Saint Cyril of Jerusalem Dr. of the Church

The holy father Anba Kyrellos (Cyril), Bishop of Jerusalem, departed in the year 386 AD. This father was chosen in the year 348 A.D. as a successor for Anba Maximus, Bishop of Jerusalem, for his knowledge and righteousness.
He did not stay long on his Chair, until a contention arose between him and Acacius Bishop of Caesarea about who had the right to be in primacy over the other. St. Cyril argument was that he was the successor of St. James, one of the Twelve Disciples. He had sold some of the church vessels and distributed the money on the needy because of a famine that befell the land of Palestine.

Acacius took this chance and made an effort to obtain an order to exile him from the country. Accordingly the saint was exiled without any one listening to his case. In the year 359 A.D., he appealed his case before the council of Seleucia. The council called Acacius to hear from him his argument, but he did not attend, so they judged by removing him from his office, and the return of Cyril to his Chair (Parish). He did not stay long, for Acacius went and enticed emperor Constants to assemble a council at Constantinople and the Arian bishops agreed with him. This council convened in the year 360 A.D. and ordered to exile this saint once more. When Constants died, and was succeeded by Julian who ordered the return of all the exiled bishops to their chairs. The saint returned to his chair in the year 362 A.D. and shepherded his people faithfully and honestly, but he resisted the Arians.

The Arians went to emperor Valens the Arian who invalidated the order of his predecessor Julian stating the return of the exiled bishops to their chairs. This way St. Cyril was exiled for the third time, where he remained until the death of Valens in the year 379 A.D. When Theodosius the great reigned, he assembled the one hundred fifty in a council against Macedonia's (The second universal council) . St. Cyril attended the council and opposed Macedonia's, Sabilius and other heretics. He composed many Homilies and Exhortations, exceedingly profitable, in the doctrines of faith and old traditions. Then, in 386 he departed in peace.

May His prayers be with us. Amen. ( The Coptic Synaxarion )

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Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Bishop of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church
Baptismal Catechesis, no. 13

Freed from the bonds of sin through Christ’s cross

Saint Paul said: “May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!” (Gal 6:14) It was already surprising that the man born blind recovered his sight at Siloam; but what did that do for all the blind in the world? The raising of Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, was something great which went beyond nature; but this grace only benefited him, it brought nothing to all in the world who were dead because of their sins. It was amazing to bring forth food to nourish five thousand men with five loaves of bread; but that was nothing for those people who, throughout the universe, were suffering the hunger of ignorance. The liberation of a woman who had been bound by Satan for eighteen years was amazing; but what is that in relation to us all, who are bound by the chains of our sins?

Now the victory of the cross led all whom ignorance made blind to the light, it freed all whom sin had captured, and it redeemed the whole of humankind. Do not be surprised that the whole world was redeemed. The one who died for this was not just a man, but the only Son of God. Adam’s fault brought death to the entire world. If the fall of one single person caused death to reign over all, how much more will not the righteousness of one single person cause life to reign (Rom 5:17)? If in former times our first parents were rejected from paradise because of the tree of which they ate the fruit, won’t those who believe now enter much more easily into paradise because of the tree of the cross of Jesus? If the first being formed of the earth brought death to all, won’t he who formed him from the earth bring them eternal life, since he is himself life (Jn 14:6)
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"And may these words be spoken now again over you also, `Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth,' and then, `for the Lord has had mercy on His people, and comforted the lowly of His people (Is. 49:13). And this shall come to pass through the loving-kindness of God, Who says to you, `Behold, I will blot out as a cloud your transgressions, and as a thick cloud your sins.' But you have been counted worthy of the name of Faithful of whom it is written: `Upon my servants shall be called a new name which shall be blessed on the earth' (Is. 65:15); you shall say with gladness, `Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ' (Eph. 1:3); in Whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein He abounded towards us' (Eph. 5:7), and what follows, and again, `But God being rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, when we
were dead through trespasses, quickened us together with Christ' (Eph. 2:4)."
St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Bishop of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church
Baptismal Catechesis 12, 6-8

“Then why did you not believe in his word?

The prophets were sent together with Moses to heal Israel; but they cared for them with tears and did not succeed in overcoming the evil, as one of them said: “Alas!… The faithful are gone from the earth.” (Mic 7:1.2) … Humankind’s wound was great; from head to foot, there was no healthy spot, no place to put a bandage or oil or salve (Isa 1:6). The prophets, exhausted from their tears, said: “Who will give the saving remedy out of Zion?” (Ps 14:7)… And another prophet begged in these words: “Incline your heavens, O Lord, and come down.” (Ps 144:5) Humankind’s wounds are too great for our remedies. They killed the prophets and ruined your altars (1 Kings 19:10). We cannot heal our miseries. We need you to lift us up again.

