Letters (first part: Migne letters 1-55) 19–29
Greek text: PG 77.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 19
19PG 77 77:125
Τοῖς εὐλαβεστάτοις καὶ θεοφιλεστάτοις Πατράσι μοναστηρίων, τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν, Κύριλλος καὶ ἡ κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν συναχθεῖσα ἁγία σύνοδος, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Τῆς θεοσεβείας ὑμῶν τὸν ζῆλον, ὃν ἐν Χριστῷ πεποίησθε βλασφημουμένῳ, καὶ τοῦτο ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων, μεμαθήκαμεν ἀκριβῶς, καὶ σφόδρα - μὲν ἐπῃνέσαμεν τῆς εὐνοίας ὑμᾶς τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν, καὶ ἀγάπης τῆς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Κλαίοντες δὲ διατελοῦμεν, καὶ παρακαλοῦντες τὸν τῶν ὅλων Σωτῆρα Χριστὸν, νῦν θραῦσαι τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου παγίδα, καὶ περιελεῖν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τὸ σκάνδαλον, καὶ πεῦσαι τὰς κατὰ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ δυσφημίας. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐστι μακρόθυμος, καιρὸν μεταγνώσεως ἐπεδαψιλεύσατο τῷ εὐλαβεστάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Νεστορίῳ, σιωπώντων πάντων τέως ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ καὶ περιμενόντων, ὅπερ ἦν ἅπασι δι' εὐχῆς, τὸ μεταστῆναι μὲν αὐτὸν τῆς βεβήλου καινοφωνίας, φρονῆσαι δὲ μεθ' ἡμῶν τὰ ὀρθὰ καὶ εἰκότα, καὶ ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις συμβαίνοντα Γραφαῖς, ἐλέσθαι τε τὴν πίστιν τὴν παραδοθεῖσαν ἄνωθεν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις παρά τε τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν, οἱ καὶ γεγόνασιν οἰκονόμοι γνήσιοι τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ μυστηρίων, καὶ ἱερουργεῖν ἐτάχθησαν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανόν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μεμένηκεν ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς, τάχα δήπου καὶ ἐν χείροσι γέγονε, προστιθεὶς ἀεὶ δυσφημίας ἐπὶ δυσφημίαις, καὶ ξένα καὶ ἀλλότρια παντελῶς ἐξηγούμενος δόγματα, ἃ μὴ οἶδεν ὅλως ἡ ἁγία καθολικὴ Ἐκκλησία· ἐδικαιώσαμεν ὑπομνησθέντα · τρίτῳ γράμματι, τούτῳ δὴ τῷ πεμφθέντι παρά τε ἡμῶν, καὶ τοῦ ὁσιωτάτου καὶ θεοσεβεστάτου ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ συλλειτουργοῦ Κελεστίνου, τοῦ τῆς μεγάλης Ῥώμης ἐπισκόπου. Εἱ μὲν ἕλοιτο μετανοῆσαι, καὶ ἐφ᾿ οἷς εἴρηκε δακρύσας, ἀναθεματίσαι μὲν ἐγγράφως τὰ διεστραμμένα ἑαυτοῦ δόγματα, ὁμολογῆσαι δὲ ὀρθῶς καὶ ἀνεπιλήπτως τῆς καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὴν πίστιν, μένειν αὐτὸν, συγγνώμην αἰτοῦντα, καὶ ἃ δεῖ μανθάνοντα. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἕλοιτο ταῦτα πρᾶξαι, ἀλλότριον, αὐτὸν εἶναι καὶ ξένον τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν ἐπισκόπων, καὶ τοῦ διδασκαλικοῦ ἀξιώματος. Οὐ γὰρ ἐστιν ἀκίνδυνον ἐν εἴδει ποιμένος λύκον ἐπαφεῖναι δεινὸν τοῖς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ποιμνίοις. ᾿Ανδρίζεσθε τοίνυν ὡς δοῦλοι Χριστοῦ 4, καὶ φροντίσατε τῶν ἰδίων ψυχῶν, πάντα πράττοντες ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ὅπως ἂν ἡ εἰς αὐτὸν πίστις ὀρθὴ καὶ ἀκαταίτιος κηρύττηται πανταχοῦ. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμᾶς καὶ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα κινδύνων ἀπαλλάξει, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θείου βήματος στεφάνων ἀξιωθῆναι παρασκευάσει, τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἀγάπης ἕνεκα σύμπαντας ἀποδεχομένου τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν͵ Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ. « Ασπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλή ματι ἁγίῳ. ᾿Ασπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ πάντες͵ ἀδελφοί. · Ἐρρῶσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐν Κυρίῳ εὔχομαι, ἀγα πητοὶ καὶ ποθεινότατοι.
Tois eulabestatois kai theophilestatois Patrasi monastēriōn, tois kata tēn Kōnstantinoupolin, Kyrillos kai hē kata tēn ᾿Alexandreian synachtheisa hagia synodos, en Kyriǭ chairein. Tēs theosebeias hymōn ton zēlon, hon en Christǭ pepoiēsthe blasphēmoumenǭ, kai touto en ekklēsią tę̄ tōn orthodoxōn, memathēkamen akribōs, kai sphodra - men epę̄nesamen tēs eunoias hymas tēs eis Christon, kai agapēs tēs eis to onoma autou. Klaiontes de diateloumen, kai parakalountes ton tōn holōn Sōtēra Christon, nyn thrausai tēn tou diabolou pagida, kai perielein tōn Ekklēsiōn to skandalon, kai peusai tas kata tēs doxēs autou dysphēmias. Epei de esti makrothymos, kairon metagnōseōs epedapsileusato tǭ eulabestatǭ episkopǭ Nestoriǭ, siōpōntōn pantōn teōs ep᾿ autǭ kai perimenontōn, hoper ēn hapasi di' euchēs, to metastēnai men auton tēs bebēlou kainophōnias, phronēsai de meth' hēmōn ta ortha kai eikota, kai tais theopneustois symbainonta Graphais, elesthai te tēn pistin tēn paradotheisan anōthen tais Ekklēsiais para te tōn hagiōn apostolōn kai euangelistōn, hoi kai gegonasin oikonomoi gnēsioi tōn tou Christou mystēriōn, kai hierourgein etachthēsan to Euangelion autou tois ana pasan tēn hyp᾿ ouranon. Epeidē de memenēken en tois autois, tacha dēpou kai en cheirosi gegone, prostitheis aei dysphēmias epi dysphēmiais, kai xena kai allotria pantelōs exēgoumenos dogmata, ha mē oiden holōs hē hagia katholikē Ekklēsia; edikaiōsamen hypomnēsthenta ; tritǭ grammati, toutǭ dē tǭ pemphthenti para te hēmōn, kai tou hosiōtatou kai theosebestatou adelphou hēmōn kai sylleitourgou Kelestinou, tou tēs megalēs Rhōmēs episkopou. Hei men heloito metanoēsai, kai eph᾿ hois eirēke dakrysas, anathematisai men engraphōs ta diestrammena heautou dogmata, homologēsai de orthōs kai anepilēptōs tēs katholikēs Ekklēsias tēn pistin, menein auton, syngnōmēn aitounta, kai ha dei manthanonta. Ei de mē heloito tauta praxai, allotrion, auton einai kai xenon tou chorou tōn episkopōn, kai tou didaskalikou axiōmatos. Ou gar estin akindynon en eidei poimenos lykon epapheinai deinon tois tou Sōtēros poimniois. ᾿Andrizesthe toinyn hōs douloi Christou 4, kai phrontisate tōn idiōn psychōn, panta prattontes hyper tēs doxēs tou Christou, kai hopōs an hē eis auton pistis orthē kai akataitios kēryttētai pantachou. Touto gar hymas kai tōn meta tauta kindynōn apallaxei, kai epi tou theiou bēmatos stephanōn axiōthēnai paraskeuasei, tēs eis auton agapēs heneka sympantas apodechomenou tou pantōn hēmōn͵ Sōtēros Christou. « Aspasasthe allēlous en philē mati hagiǭ. ᾿Aspazontai hymas hoi syn emoi pantes͵ adelphoi. ; Errōsthai hymas en Kyriǭ euchomai, aga pētoi kai potheinotatoi.
To the most reverent and most God-beloved fathers of the monasteries in Constantinople, Cyril and the holy synod assembled at Alexandria: greeting in the Lord.
