Cyril of Alexandria: Festal Letters 13–30

by Cyril of Alexandria

Publisher:

Catholic University of America

, 2013

Overview

St. Cyril of Alexandria is best known for his role in the Christological controversies of the fifth century. In recent decades, scholars have been attending more carefully to his exegetical legacy. Most of Cyril’s work takes the form of biblical commentary rather than doctrinal treatise. Indeed, during his long career he wrote commentaries on nearly every book of the Bible. Less attention, however, has been given to Cyril’s pastoral work as the Patriarch of Alexandria, perhaps because his commentaries and doctrinal treatises do not reveal much about his daily pastoral duties. Here the Festal Letters are especially helpful.

Twenty-nine in all, these letters cover all but three of Cyril’s years as a bishop. The present volume completes the set. Festal letters were used in Alexandria primarily to announce the beginning of Lent and the date of Easter. They also served a catechetical purpose, however, allowing the Patriarch an annual opportunity to write pastorally not just about issues facing the entire see, but also about the theological issues of the day. Thus, in these letters we catch a glimpse of Cyril the pastor writing about complex theology in an uncomplicated way. These letters also illuminate other realities of the ancient church in Alexandria, especially the relationship with the Jewish community and the rising influence of asceticism.

These letters illuminate other aspects of the ancient church in Alexandria, including that church’s complex relationship with the Jews and other religious groups, as well as the ways in which the ascetical movement wound its way into the patriarch’s pastoral program. In short, Cyril of Alexandria’s Festal Letters provides modern readers with a rare opportunity to enter the daily reality of the church in ancient Alexandria.

Key Features

• Contains a new translation of Cyril of Alexandria’s festal letters
• Provides insight into Cyril’s pastoral duties as bishop
• Offers a look at the ancient church in Alexandria

Contents

Top Highlights

“And this, too, originated from the wisdom above, a demonstration of skillfulness befitting the divine. For just as those eager to achieve renown in coppersmithery exercise themselves at it thoroughly, and do not work with the material required for it during their first attempts, but practice the art using wax, forming with it the shapes of the vessels; just so, we would say, was Israel educated by the figures of truth so as to proceed little by little toward the fully good. This was the power of the way of life in Christ, the one, I mean, that was proclaimed by the revelations in the Gospels.” (Pages 191–192)

“For if Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our life,⁵⁷ was made perfect through suffering,⁵⁸ as is written, how can we avoid living a life that will be ignominious and held in derision, if we refuse to accept the same circumstances and despise the means of attaining high repute? For let us listen forthwith to Christ crying out to us, ‘If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’⁵⁹ It is, then, necessary for us to follow the footsteps of Christ, who gave himself for us.⁶⁰ And for what reason?” (Page 54)

“Now the Holy of Holies is, we say, the modes of mystical perfection. Into them no one may enter, or draw near to God, in disposition and sanctification that is, who has not first thoroughly washed away all the filth coming from sin and carnal desires.” (Page 156)

“But he cannot cease to be God because of what is human about him. But it is just in this way that he is God, the divinity which is above all not yielding the victory to the flesh, but rather carrying what has been assumed into its own glory.” (Page 12)

Product Details

• Title: Festal Letters, 13–30
• Author: Cyril of Alexandria
• Series: The Fathers of the Church
• Volume: 127
• Publisher: Catholic University of America
• Print Publication Date: 2013
• Logos Release Date: 2014
• Pages: 240
• Era: era:nicene
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Cyril, Saint, Patriarch of Alexandria, ca. 370-444 › Correspondence; Christian saints › Egypt--Alexandria--Correspondence; Christian life › Early works to 1800; Theology, doctrinal › Early works to 1800
• ISBNs: 9780813201184, 9780813221847, 0813201187, 0813221846
• Resource ID: LLS:FSTLLTTRS1330
• Resource Type: text.monograph.letters
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:50:58Z

About Cyril of Alexandria

Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376 – 444) was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He came to power when the city was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the later 4th and 5th centuries. He was a central figure in the First Council of Ephesus in 431, which led to the deposition of Nestorius as Patriarch of Constantinople.