The Lord heard the prophets’ prayer. The Father did not despise our bruised race. He sent his own Son from heaven to be our doctor. A prophet said: “The Lord whom you seek is coming, and he will come suddenly.” Where to? “To his temple,” (Mal 3:! 1) where you stoned his prophet (1 Chron 24:21)… God himself also said: “Behold I am coming and will dwell in your midst, and many peoples will find refuge with the Lord.” … Now I am coming to gather together all the people from every language, for “to his own he came, yet his own did not accept him.” (Jn 1:11)

You are coming, and what will you give the nations? “I come to gather nations of every language… I will set a sign among them.” (Isa 66:19) For after my combat on the cross, I will put a royal seal on the forehead of each of my soldiers (Rev 7:4). Another prophet said: “He inclined the heavens and came down with dark clouds under his feet.” (Ps 18:10) But his descent from the heavens remained unknown to human beings.
"Take heed lest without reason thou mistrust the power of repentance. Wouldst thou know what power repentance has? Wouldst thou know the strong weapon of salvation, and learn what the force of confession is? Hezekiah by means of confession routed a hundred and fourscore and five thousand of his enemies. A great thing verily was this, but still small in comparison with what remains to be gold: the same king by repentance obtained the recall of a divine sentence which had already gone forth. For when he had fallen sick, Esaias said to him, `Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.' What expectation remained, what hope of recovery, when the Prophet said, `for thou shalt die?' Yet Hezekiah did not desist from repentance; but remembering what is written, `When thou shalt turn and lament, then shalt thou be saved,' he turned to the wall, and from his bed lifting he mind to heaven, he said, `Remember me, O Lord, for it is sufficient for my healing that Thou remember me..'

"St. Cyril of Jerusalem.

O strange and inconceivable thing! We did not really die, we were not really buried, we were not really crucified and raised again, but our imitation was but a figure, while our salvation is in reality. Christ was actually crucified, and actually buried, and truly rose again; and all these things have been vouchsafed to us, that we, by imitation communicating in His sufferings, might gain salvation in reality. O surpassing loving-kindness! Christ received the nails in His undefiled hands and feet, and endured anguish; while to me without suffering or toil, by the fellowship of His pain He vouchsafed salvation."        St. Cyril of Jerusalem

The Eucharist - The Holy Communion:
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القديس كيرلس أسقف أورشليم

قس الموعوظين

وُلد بأورشليم أو بإحدى قراها عام 315م.

سيم شمّاسا سنة 335م ثم قسّا سنه 345م. وبالرغم من حداثة القس كيرلس عهد إليه الأسقف مهمة تعليم الموعوظين لتأهيلهم لنوال سرّ المعمودية، كما جعله يعظ في أيام الآحاد والأعياد.

سيامته أسقفًا

اُختير هذا الأب في سنة 348م خلفًا للأنبا مكسيموس أسقف أورشليم نظرًا لعلمه وتقواه بواسطة أكاكيوس أسقف قيصرية. وللأسف إذ كان أكاكيوس أريوسيًا حامت الشكوك حول كيرلس. لكن سرعان ما دخل في صراع مع أكاكيوس والأريوسيين مدافعًا عن التعاليم النقية الخاصة بلاهوت السيد المسيح.

منازعات بينه وبين أكاكيوس أسقف قيصرية

لم يلبث على كرسيه طويلاً حتى حصلت منازعات بينه وبين أكاكيوس أسقف قيصرية فيمن منهما له حق التقدم على الآخر، وكانت حجّة كيرلس في ذلك أنه خليفة القديس يعقوب أحد الاثنى عشر رسولاً.

حدث أن انتهز أكاكيوس فرصة بيع الأنبا كيرلس لأواني الكنيسة وإنفاقها على المعوزين على أثر مجاعة شديدة حلت بفلسطين، فبذل المساعي هنا وهناك حتى حصل على أمر بنفيه من البلاد، فنفي ولم يستمع أحد إلى دعواه.

وفى سنة 359م استأنف دعواه أمام مجمع سلوكية فدعا المجمع أكاكيوس ليسمع منه حجته فلم يحضر، فحُكم عليه بالعزل، وطلب إعادة كيرلس إلى كرسيه فعاد.

لم يمكث طويلاً لان أكاكيوس أغرى الملك قسطنطس بعقد مجمع في القسطنطينية، وشايعه الأساقفة الأريوسيون فعُقد هذا المجمع في سنة 360م وأصدر أمره بعزل هذا القديس مرة ثانية.