We have learned exactly of the zeal your Reverence has shown for Christ when he was blasphemed, and that in the church of the orthodox, and we have warmly praised you for your goodwill toward Christ and your love for his name. We continue weeping and beseeching Christ, the Saviour of all, now to break the snare of the devil, remove the scandal from the churches, and stop the blasphemies against his glory. Since he is long-suffering, he granted the most reverent bishop Nestorius a full time for repentance, while all kept silent about him for a time and waited for what all prayed for: that he would turn from his profane novelty of speech, think with us what is right and fitting and in agreement with the divinely inspired Scriptures, and choose the faith handed down from the beginning to the churches by the holy apostles and evangelists, who became true stewards of the mysteries of Christ and were appointed to minister his gospel as priests to those throughout the world under heaven. But since he has remained in the same views, or perhaps has even become worse, always adding blasphemies to blasphemies and expounding doctrines utterly strange and foreign, which the holy catholic church does not know at all, we have resolved to admonish him by a third letter, this one sent by us and by our most holy and most God-fearing brother and fellow minister Celestine, bishop of great Rome: that if he chooses to repent and, weeping over what he has said, to anathematize his perverse doctrines in writing and to confess the faith of the catholic church rightly and blamelessly, he may remain, asking pardon and learning what he must; but if he does not choose to do this, he is a stranger and alien to the choir of bishops and to the dignity of teaching. For it is not without danger to let a terrible wolf loose on the Saviour's flocks in the guise of a shepherd.
Play the man, then, as servants of Christ, and take care of your own souls, doing everything for the glory of Christ, so that faith in him may be preached everywhere right and blameless. For this will free you from dangers afterwards and prepare you to be counted worthy of crowns before the divine judgement seat, since Christ, the Saviour of us all, will welcome all of you for your love of him. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” All the brothers with me greet you. I pray for your health in the Lord, beloved and most dearly longed for.
2 Tim 2:26 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Cor 4:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 15:16 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 7:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 10:31 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Cor 16:20 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril and the synod praise the monks of Constantinople for resisting Nestorius's blasphemies and tell them Nestorius has been given a final warning to recant or be removed.
- Written in November 430.
Topics: Christology, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 19 (PG 77 77:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/19
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-19) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 20
20PG 77 77:127
Κύριλλος πρεσβυτέροις, καὶ διακόνοις, καὶ λαῷ, ᾿Αλεξανδρείας, ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ ποθεινοτάτοις ἐν Κυ ρίῳ χαίρειν. Χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ, τὸ πλατὺ καὶ μέγα διενηξάμεθα πέλαγος, ἁπαλοῖς τε καὶ ἡμερωτάτοις πνεύμασιν, ὥστε δίχα φόβου καὶ κινδύνου παντὸς τὸν πλοῦν ἐξανύσαντας ἀφικέσθαι εἰς τὴν Ῥοδίων, δοξολογοῦντας Θεὸν, καὶ λέγοντας μετὰ τῆς τοῦ Ψάλλοντος φωνῆς Σὺ δεσπόζεις τοῦ κράτους τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ τὸν σάλον τῶν κυμάτων αὐτῆς σὺ καταπραΰνεις. · Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἦν ἀναγκαῖον ἀπόντας τῷ σώματι, παρόντας δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, περιπτύξασθαι διὰ τοῦ γράμματος, ὡς τέκνα, δεῖν ᾠήθην ἐπιστεῖλαι τέως ταῦτα ὑμῖν, καὶ ἐναργῆ καταστῆσαι. Πιστεύω γὰρ, ὅτι προσθήσει ὁ Θεὸς τὰ λοιπὰ, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἁπάντων ὑμῶν προσευχῆς παρακεκλημένος. Δείξατε τοίνυν εἰς τὸν παρόντα μάλιστα καιρὸν, ὡς καρπὸν ἀγάπης, τὰς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσευχὰς (κἀγὼ γὰρ τοῦτο ποιῶν οὐ διαλιμπάνω), ἵνα πάλιν ὁ πάντας συντρίβων πολέ μους Θεὸς, ὁ τῶν δυνάμεων Κύριος, καταστήσας τὰ μεταξὺ, καὶ πάντα ῥαΐσας πόλεμον ε, χαίροντας ἡμᾶς χαίρουσιν ὡς τέκνοις ἀποδῷ. Πάντα γὰρ δύναται, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· ἀδυνατεῖ δὲ αὐτῷ παντελῶς οὐδέν. Τῆς δὲ ὑμῖν συντρόφου καὶ πρεπούσης ἐπιεικείας ἀντέχεσθε. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἀποφανεῖ ὑμᾶς μάλιστα δοκιμωτάτους, οἳ καὶ ἀπόντος καὶ παρόντος τοῦ κατὰ πνεῦμα πατρὸς, τὸν εὐγενῆ καὶ ἀξιόληπτον τιμᾶτε βίον. « Ασπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. » ᾿Ασπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ ἀδελφοί. Ερῥῶσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐν Κυρίῳ εὔχομαι, ἀγαπητοὶ καὶ ποθεινότατοι.
Kyrillos presbyterois, kai diakonois, kai laǭ, ᾿Alexandreias, agapētois kai potheinotatois en Ky riǭ chairein. Chariti kai philanthrōpią tou pantōn hēmōn Sōtēros Christou, to platy kai mega dienēxametha pelagos, hapalois te kai hēmerōtatois pneumasin, hōste dicha phobou kai kindynou pantos ton ploun exanysantas aphikesthai eis tēn Rhodiōn, doxologountas Theon, kai legontas meta tēs tou Psallontos phōnēs Sy despozeis tou kratous tēs thalassēs, kai ton salon tōn kymatōn autēs sy katapraÿneis. ; Epeidē de ēn anankaion apontas tǭ sōmati, parontas de tǭ pneumati, periptyxasthai dia tou grammatos, hōs tekna, dein ǭēthēn episteilai teōs tauta hymin, kai enargē katastēsai. Pisteuō gar, hoti prosthēsei ho Theos ta loipa, kai dia tēs hapantōn hymōn proseuchēs parakeklēmenos. Deixate toinyn eis ton paronta malista kairon, hōs karpon agapēs, tas hyper hēmōn proseuchas (kagō gar touto poiōn ou dialimpanō), hina palin ho pantas syntribōn pole mous Theos, ho tōn dynameōn Kyrios, katastēsas ta metaxy, kai panta rhaïsas polemon e, chairontas hēmas chairousin hōs teknois apodǭ. Panta gar dynatai, kata to gegrammenon; adynatei de autǭ pantelōs ouden. Tēs de hymin syntrophou kai prepousēs epieikeias antechesthe. Touto gar apophanei hymas malista dokimōtatous, hoi kai apontos kai parontos tou kata pneuma patros, ton eugenē kai axiolēpton timate bion. « Aspasasthe allēlous en philēmati hagiǭ. » ᾿Aspazontai hymas hoi syn emoi adelphoi. Errhōsthai hymas en Kyriǭ euchomai, agapētoi kai potheinotatoi.
Cyril to the presbyters, deacons, and people of Alexandria, beloved and most dearly longed for: greeting in the Lord.
By the grace and love for mankind of Christ, the Saviour of us all, we have swum across the broad and great sea with soft and very gentle winds, so that we completed the voyage without any fear or danger and reached Rhodes, glorifying God and saying in the words of the psalmist, “You rule the power of the sea, and you calm the surge of its waves.” Since it was necessary, absent in body but present in spirit, to embrace you by letter as children, I thought I should send you this news for the time being and make it plain. For I believe that God will add the rest, being entreated also through the prayer of all of you. Show, then, especially at the present time, your prayers for us as a fruit of love (for I too do not cease doing this), so that God, who crushes all wars, the Lord of hosts, may settle what lies between and, breaking down every war, restore us rejoicing to you who rejoice, as to children. For he can do all things, as it is written; nothing at all is impossible for him. Hold fast to the gentleness that is natural and fitting to you; for this will show you most approved, who honour a noble and worthy life whether your spiritual father is absent or present. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” The brothers with me greet you. I pray for your health in the Lord, beloved and most dearly longed for.
Ps 89:9 (88:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 5:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 46:9 (45:10 LXX) (echo, medium confidence) · Job 42:2 (echo, low confidence) · Luke 1:37 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 16:20 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On his way to the Council of Ephesus, Cyril tells his people that he has reached Rhodes safely and asks for their prayers.
- Written in 431 on the voyage to the Council of Ephesus. The psalm quoted is Ps 89:9 (LXX 88:10).
