of three recognized leaders of the orthodox party, and, according to Bishop Hefele, as sharing the presidency with the bishops of Alexandria and Antioch. This latter point, however, is not clearly expressed in the statement of Sozomen. Socrates writes that Cyril at this time recognized the doctrine of ὁμοούσιος (consubstantial), having retracted his former opinion; and Sozomen says that he had at this period renounced the tenets of the Macedonians which he previously held. Touttée rightly rejects these reproaches as unfounded; they are certainly opposed to all his teaching in the Catechetical Lectures, where the doctrine of Christ’s unity of essence with the Father is fully and frequently asserted, though the term ὁμοούσιος is not used, and the co-equal Deity of the Holy Ghost is everywhere maintained.

We find no further mention of Cyril in the proceedings of the Council itself. As consisting of Eastern bishops only, its authority was not at first acknowledged, nor its acts approved in the Western Church. The two synods held later in the same year at Aquileia and at Milan sent formal protests to Theodosius and urged him to summon a General Council at Alexandria or at Rome. But instead of complying with this request, the Emperor summoned the bishops of his Empire to a fresh synod at Constantinople; and there, in the summer of 382, very nearly the same bishops were assembled who had been present at the Council of the preceding year. Their synodical letter addressed to the bishops assembled at Rome is preserved by Theodoret, and in it we read as follows:

“Of the Church in Jerusalem, the Mother of all the churches, we make known that Cyril the most reverend and most beloved of God is bishop; and that he was canonically ordained long ago by the bishops of the province, and that he has very often fought a good fight in various places against the Arians.”

Thus justice was done at last to one whose prudence, moderation, and love of peace had exposed him in those days of bitter controversy to undeserved suspicion and relentless persecution. His justification by the Council is the last recorded incident in Cyril’s life. We are told by Jerome that he held undisturbed possession of his See for eight years under Theodosius. The eighth year of Theodosius was A.D. 386, and in the Roman Martyrology, the 18th of March in that year is marked as:

“The birthday (Natalis, i.e., of his heavenly life) of Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, who after suffering many wrongs from the Arians for the sake of the Faith, and having been several times driven from his See, became at length renowned for the glory of sanctity, and rested in peace: an Ecumenical Council in a letter to Damasus gave a noble testimony to his untarnished faith.”

CHAPTER II.

CATECHETICAL INSTRUCTION.

§ 1. Catechesis. The term “Catechesis” in its widest sense includes instruction by word of mouth on any subject, sacred or profane, but is especially applied to Christian teaching.