ولما مات قسطنطس وخلفه يوليانوس أمر بعودة الأساقفة المنفيين إلى كراسيهم، فعاد هذا القديس إلى كرسيه سنة 362م وأخذ يرعى شعبه بأمانة واستقامة.

لأنه كان يقاوم الأريوسيين سعوا إلى الملك فالنس الأريوسي حتى أبطل أمر يوليانوس سلفه القاضي بعودة الأساقفة المنفيين إلى كراسيهم، وهكذا عزل هذا القديس للمرة الثالثة فبقى منفيًا إلى أن مات فالنس في سنة 379م. ولما تملّك ثيؤدوسيوس الكبير وجمع مجمع المائة والخمسين على مقدونيوس، حضر فيه هذا الأب وقاوم مقدونيوس وسابيليوس وغيرهما من المبتدعين، تنيح بسلام سنة 386م.

كتاباته

            تعتبر أهم كتاباته "مقالاته للموعوظين"، وهي 24 مقالاً، الأولى مقدمة و23 أخرى. من هذه المقالات 18 أُلقيت في فترة الصوم على المستعدين للعماد، ربما عام 350م، في كنيسة القبر المقدس. أُلقيت شفاهًا وسجّلها أحد السامعين. هذه المقالات لها أهميتها العظمى كشاهد لطقس المعمودية ومفهومها اللاهوتي في القرن الرابع.

            أما المقالات الخمس فقد أُلقيت على المعمّدين حديثًا خلال الأسبوع الأول من عيد القيامة، تشرح ليتورجية الأسرار الثلاثة التي تمتّعوا بها في ليلة العيد وهي: العماد والميرون والتناول.

نسب البعض هذه المقالات الخمس للأسقف يوحنا خليفة القديس كيرلس الأورشليمي غير أن Quasten يرى أنها من عمل القديس كيرلس الأورشليمي، ومراجعة خليفته.

من كتاباته

v                 آمن أن ابن اللَّه الوحيد قد نزل إلى الأرض من أجل خطايانا، أخذ الناسوت خاضعًا لمشاعرنا، مولودًا من العذراء القديسة بالروح القدس.

لم يكن هذا مظهرًا أو تخيلاً بل حقيقة، فإنه لم يجتز في العذراء كما من قناة، بل بحق أخذ منها جسدًا وتقوّت بلبنها. أكل كما نأكل، وشرب كما نشرب نحن! فلو كان التجسد خيالاً لكان خلاصنا أيضًا خيالاً[1].

v استخدم الشيطان الجسد سلاحًا ضدنا (رو23:7). هكذا نحن قد خلصنا بذات الأسلحة التي حاربنا بها الشيطان، إذ أخذ الرب شبهنا ليُخلص الطبيعة البشرية. صار مثلنا حتى يهب فاقدي النعمة نعمة عظيمة، ويصير الإنسان الخاطئ شريكًا لله! لأنه حيث كثرت الخطية ازدادت النعمة جدًا. تألم الرب عنا، لكن لو عرفه الشيطان لما تجاسر للاقتراب منه، "فإنهم لو عرفوا لما صلبوا رب المجد".

لقد صار جسده مصيدة للموت، حتى إذ أمل الوحش أن يبتلعه، أخرج أيضًا من أحشائه الذين سبق فابتلعهم. فإن الموت إذ تقوّى ابتلعنا، لكن اللَّه يمسح كل دمعة من كل وجه[2].

v     لا تعجب أن العالم كله يخلص، فإنه ليس إنسانًا مجرد بل هو ابن اللَّه الوحيد، الذي مات عن العالم.

حقًا إنه بخطية واحد، أي آدم، ملك الموت على العالم، فإنه إن كان بمعصية واحدٍ ملك على العالم، فكم بالأحرى تملك الحياة ببر واحدٍ؟!

إن كانوا قد طُردوا من الفردوس بسبب الشجرة التي أكلوا منها أليس من الأسهل أن يدخل المؤمنون الفردوس بسبب شجرة يسوع؟!

إن كان الإنسان الأول، الذي وجد من الأرض، جلب العالم للموت أليس بالأولى يجلب خالقه الحياة الأبدية إذ هو نفسه الحياة؟!

إن كان فينحاس في غيرته رد غضب اللَّه بقتله فاعليّ الشر (عد 6:25-12)، كم بالأحرى يسوع الذي لم يقتل آخر بل "أسلم نفسه فدية" ينزع غضب اللَّه عن الإنسان؟![3]

[1] Catechetical Lectures, 4 :9.

[2] Catechetical Lectures, 12 :15.

[3] Catechetical Lectures, 13 :2.