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 20 (PG 77 77:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/20
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-20) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 21
21PG 77 77:129
Κύριλλος πρεσβυτέροις, καὶ διακόνοις, καὶ λαῷ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας, ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ ποθεινοτάτοις, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Διψῶντί μοι πάλιν τῆς ὑμῶν ἐπιεικείας τὴν πρόσρησιν, δέδοται τοῦ γράφειν καιρὸς καὶ τόπος. Ἐσμὲν τοιγαροῦν ἐν τῇ Ἐφεσίων, διὰ τὰς πάντων ὑμῶν εὐχὰς ἐν εὐρωστίᾳ διατελοῦντες, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐγγὺς ἔχοντες τὸν τῆς συνόδου καιρόν. Πιστεύομεν δὲ ὅτι Χριστὸς ὁ πάντων Σωτήρ, καθαρὰς ἀποφανεῖ διεστραμμένων ἐννοιῶν τὰς ἑαυτοῦ Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τὴν ὀρθὴν πίστιν ἀποκαταστήσει 1 φανοτάτην· ὥστε πάντας πανταχή καθαροὺς καὶ ἀμώμας, ἀκαπήλευτον ἔχοντας αὐτὴν ὀσίας αἴρειν χεῖρας εἰς προσευχὰς, ἐκεῖνο λέγοντας τὸ διὰ φωνῆς τοῦ μακαρίου Δαβίδ · « Κατευθυνθήτω ἡ προσευχή μου ὡς θυμίαμα ἐνώπιόν σου· ἔπαρσις τῶν χειρῶν μου, θυσία ἑσπερινή. » Περιέρχεται γὰρ ὁ πονηρὸς τὸ ἀκοίμητον θηρίον, ἐπιβουλεύων τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Χριστοῦ · ἰσχύει δὲ ὅλως οὐδὲν, ἀργούσης αὐτοῦ τῆς σκαιότητος, καὶ ἀπρακτούσης τῆς πονηρίας. Ἐπιβουλεύει γὰρ οὐκ ἀνθρώπῳ κοινῷ οὐδὲ ἑνὶ τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς ἁπλῶς, κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν τοῖς νέοις δογματισταῖς, ἀλλὰ Θεῷ τῷ πάντα ἰσχύοντι. Οὐκοῦν ἀκουέτω παρὰ παντὸς ἀγαπῶντος Χριστόν· «Σκληρόν σοι τὸ πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν. » Πλήττει γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ὁ δείλαιος, καὶ ὁμοῦ τοῖς ἰδίοις τέκνοις πεσεῖται πρὸς ὄλεθρον. Οἱ γὰρ τὰ ὀρθὰ τῶν ἁγίων Ἐκκλησιῶν διαστρέφοντες δόγματα, τῆς ἐκείνου μερίδος εἰσίν· οὐ φεύξονται δὲ τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Προσεύχεσθε τοίνυν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ὁ Θεὸς ὁ πάντων Σωτὴρ, δοίη πάλιν χαίρουσι χαίροντας ἀποδοθῆναι. Πάντα γὰρ δύναται, καὶ ἀδυνατεῖ παντελῶς οὐδὲν αὐτῷ. ᾿Ασπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. » ᾿Ασπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ ἀδελφοί. Ἐῤῥῶσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐν Κυρίῳ εὔχομαι, ἀγαπητοὶ καὶ ἀδελφοὶ ποθεινότατοι.
Kyrillos presbyterois, kai diakonois, kai laǭ ᾿Alexandreias, agapētois kai potheinotatois, en Kyriǭ chairein. Dipsōnti moi palin tēs hymōn epieikeias tēn prosrēsin, dedotai tou graphein kairos kai topos. Esmen toigaroun en tę̄ Ephesiōn, dia tas pantōn hymōn euchas en eurōstią diatelountes, kai loipon engys echontes ton tēs synodou kairon. Pisteuomen de hoti Christos ho pantōn Sōtēr, katharas apophanei diestrammenōn ennoiōn tas heautou Ekklēsias, kai tēn orthēn pistin apokatastēsei 1 phanotatēn; hōste pantas pantachē katharous kai amōmas, akapēleuton echontas autēn osias airein cheiras eis proseuchas, ekeino legontas to dia phōnēs tou makariou Dabid ; « Kateuthynthētō hē proseuchē mou hōs thymiama enōpion sou; eparsis tōn cheirōn mou, thysia hesperinē. » Perierchetai gar ho ponēros to akoimēton thērion, epibouleuōn tę̄ doxę̄ tou Christou ; ischyei de holōs ouden, argousēs autou tēs skaiotētos, kai apraktousēs tēs ponērias. Epibouleuei gar ouk anthrōpǭ koinǭ oude heni tōn kath' hēmas haplōs, kata to dokoun tois neois dogmatistais, alla Theǭ tǭ panta ischyonti. Oukoun akouetō para pantos agapōntos Christon; «Sklēron soi to pros kentra laktizein. » Plēttei gar heauton ho deilaios, kai homou tois idiois teknois peseitai pros olethron. Hoi gar ta ortha tōn hagiōn Ekklēsiōn diastrephontes dogmata, tēs ekeinou meridos eisin; ou pheuxontai de to krima tou Theou. Proseuchesthe toinyn hyper hēmōn, hina ho Theos ho pantōn Sōtēr, doiē palin chairousi chairontas apodothēnai. Panta gar dynatai, kai adynatei pantelōs ouden autǭ. ᾿Aspasasthe allēlous en philēmati hagiǭ. » ᾿Aspazontai hymas hoi syn emoi adelphoi. Errhōsthai hymas en Kyriǭ euchomai, agapētoi kai adelphoi potheinotatoi.
Cyril to the presbyters, deacons, and people of Alexandria, beloved and most dearly longed for: greeting in the Lord.
As I thirst again to address your Goodness, time and place for writing have been given. We are, then, in Ephesus, continuing in good health through the prayers of all of you, and the time of the synod is now near. We believe that Christ, the Saviour of all, will make his churches pure of perverse notions and will restore the right faith most brilliantly, so that all everywhere, pure and blameless, keeping it unadulterated, may lift up holy hands in prayer, saying the words spoken by the blessed David: “Let my prayer be directed like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.” For the evil one, that sleepless beast, goes about plotting against the glory of Christ; but he has no strength at all, for his perversity is idle and his wickedness achieves nothing. For he is plotting not against an ordinary man, nor simply against one of us, as the new dogmatists think, but against God, who can do all things. So let him hear from everyone who loves Christ, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” For the wretch strikes himself and will fall to destruction together with his own children. For those who pervert the right doctrines of the holy churches are of his party, and they will not escape the judgement of God. Pray, then, for us, that God, the Saviour of all, may grant us again to be restored rejoicing to you who rejoice. For he can do all things, and nothing at all is impossible for him. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” The brothers with me greet you. I pray for your health in the Lord, beloved and most dearly longed-for brothers.
1 Tim 2:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 141:2 (140:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 5:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 26:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 1:37 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 16:20 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: From Ephesus before the council opens, Cyril tells his people he is well and confident that Christ will restore the right faith, and asks their prayers.
- Written at Ephesus in June 431, before the council met. The psalm quoted is Ps 141:2 (LXX 140:2).
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 21 (PG 77 77:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/21
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-21) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 22
22PG 77 77:131
Τῷ δεσπότῃ μου τῷ θεοφιλεστάτῳ, καὶ ἀγιωτάτῳ συλλειτουργῷ Κυρίλλῳ, Ἰωάννης ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Οὐδὲ ἐμὲ μετρίως δάκνει, τὸ ὅλως τῆς ὑμετέρας ὁσιότητος εἰς Ἔφεσον παραγενομένης, τὰς μικρὰς ταύτας ὑστερῆσαι ἡμέρας. Τῆς γὰρ χρείας ὁ περὶ τὴν σὴν ἁγιωσύνην πόθος πλέον μοι ἔγκειται συντόνως τὴν ὁδὸν ἐξανῦσαι. Εἰμὶ γοῦν ἐπὶ θύραις λοιπὸν, τῆς σῆς ἁγιότητος εὐχαῖς, πολὺν ὑποστὰς τὸν τῆς ὁδοιπορίας πόνον. Ἡμέρας γὰρ ἔχω τριάκοντα (τοσοῦτος γὰρ ὁ κύκλος τῆς ὁδοῦ ἔχει ) ὁδεύων, οὐδαμῶς οὐδ᾽ ὅλως ἐνδιδοὺς ἑαυτῷ, ἐνίων τῶν κυρίων τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων, ἀνωμαλίᾳ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν χρησαμένων, ζώων δὲ πολλῶν πεπτωκότων ἀπὸ τῆς συντόνου ὁδοιπορίας. Εὔχου οὖν, δέσποτα, καὶ ταύτας τὰς πέντε, ἢ ἓξ μονὰς ὅ, ἀλύπως ἡμᾶς ὁδεῦ σαι, καὶ ἀλύπως περιπτύξασθαι τὴν ἱερὰν ἡμῖν καὶ ὁσίαν κεφαλήν. Οἱ περὶ τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν θεοφι λέστατον ἐπίσκοπον Ἰωάννην, Παῦλον, Μακάριον, προσφθέγγονταί σου τὴν ὁσιότητα, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν σὺν σοὶ ἀδελφότητα, ἐγώ τε καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ, πλεῖστα προσαγορεύομεν. Ἐρρωμένως, ὑπερευχόμενος ἡμῶν, διατελοίης, δέσποτα θεοφιλέστατε καὶ ὀσιώτατε.
