SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM

Winchester, VA – Saint Cyril of Alexandria is colorful character. He is a Church Father, Bishop, Doctor of the Church, and the 24^th Pope, or Patriarch of Alexandria. His maternal uncle was the 23^rd Pope of Alexandria and even ordained Cyril. Saint Cyril is known for the run-ins he had with others. He drove the Jews from Alexandria, and had frequent public conflicts with the Roman governor Orestes. Most notably, however, was his condemnation of the heretic Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, who taught that Mary was NOT the Mother of God, denying the coexistence of Jesus’ human nature with His divine nature. The topics of his writings included the Incarnation and the Trinity, which also prevented Pelagianism from taking root in the Church. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, pray for us!