Tǭ despotę̄ mou tǭ theophilestatǭ, kai agiōtatǭ sylleitourgǭ Kyrillǭ, Iōannēs en Kyriǭ chairein. Oude eme metriōs daknei, to holōs tēs hymeteras hosiotētos eis Epheson paragenomenēs, tas mikras tautas hysterēsai hēmeras. Tēs gar chreias ho peri tēn sēn hagiōsynēn pothos pleon moi enkeitai syntonōs tēn hodon exanysai. Eimi goun epi thyrais loipon, tēs sēs hagiotētos euchais, polyn hypostas ton tēs hodoiporias ponon. Hēmeras gar echō triakonta (tosoutos gar ho kyklos tēs hodou echei ) hodeuōn, oudamōs oud᾽ holōs endidous heautǭ, eniōn tōn kyriōn tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn, anōmalią kata tēn hodon chrēsamenōn, zōōn de pollōn peptōkotōn apo tēs syntonou hodoiporias. Euchou oun, despota, kai tautas tas pente, ē hex monas ho, alypōs hēmas hodeu sai, kai alypōs periptyxasthai tēn hieran hēmin kai hosian kephalēn. Hoi peri ton kyrion mou ton theophi lestaton episkopon Iōannēn, Paulon, Makarion, prosphthengontai sou tēn hosiotēta, kai pasan tēn syn soi adelphotēta, egō te kai hoi syn emoi, pleista prosagoreuomen. Errōmenōs, hypereuchomenos hēmōn, diateloiēs, despota theophilestate kai osiōtate.
John to my lord, the most God-beloved and most holy fellow minister Cyril: greeting in the Lord.
It grieves me not a little that, when your Holiness has already arrived at Ephesus, I should be behind by these few days. For longing for your Holiness presses me even more than necessity to finish the journey with all speed. I am now at the doors, by your Holiness's prayers, having endured great hardship on the road. For I have been travelling thirty days (so long is the circuit of the road), never indulging myself at all, though some of my lords the most God-beloved bishops have been unwell on the way and many animals have fallen from the strenuous travelling. Pray, then, my lord, that we may travel these five or six stages too without trouble and without trouble embrace your sacred and holy head. Those with my lord the most God-beloved bishop John, Paul and Macarius, greet your Holiness; and I and those with me greet warmly all the brotherhood with you. May you continue in health, praying for us, my most God-beloved and most holy lord.
Notes and citation
Summary: John of Antioch writes to Cyril that he is a few days from Ephesus after a hard thirty-day journey and asks for his prayers.
- Letter of John of Antioch to Cyril (June 431), written on the road to the Council of Ephesus. The bishops named (John, Paul, Macarius) are of John's party; the John mentioned is a different bishop from the writer.
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 22 (PG 77 77:131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/22
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-22) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 23
23PG 77 77:131
Κύριλλος ἀρχιεπίσκοπος ᾿Αλεξανδρείας, Κομαρίῳ καὶ Ποτάμωνι [Ποταμίωνι], ἐπισκόποις, καὶ τῷ ἀρχιμανδρίτῃ τῶν μοναστηρίων, τῷ κυρίῳ Δαλματίῳ, καὶ Τιμοθέῳ, καὶ Εὐλογίῳ πρεσβυτέροις, ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ ποθεινοτάτοις, καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἡγιασμένοις, πλεῖστα χαίρειν. Προσεδοκῶμεν ἐλθόντα τὸν τίμιον Νεστόριον, μεταγνῶναι ἐφ' οἷς δεδυσφήμηκεν, ἀφ᾿ οὗ κεχειροτόνηται, καὶ συγγνώμην αἰτῆσαι παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου· εἰ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα οὕτως ἐπικίνδυνον τὸ χαρίσασθαι συγγνώμην αὐτῷ· οὐ γὰρ ἐνεδέχετο ἀνδρὶ τοιαῦτα κηρύξαντι (πᾶσαν γὰρ διέστρεψε τὴν οἰκουμενην, καὶ τὴν θρησκευομένην τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν παρέλυσε πίστιν) χαρίσασθαι συγγνώμην. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ μίαν ἀφιέναι δύσφημον φωνὴν τολμήσας κατὰ τῶν εὐσεβεστάτων καὶ φιλοχρίστων ἡμῶν βασιλέων, δικαίως ὑπομένει τὰς ἐκ τῶν νόμων ἀγανακτήσεις, οὐ μᾶλλον ὁ ἀσεβὴς τὸ σύμπαν, ὁ τὸ εὐαγὲς ἡμῶν ἀνατρέπων μυστήριον, καὶ ἀναιρῶν τὴν οἰκονομίαν, ἣν ὁ ἅγιος καὶ φιλάνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Υἱὸς μονογενής δι᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐπλήρωσε, καταξιώσας ἄνθρωπος γενέσθαι, ἵνα πάντας ἡμᾶς σώσῃ, καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν ἁμαρτίας καὶ θανάτου; Πλὴν ἐθαυμάσαμεν τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν τοῦ ἀνδρός. Οὐ γὰρ μετενόησεν, οὐδὲ ἔκλαυσεν, ἐφ᾽ οἷς εἰπεῖν ἐτόλμησε κατὰ τῆς δόξης τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἐν Ἐφέσω παραγεγονὼς, τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐκέχρητο λόγοις, καὶ πάλιν ἔδειξεν αὐτὸν φρονοῦντα τὰ διεστραμμένα· ὡς καὶ τῶν ἐπισήμων μητροπολιτῶν καὶ θεοσεβεστάτων ἐπισκόπων, λόγους δικαίως πρὸς αὐτὸν κινούντων, εἶτα συγκλειόντων αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς, καὶ διδαξάντων ὅτι Θεός ἐστιν ὁ ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου κατὰ σάρκα γεννηθεὶς, ἀθεμίτῳ φωνῇ χρησάμενος, ἔφη· Ἐγὼ διμηναῖον καὶ τριμηναῖον Θεὸν οὐ λέγω· καὶ ἄλλα δὲ πρὸς τούτοις ἕτερα, ἀναιρῶν τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν τοῦ Μονογενοῦς. Δέδοται μὲν οὖν τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ προθεσμία ἡ ἁγία Πεντηκοστή παρὰ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἡμῶν βασιλέων. Τὸ γὰρ πρῶτον γράμμα, δι' οὗ κεκλήμεθα, τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τύπον. Κατηντήσαμεν δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἐφεσίων πόλιν πρὸ τῆς ὀρισθείσης ἡμέρας· οὐ γὰρ ἦν καταφρονῆσαι δεσποτικῶν θεσπισμάτων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀκηκόα - μεν ἔρχεσθαι τὸν εὐλαβέστατον καὶ θεοφιλέστατον τῆς Αντιοχέων ἐπίσκοπον Ἰωάννην, περιεμείναμεν ἡμέρας ἐκκαίδεκα, καίτοι πάσης τῆς συνόδου βοώσης καὶ λεγούσης, ὅτι ἐκεῖνος οὐ βούλεται συνεδρεῦσαι· δέδοικε γὰρ μὴ ἄρα καθαίρεσιν ὑπομείνῃ ὁ τιμιώτατος Νεστόριος, ληφθεὶς ἐκ τῆς ὑπ᾿ αὐτὸν Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ἴσως τὸ πρᾶγμα αἰσχύνεται. Ὁ καὶ ἔδειξε καὶ ἡ πεῖρα τὸ λοιπὸν ἀληθινῶς · ὑπερέθετο γὰρ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν. Προλαβόντες γάρ τινες τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ εὐλαβεστάτων ἐπισκόπων ἐκ τῆς Ἀνατολῆς ἔφησαν · Ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν ὁ κύριος Ἰωάννης ὁ ἐπίσκοπος εἰπεῖν τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ ὑμῶν, ὅτι Ἐὰν βραδύνω, πράττετε δ πράττετε. Συναχθεῖσα τοίνυν ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος τῇ κατὰ ᾿Αλεξανδρεῖς ὀγδόῃ καὶ εἰκάδι ἡ τοῦ Παυνὶ μηνὸς ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκκλησία, τῇ καλουμένῃ ἀγίᾳ Μαρίᾳ, ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν, πέμψασα εὐλαβεστάτους ἐπισκόπους, ὥστε ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν, καὶ συστῆσαι ἑαυτῷ ἱ, καὶ ἀπολογήσασθαι, περὶ ὧν ἐδίδαξε καὶ ἔγραψεν. Ὁ δὲ τὴν μὲν πρώτην ἀπόκρισιν ἐποιήσατο, λέγων, ὅτι Σκέπτομαι καὶ ὁρῶ. Κέκληται δευτέρῳ παραναγνωστικῷ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου, πάλιν πεμφθέντων πρὸς αὐτὸν θεοσεβεστάτων ἐπισκόπων. Ὁ δὲ πρᾶγμα ποιῶν ἅτοπον, στρατιώτας λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ μεγαλοπρεπεστάτου κόμητος Κανδιδιανοῦ, ἔστησε πρὸ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ, μετὰ ῥοπάλων κωλύων 1 εἰσελθεῖν τινα πρὸς αὐτόν. Ὡς δὲ ἐπέμενον οἱ πεμφθέντες ἁγιώτατοι ἐπίσκοποι, λέγοντες, ὅτι Οὐδὲν χαλεπὸν ἤλθομεν εἰπεῖν, ἢ ἀκοῦσαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος αὐτὸν καλεῖ, ἀφορμαῖς ἐκέχρητο διαφόροις, ὡς μὴ θέλων ἀνελθεῖν· ἐπέπληττε γὰρ αὐτῷ τὸ συνειδός. Εἶτα κεχρήμεθα καὶ τρίτῳ παραναγνωστικῷ· καὶ πάλιν πεμφθέντων ἐπισκόπων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐκ διαφόρων ἐπαρχιῶν, πάλιν τῇ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἐχρήσατο βίᾳ, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐλθεῖν. Καθεσθεῖσα τοίνυν ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος, καὶ ἀκολουθήσασα τοῖς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας θεσμοῖς, καὶ ἀναγνοῦσα τὰς ἐπιστολὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰς ἐξηγήσεις, καὶ εὑροῦσα δυσφημιῶν αὐτὰς μεστὰς, μαρτυρησάντων δὲ καὶ ἐπισήμων καὶ εὐλαβεστάτων ἐπισκόπων μητροπολιτῶν, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ Ἐφεσίων, καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαλεγόμενος, σαφῶς εἴρηκεν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι Θεὸς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καθεῖλεν αὐτὸν, καὶ δικαίαν καὶ ἔννομον τὴν ψῆφον ἐξήνεγκε κατ' αὐτοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἦν ἀναγκαῖον, ταῦτα αὐτὰ μαθοῦσαν τὴν ὑμετέραν θευσέβειαν, διδάξαι οὓς χρὴ μάλιστα αὐτὰ μαθεῖν, ἵνα μὴ συναρπάζῃ ἢ αὐτὸς, ἢ οἱ συσπουδάζοντες αὐτῷ, ταῦτα ἀναγκαίως μεμήνυκα. Ἔχομεν δὲ καὶ τοῦ θεοσεβεστάτου καὶ θεοφιλεστάτου ἐπισκόπου Ἰωάννου ἐπιστολὴν γραφεῖσαν πρὸς αὐτὸν, δι' ἧς σφόδρα αὐτῷ ἐπιτιμᾷ, ὡς καινὰ, καὶ ἀσεβῆ δόγματα εἰσενεγκόντι εἰς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ παραλύοντι τὸ κήρυγμα τὸ ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων εὐαγγελιστῶν 1 καὶ ἀποστόλων παραδοθὲν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐδὲν δύναται πρὸς τὰς ἑαυτοῦ δυσφημίας εἰπεῖν, προφασίζεται ὅτι Παρεκάλεσα ἡμέρας τέσσαρας ὑπερτεθῆναι ἕως ἂν παραγένηται ὁ τῆς ᾿Αντιοχέων ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ οὐκ ἐνδεδώκασι, καίτοι τοῦ μνημονευθέντος Ἰωάννου ἁγιωτάτου ἐπισκόπου παραιτησαμένου τὴν ἄφιξιν. Εἰ γὰρ ἤθελε παρεῖναι, διὰ τί ἐμήνυσε διὰ τῶν ὑπὸ χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπισκόπων, ὅτι Ἐὰν βραδύνω, πράττετε ὃ πράττετε ; Ὡς γὰρ ἔφην, οὐκ ἠθέλησε παρεῖναι, εἰδὼς. ὅτι πάντως ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος καταψηφιείται Νεστορίου τὴν καθαίρεσιν, ὡς ἀσεβῆ καὶ δύσφημα λαλήσαντος κατὰ τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν, ὡς ἔμαθον, ἀνηνέχθησαν ἀναφοραὶ παρὰ τοῦ μεγαλοπρεπεστάτου κόμητος Κανδιδιανοῦ, νήψατε διδάσκοντες, ὅτι οὔπω τὰ ὑπομνήματα, τὰ πεπραγμένα ἐπὶ τῇ καθαιρέσει αὐτοῦ, ἐτελειώθησαν ἐν χάρταις · διὸ οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν, οὔτε τὴν ἀναφορὰν πέμψαι, τὴν ὀφείλουσαν πεμφθῆναι πρὸς τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς καὶ νικητὰς ἡμῶν βασιλεῖς· σὺν Θεῷ δὲ εἰπεῖν, καταλήψεται ἡ ἀναφορὰ μετὰ τῶν ὑπομνημάτων, ἂν τέως ἡμῖν συγχωρηθῇ πέμψαι τὸν διακομίσαι δυνάμενον. "Αν τοίνυν βραδύνῃ ἡ τῶν ὑπομνημάτων, καὶ τῆς ἀναφορᾶς ἄφιξις, γινώσκετε, ὅτι οὐ συγχωρούμεθα πέμψαι. Ερρωσθε.
Kyrillos archiepiskopos ᾿Alexandreias, Komariǭ kai Potamōni [Potamiōni], episkopois, kai tǭ archimandritę̄ tōn monastēriōn, tǭ kyriǭ Dalmatiǭ, kai Timotheǭ, kai Eulogiǭ presbyterois, agapētois kai potheinotatois, kai en Christǭ hēgiasmenois, pleista chairein. Prosedokōmen elthonta ton timion Nestorion, metagnōnai eph' hois dedysphēmēken, aph᾿ hou kecheirotonētai, kai syngnōmēn aitēsai para tēs hagias synodou; ei kai hoti malista houtōs epikindynon to charisasthai syngnōmēn autǭ; ou gar enedecheto andri toiauta kēryxanti (pasan gar diestrepse tēn oikoumenēn, kai tēn thrēskeuomenēn tōn Ekklēsiōn parelyse pistin) charisasthai syngnōmēn. Ei gar kai ho mian aphienai dysphēmon phōnēn tolmēsas kata tōn eusebestatōn kai philochristōn hēmōn basileōn, dikaiōs hypomenei tas ek tōn nomōn aganaktēseis, ou mallon ho asebēs to sympan, ho to euages hēmōn anatrepōn mystērion, kai anairōn tēn oikonomian, hēn ho hagios kai philanthrōpos tou Theou Patros Huios monogenēs di᾽ hēmas eplērōse, kataxiōsas anthrōpos genesthai, hina pantas hēmas sōsę̄, kai apallaxę̄ tēn hyp᾿ ouranon hamartias kai thanatou? Plēn ethaumasamen tēn sklērokardian tou andros. Ou gar metenoēsen, oude eklausen, eph᾽ hois eipein etolmēse kata tēs doxēs tou pantōn hēmōn Sōtēros Christou. Alla gar kai en Ephesō paragegonōs, tois autois ekechrēto logois, kai palin edeixen auton phronounta ta diestrammena; hōs kai tōn episēmōn mētropolitōn kai theosebestatōn episkopōn, logous dikaiōs pros auton kinountōn, eita synkleiontōn auton dia tēs theopneustou Graphēs, kai didaxantōn hoti Theos estin ho ek tēs hagias Parthenou kata sarka gennētheis, athemitǭ phōnę̄ chrēsamenos, ephē; Egō dimēnaion kai trimēnaion Theon ou legō; kai alla de pros toutois hetera, anairōn tēn enanthrōpēsin tou Monogenous. Dedotai men oun tę̄ hagią synodǭ prothesmia hē hagia Pentēkostē para tōn theophilestatōn hēmōn basileōn. To gar prōton gramma, di' hou keklēmetha, touton echei ton typon. Katēntēsamen de epi tēn Ephesiōn polin pro tēs oristheisēs hēmeras; ou gar ēn kataphronēsai despotikōn thespismatōn. Epeidē de akēkoa - men erchesthai ton eulabestaton kai theophilestaton tēs Antiocheōn episkopon Iōannēn, periemeinamen hēmeras ekkaideka, kaitoi pasēs tēs synodou boōsēs kai legousēs, hoti ekeinos ou bouletai synedreusai; dedoike gar mē ara kathairesin hypomeinę̄ ho timiōtatos Nestorios, lēphtheis ek tēs hyp᾿ auton Ekklēsias, kai isōs to pragma aischynetai. Ho kai edeixe kai hē peira to loipon alēthinōs ; hyperetheto gar tou elthein. Prolabontes gar tines tōn syn autǭ eulabestatōn episkopōn ek tēs Anatolēs ephēsan ; Eneteilato hēmin ho kyrios Iōannēs ho episkopos eipein tę̄ theosebeią hymōn, hoti Ean bradynō, prattete d prattete. Synachtheisa toinyn hē hagia synodos tę̄ kata ᾿Alexandreis ogdoę̄ kai eikadi hē tou Pauni mēnos en tę̄ megalę̄ ekklēsia, tę̄ kaloumenę̄ agią Marią, ekalesen auton, pempsasa eulabestatous episkopous, hōste elthein auton, kai systēsai heautǭ hi, kai apologēsasthai, peri hōn edidaxe kai egrapsen. Ho de tēn men prōtēn apokrisin epoiēsato, legōn, hoti Skeptomai kai horō. Keklētai deuterǭ paranagnōstikǭ para tēs hagias synodou, palin pemphthentōn pros auton theosebestatōn episkopōn. Ho de pragma poiōn hatopon, stratiōtas labōn para tou megaloprepestatou komētos Kandidianou, estēse pro tēs oikias autou, meta rhopalōn kōlyōn 1 eiselthein tina pros auton. Hōs de epemenon hoi pemphthentes hagiōtatoi episkopoi, legontes, hoti Ouden chalepon ēlthomen eipein, ē akousai, all᾽ hē hagia synodos auton kalei, aphormais ekechrēto diaphorois, hōs mē thelōn anelthein; epeplētte gar autǭ to syneidos. Eita kechrēmetha kai tritǭ paranagnōstikǭ; kai palin pemphthentōn episkopōn pros auton ek diaphorōn eparchiōn, palin tę̄ tōn stratiōtōn echrēsato bią, kai ouk ēthelēsen elthein. Kathestheisa toinyn hē hagia synodos, kai akolouthēsasa tois tēs Ekklēsias thesmois, kai anagnousa tas epistolas autou, kai tas exēgēseis, kai heurousa dysphēmiōn autas mestas, martyrēsantōn de kai episēmōn kai eulabestatōn episkopōn mētropolitōn, hoti en autę̄ tę̄ Ephesiōn, kai pros hēmas dialegomenos, saphōs eirēken hoti ouk esti Theos ho Iēsous, katheilen auton, kai dikaian kai ennomon tēn psēphon exēnenke kat' autou. Epeidē de ēn anankaion, tauta auta mathousan tēn hymeteran theusebeian, didaxai hous chrē malista auta mathein, hina mē synarpazę̄ ē autos, ē hoi syspoudazontes autǭ, tauta anankaiōs memēnyka. Echomen de kai tou theosebestatou kai theophilestatou episkopou Iōannou epistolēn grapheisan pros auton, di' hēs sphodra autǭ epitimą, hōs kaina, kai asebē dogmata eisenenkonti eis tas Ekklēsias, kai paralyonti to kērygma to ek tōn hagiōn euangelistōn 1 kai apostolōn paradothen tais Ekklēsiais. Epeidē de ouden dynatai pros tas heautou dysphēmias eipein, prophasizetai hoti Parekalesa hēmeras tessaras hypertethēnai heōs an paragenētai ho tēs ᾿Antiocheōn episkopos, kai ouk endedōkasi, kaitoi tou mnēmoneuthentos Iōannou hagiōtatou episkopou paraitēsamenou tēn aphixin. Ei gar ēthele pareinai, dia ti emēnyse dia tōn hypo cheira autou episkopōn, hoti Ean bradynō, prattete ho prattete ? Hōs gar ephēn, ouk ēthelēse pareinai, eidōs. hoti pantōs hē hagia synodos katapsēphieitai Nestoriou tēn kathairesin, hōs asebē kai dysphēma lalēsantos kata tou pantōn hēmōn Sōtēros Christou. Epei oun, hōs emathon, anēnechthēsan anaphorai para tou megaloprepestatou komētos Kandidianou, nēpsate didaskontes, hoti oupō ta hypomnēmata, ta pepragmena epi tę̄ kathairesei autou, eteleiōthēsan en chartais ; dio ouk ēdynēthēmen, oute tēn anaphoran pempsai, tēn opheilousan pemphthēnai pros tous eusebeis kai nikētas hēmōn basileis; syn Theǭ de eipein, katalēpsetai hē anaphora meta tōn hypomnēmatōn, an teōs hēmin synchōrēthę̄ pempsai ton diakomisai dynamenon. "An toinyn bradynę̄ hē tōn hypomnēmatōn, kai tēs anaphoras aphixis, ginōskete, hoti ou synchōroumetha pempsai. Errōsthe.
Cyril, archbishop of Alexandria, to the bishops Komarius and Potamon, to the archimandrite of the monasteries, the lord Dalmatius, and to the presbyters Timothy and Eulogius, beloved and most dearly longed for and sanctified in Christ: warmest greetings.
We expected that the honourable Nestorius, when he came, would repent of the blasphemies he has uttered since he was ordained and ask pardon from the holy synod; even though to grant him pardon would have been very dangerous indeed, for it was not possible to grant pardon to a man who had preached such things (for he has perverted the whole world and undermined the faith held in the churches). For if someone who dares to let fall a single blasphemous word against our most pious and Christ-loving emperors justly undergoes the penalties of the laws, does not much more the one who is impious toward all, who overthrows our holy mystery and does away with the dispensation that the holy and loving only-begotten Son of God the Father fulfilled for us, deigning to become man in order to save us all and to free the world under heaven from sin and death? But we were amazed at the man's hardness of heart. For he did not repent or weep over what he dared to say against the glory of Christ, the Saviour of us all. Instead, when he had come to Ephesus, he used the same language and showed again that he holds perverse views. So when distinguished metropolitans and most God-fearing bishops rightly raised questions with him, then hemmed him in with the divinely inspired Scripture and taught that the one born of the holy Virgin according to the flesh is God, he used an unlawful expression and said, “I do not call a two-month-old or three-month-old God,” and other things besides, doing away with the incarnation of the Only-begotten.
The holy synod was given holy Pentecost as the appointed time by our most God-beloved emperors; for the first letter by which we were summoned has this wording. We arrived at the city of Ephesus before the appointed day, for it was not right to disregard the imperial decrees. Since we had heard that the most reverent and God-beloved bishop of Antioch, John, was coming, we waited sixteen days, although the whole synod was crying out and saying that he did not wish to sit with it, for he feared that the most honourable Nestorius, who was taken from the church under him, might undergo deposition, and perhaps he was ashamed of the matter. Experience has since shown this to be true; for he put off coming. Some of the most reverent bishops of the East who were with him came ahead and said, “Our lord bishop John instructed us to tell your Reverence: ‘If I am delayed, do what you are doing.’”
So the holy synod assembled on the twenty-eighth of the month Payni by the Alexandrian reckoning, in the great church called Holy Mary, and summoned him, sending most reverent bishops for him to come, present himself, and make his defence about what he had taught and written. He gave the first answer, saying, “I will consider and see.” He was summoned a second time by the holy synod, most God-fearing bishops being again sent to him. But doing an outrageous thing, he took soldiers from the most magnificent count Candidian and stationed them before his house with clubs, preventing anyone from going in to him. When the most holy bishops who had been sent persisted, saying, “We have not come to say or hear anything harsh; the holy synod is summoning him,” he used various pretexts, as one unwilling to come up; for his conscience was smiting him. Then we used a third summons; and when bishops from various provinces were again sent to him, he again used the violence of the soldiers and would not come.
The holy synod therefore sat and, following the ordinances of the church, read his letters and expositions and found them full of blasphemies. Distinguished and most reverent metropolitan bishops also testified that in Ephesus itself, in conversation with us, he had plainly said that Jesus is not God. So it deposed him and pronounced a just and lawful sentence against him. Since it was necessary that your Reverence, having learned these very things, should inform those who most need to know them, so that neither he nor those who share his efforts may carry anyone off, I have necessarily reported them. We also have a letter of the most God-fearing and God-beloved bishop John written to him, in which he sharply rebukes him for bringing new and impious doctrines into the churches and undermining the preaching handed down to the churches by the holy evangelists and apostles. Since he can say nothing in answer about his blasphemies, he makes the excuse, “I asked for a delay of four days until the bishop of Antioch should arrive, and they did not grant it,” although the most holy bishop John just mentioned declined to come. For if he wished to be present, why did he send word through the bishops under him, “If I am delayed, do what you are doing”? As I said, he did not wish to be present, knowing that the holy synod would certainly vote for Nestorius's deposition for having spoken impious and blasphemous things against Christ, the Saviour of us all.
Since, as I have learned, reports have been sent up by the most magnificent count Candidian, be watchful and point out that the minutes of the proceedings at his deposition have not yet been completed on paper; and so we have not been able to send the report that ought to be sent to our pious and victorious emperors. But, God willing, the report will arrive with the minutes, if only we are allowed to send someone who can carry it. If, then, the minutes and the report are slow to arrive, know that we are not being allowed to send them. Farewell.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Mark 3:5 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril reports to his agents in Constantinople how Nestorius refused three summonses at Ephesus and was deposed, and warns that the official minutes are being delayed.
- Written at Ephesus in June 431. 28 Payni is 22 June 431. Footnote debris in the address and in Nestorius's answer (“I will consider and see”, Σκέπτομαι, split by stray words) is removed by logged corrections. Potamon's name is also printed in the variant form Potamion. Cyril's account of John of Antioch's motives is his own. Nestorius's saying “I do not call a two-month-old or three-month-old God” is reported by Cyril.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (a word from the notes (ἡμέρας) leaked into the address; footnote variants leaked into the word Σκέπτομαι): Κομαρίῳ · ἡμέρας. καὶ → Κομαρίῳ καὶ; Σκέδεκάτη. · ἴσ. ἑαυτόν πτομαι → Σκέπτομαι.
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 23 (PG 77 77:131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/23
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 24
24PG 77 77:137
Κύριλλος πρεσβυτέροις, καὶ διακόνοις, καὶ λαῷ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας, ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ ποθεινοτάτοις, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Εἰ καὶ πλατύτερον ἔδει τὰ γεγεννημένα τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ θεοσεβείᾳ γνωρίσαι, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ κατεπείγεσθαι τοὺς τοῦ γράμματος ἀποκομιστὰς, συντόμως ἐπέστειλα. Ἴστε τοίνυν ὅτι κατὰ τὴν ὀγδόην καὶ εἰκάδα τοῦ Παυνὶ μηνὸς, ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος γέγονεν ἐν τῇ Ἐφέσῳ ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῆς πόλεως, ἥτις καλεῖται Μαρία Θεοτόκος. Διατελέσαντες δὲ πᾶσαν τὴν ἡμέραν, τελευταῖον καταγνωσθέντα, καὶ οὐδὲ τολμήσαντα παραβαλεῖν ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ, τὸν δύσφημον Νεστόριον καθαιρέσει ὑποβεβλήκαμεν, καὶ ἐξεβάλομεν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς. Ἡμεν δὲ οἱ συνελθόντες ἐπίσκοποι, ὡσεὶ διακόσιοι, ἥττους ἢ πλείους. Ἐπέμεινε τη δὲ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τῆς πόλεως ἀπὸ πρωῖ ἕως ἑσπέρας, περιμένων τὸ κρῖμα τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου. Ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν, ὅτι καθηρέθη ὁ δύστηνος η, πάντες φωνῇ μιᾷ ἤρξαντο εὐφημεῖν τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι πέπτωκεν ὁ τῆς πίστεως ἐχθρός. Ἐξελθόντας δὲ ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας προέπεμψαν μετὰ λαμπάδων ἕως τοῦ καταγωγίου· λοιπὸν γὰρ ἦν ἐσπέρα· καὶ γέγονε πολλή θυμηδία, καὶ λυχναψία ἐν τῇ πόλει · ὥστε καὶ γυναῖκας, θυμιατήρια κατεχούσας, προηγεῖσθαι ἡμῶν. Καὶ ἔδειξεν ὁ Σωτὴρ τοῖς δυσφημοῦσι τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι πάντα δύναται. Μέλλομεν οὖν τοὺς χάρτας τελειώσαντες, τοὺς γενομένους ἐν τῇ καθαιρέσει αὐτοῦ, λοιπὸν ἐπιταχύνειν πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Σὺν Θεῷ πάντες ἐσμὲν ἐν εὐθυμίᾳ, καὶ ὑγιείᾳ, διὰ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος χάριν. Ἐῤῥῶσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐν Κυρίῳ εύχομαι, ἀγαπητοὶ καὶ ποθεινότατοι.
Kyrillos presbyterois, kai diakonois, kai laǭ ᾿Alexandreias, agapētois kai potheinotatois, en Kyriǭ chairein. Ei kai platyteron edei ta gegennēmena tę̄ hymeterą theosebeią gnōrisai, alla dia to katepeigesthai tous tou grammatos apokomistas, syntomōs epesteila. Iste toinyn hoti kata tēn ogdoēn kai eikada tou Pauni mēnos, hē hagia synodos gegonen en tę̄ Ephesǭ en tę̄ megalę̄ ekklēsią tēs poleōs, hētis kaleitai Maria Theotokos. Diatelesantes de pasan tēn hēmeran, teleutaion katagnōsthenta, kai oude tolmēsanta parabalein en tę̄ hagią synodǭ, ton dysphēmon Nestorion kathairesei hypobeblēkamen, kai exebalomen tēs episkopēs. Hēmen de hoi synelthontes episkopoi, hōsei diakosioi, hēttous ē pleious. Epemeine tē de pas ho laos tēs poleōs apo prōi heōs hesperas, perimenōn to krima tēs hagias synodou. Hōs de ēkousan, hoti kathērethē ho dystēnos ē, pantes phōnę̄ mią ērxanto euphēmein tēn hagian synodon kai doxazein ton Theon, hoti peptōken ho tēs pisteōs echthros. Exelthontas de hēmas ek tēs ekklēsias proepempsan meta lampadōn heōs tou katagōgiou; loipon gar ēn espera; kai gegone pollē thymēdia, kai lychnapsia en tę̄ polei ; hōste kai gynaikas, thymiatēria katechousas, proēgeisthai hēmōn. Kai edeixen ho Sōtēr tois dysphēmousi tēn doxan autou, hoti panta dynatai. Mellomen oun tous chartas teleiōsantes, tous genomenous en tę̄ kathairesei autou, loipon epitachynein pros hymas. Syn Theǭ pantes esmen en euthymią, kai hygieią, dia tēn tou Sōtēros charin. Errhōsthai hymas en Kyriǭ euchomai, agapētoi kai potheinotatoi.
Cyril to the presbyters, deacons, and people of Alexandria, beloved and most dearly longed for: greeting in the Lord.
Though I ought to have made known to your Reverence what has happened at greater length, I have written briefly because the bearers of the letter are in haste. Know, then, that on the twenty-eighth of the month Payni the holy synod met at Ephesus in the great church of the city, which is called Mary Mother of God. Having spent the whole day, we at last subjected the blasphemer Nestorius, who had been condemned and did not even dare to appear before the holy synod, to deposition, and put him out of the episcopate. We bishops who met were about two hundred, more or less. All the people of the city waited from morning till evening for the judgement of the holy synod. When they heard that the wretch had been deposed, they all began with one voice to praise the holy synod and glorify God, because the enemy of the faith had fallen. When we came out of the church, they escorted us with torches to our lodgings, for it was now evening; and there was great gladness and lighting of lamps in the city, so that even women carrying censers went before us. And the Saviour showed those who blaspheme his glory that he can do all things. So, once we have completed the papers drawn up at his deposition, we shall hurry back to you. By God's help we are all in good spirits and health, through the Saviour's grace. I pray for your health in the Lord, beloved and most dearly longed for.
Luke 1:37 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril tells his church that about two hundred bishops at Ephesus deposed Nestorius on 22 June 431 and that the city celebrated with a torchlight escort.
- Written at Ephesus in June 431. 28 Payni is 22 June.
Topics: Christology, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 24 (PG 77 77:137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/24
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 25
25PG 77 77:137
Κύριλλος πρεσβυτέροις, καὶ διακόνοις, καὶ λαῷ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας, ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ ποθεινοτάτοις, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Τὰ λαμπρὰ καὶ μεγάλα τῶν κατορθωμάτων οὐ δίχα πόνων εἰς πέρας ἄγεται. Δεῖ δὲ δὴ πάντως ἀγαθοῦ παντὸς ἱδρῶτα προανατείλαι. Καὶ οὐ θαυμαστὸν, ἐἰ ἐν τοῖς μεγάλοις ἀκολουθοῦν ὁρῶμεν τὸ τοιοῦτον, μει, καὶ διὰ πόνων ἔρχεται. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ πονεῖν δεδιδάγμεθα λέγειν « ᾿Ανδρίζου, καὶ κραταιούσθω ἡ καρδία σου, καὶ ὑπόμεινον τὸν Κύριον. » Τεθαρσήκαμεν γὰρ, ὅτι καρπὸς εὐκλεὴς τοῖς εἰς ἀρετὴν σπουδάσμασιν ἔπεται, καὶ πνευματικῆς ἀνδρείας ξένιον εὑρήσομεν τὸν παρὰ Θεοῦ μισθόν. Αἴρεσιν τοίνυν μιαρωτάτην, ἐπιχειρήσασαν ἤδη κατὰ πάσης αἴρεσθαι τῆς ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν καὶ ἀνυψώσασαν ὁ εἰς ὕψος τὸ κέρας, καὶ λαλοῦσαν ἀδικίαν κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καθεῖλεν αὐτὸς, καὶ οἷάπερ φλόγα, κατεμπρῆσαι θέλουσαν τὰ ὀρθὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας δόγματα, κατέσβεσεν ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, τὸν ταύτης εὑρετὴν καὶ πατέρα καταργήσας τε ὁμοῦ, καὶ παύσας τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ψήφῳ τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου · ὥστε καὶ χαίροντας ὅτε καὶ τὰ κοινὰ, καὶ τὰ κάτωθεν, καὶ μερίμνης γέἡμᾶς λέγειν· · Ἐμεγάλυνε Κύριος τοῦ ποιῆσαι μεθ' ἡμῶν, ἐγενήθημεν εὐφραινόμενοι. » Εὐθυμία γὰρ καὶ διδασκάλοις, καὶ τοῖς λαῶν ἡγουμένοις, τὸ τὴν ὀρθὴν κρατύνεσθαι πίστιν, καὶ δοξάζεσθαι πανταχοῦ τὸν τῶν ὅλων Σωτῆρα καὶ Θεὸν, καταργουμένου τοῦ Σατανᾶ, καὶ ἀνῃρημένων τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ σκανδάλων, καὶ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας δογμάτων κατισχυόντων τοῦ ψεύδους· ἵνα πάντες ἐξ Ρ ἑνὸς στόματος ὁμοφώνως λέγωμεν· · Εἷς Κύριος, μία πίστις, ἓν βάπτισμα. Ταῦτα καὶ νῦν ὡς τέκνοις γράφω, τὰ παράδοξα τοῦ Σωτῆρος διηγούμενος· ἵνα ἐκτενεστέρας ποιῆτε τὰς προσευχάς · ὥστε ἰσχύσαι μετὰ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλῆς, χαίροντας χαίρουσιν ἀποδοθῆναι μετ᾿ εὐρωστίας 4. Ἐῤῥῶσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐν Κυρίῳ εὔχομαι.
Kyrillos presbyterois, kai diakonois, kai laǭ ᾿Alexandreias, agapētois kai potheinotatois, en Kyriǭ chairein. Ta lampra kai megala tōn katorthōmatōn ou dicha ponōn eis peras agetai. Dei de dē pantōs agathou pantos hidrōta proanateilai. Kai ou thaumaston, ei en tois megalois akolouthoun horōmen to toiouton, mei, kai dia ponōn erchetai. ᾿Alla kai en tǭ ponein dedidagmetha legein « ᾿Andrizou, kai krataiousthō hē kardia sou, kai hypomeinon ton Kyrion. » Tetharsēkamen gar, hoti karpos eukleēs tois eis aretēn spoudasmasin epetai, kai pneumatikēs andreias xenion heurēsomen ton para Theou misthon. Airesin toinyn miarōtatēn, epicheirēsasan ēdē kata pasēs airesthai tēs hyp᾿ ouranon kai anypsōsasan ho eis hypsos to keras, kai lalousan adikian kata tou Theou, katheilen autos, kai hoiaper phloga, katemprēsai thelousan ta ortha tēs Ekklēsias dogmata, katesbesen ho monogenēs tou Theou Logos, ton tautēs heuretēn kai patera katargēsas te homou, kai pausas tēs hierōsynēs, psēphǭ tēs hagias synodou ; hōste kai chairontas hote kai ta koina, kai ta katōthen, kai merimnēs geēmas legein; ; Emegalyne Kyrios tou poiēsai meth' hēmōn, egenēthēmen euphrainomenoi. » Euthymia gar kai didaskalois, kai tois laōn hēgoumenois, to tēn orthēn kratynesthai pistin, kai doxazesthai pantachou ton tōn holōn Sōtēra kai Theon, katargoumenou tou Satana, kai anę̄rēmenōn tōn par᾿ autou skandalōn, kai tōn tēs alētheias dogmatōn katischyontōn tou pseudous; hina pantes ex R henos stomatos homophōnōs legōmen; ; Heis Kyrios, mia pistis, hen baptisma. Tauta kai nyn hōs teknois graphō, ta paradoxa tou Sōtēros diēgoumenos; hina ektenesteras poiēte tas proseuchas ; hōste ischysai meta tēs tou Theou boulēs, chairontas chairousin apodothēnai met᾿ eurōstias 4. Errhōsthai hymas en Kyriǭ euchomai.
Cyril to the presbyters, deacons, and people of Alexandria, beloved and most dearly longed for: greeting in the Lord.
Brilliant and great achievements are not brought to completion without labour; sweat must always rise before every good. And it is no wonder if we see this follow in great matters, since all that is good comes through labours. But even in labouring we have been taught to say, “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, and wait for the Lord.” For we are confident that a glorious fruit follows efforts toward virtue, and we shall find the reward from God a gift in return for spiritual courage. A most foul heresy, then, which had already tried to rise up against the whole world under heaven, had lifted its horn on high and was speaking unrighteousness against God, he himself has brought down; and the only-begotten Word of God has quenched it like a flame that wished to burn up the right doctrines of the church, by abolishing at once its inventor and father and ending his priesthood by the vote of the holy synod; so that we too, rejoicing, may say, “The Lord has done great things with us; we have become glad.” For it is gladness to teachers and to leaders of the people when the right faith is strengthened and the Saviour and God of all is glorified everywhere, Satan being brought to nothing, the scandals he caused removed, and the doctrines of truth prevailing over falsehood, so that all of us “with one mouth” may say in harmony, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” I write this now to you as to children, recounting the Saviour's marvels, so that you may make your prayers more earnest, that with God's counsel we may be able to be restored rejoicing to you who rejoice, in good health. I pray for your health in the Lord.
Ps 27:14 (26:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 75:5 (74:6 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Dan 7:8 (echo, low confidence) · Ps 126:3 (125:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 4:5 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril tells his church that the heresy of Nestorius has been brought down by the council's vote, and asks their prayers for his safe return.
- Written at Ephesus in 431. Part of the sentence about the heresy's fall is garbled in the edition by stray words from the notes (“when also the common things and those below, and of care …”), and is translated by sense. The image of the horn speaking against God draws on Ps 75:5 (LXX 74:6) and Dan 7:8.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 25 (PG 77 77:137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/25
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 26
26PG 77 77:139
Κύριλλος, τοῖς εὐλαβεστάτοις καὶ θεοσεβεστάτοις Πατράσι μοναχοῖς τῶν μοναχῶν], καὶ τοῖς σὺν ὑμῖν τὸν μονήρη βίον ἀσκοῦσι, καὶ ἐν πίστει Θεοῦ ἰδρυμένοις, ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ ποθεινοτάτοις, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ὅτε τὰς παρὰ τῶν ἀνοσίων Ἰουδαίων ὑπέμεινε παροινίας, λοιδορούμενος καὶ ῥαπιζόμενος, καὶ μαστιζόμενος, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον, τῷ δι' ἡμᾶς καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σταυρῷ προσηλούμενος, ὁρῶν ἅπαντας τοὺς πλημμελοῦντας εἰς αὐτὸν, καὶ τὰς ἀνοσίους ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ σείοντας · κεφαλὰς, ἔφασκε· « Καὶ ὑπέμεινα συλλυπούμενον, καὶ οὐχ ὑπῆρξε, καὶ παρακαλοῦντας, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον. » Τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ νῦν γεγενημένον ὁρῶμεν. Μᾶλλον δὲ, ἵνα μὴ τὸν τῶν πιστῶν καὶ γνησίων ὑβρίζω ζῆλον, ἐπὶ ταῖς δυσφημίαις Νεστορίου πολλοὺς ἔσχε συλλυπουμένους, εἰ καὶ ἡθέτησάν τινες αὐτὸν τῶν συντεταγ μένων εἰς ἱερωσύνην, συμπράττοντες τῷ αἱρετικῷ, καὶ τοῖς αὐτῷ πολεμοῦσιν ἀντιταττόμενοι· ἀλλὰ καταργήσει Χριστὸς τὰς τούτων ἀπαιδευσίας, μᾶλλον δὲ ἤδη καὶ κατήργηκε. Πέπαυται γὰρ τὸ δύσφημον στόμα, καὶ σεσίγηκεν ἡ μιαρωτάτη γλῶττα, οὐκέτι τὰς κατὰ Χριστοῦ προφέρουσα βλασφημίας ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ διδασκαλικῇ τε καὶ ἀρχιερατικῇ. Καὶ οἱ τὴν φιλίαν αὐτοῦ δυσωπηθέντες μᾶλλον, καὶ οὐχὶ τῆς πρὸς Χριστὸν ἀγάπης πεφροντικότες, ἀπιμίας ἔχουσι τὰ πρόσωπα μεστά· τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὠφείλετο. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ καὶ νενίκηται λοιπὸν ὁ ἐχθρὸς, καὶ ἐσμὲν ἐν λειψάνοις τῆς φροντίδος, χρήζομεν καὶ οὕτω τῶν ὑμετέρων ἱκετειῶν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· καὶ ἔστιν ἀναγκαῖον ὑμᾶς, ὡς ἀναθέντας τῷ Θεῷ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ζωὴν, ὁσίας ἐπαίρειν χεῖρας, καὶ συχνῶς τοῦτο πράττειν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Ἐννοήσατε γὰρ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς, ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ, μετὰ τῶν ἐπιλέκτων τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἀντεπράττετο τῷ Αμαλὴκ, ὁ δὲ γε μακάριος Μωσῆς, τὰς χεῖρας ἐπαίρων, ἐζήτει παρὰ Θεοῦ τὸ νικᾷν δύνασθαι τοὺς ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ μάχῃ. ᾿Ανδριζέσθω τοίνυν ἡ θεοσέβεια ὑμῶν ἐν προσευχαῖς ', καὶ ὡς τέκνα γνήσια Πατράσι συμπράττετε, νόσον ὥσπερ τινὰ λοιμικὴν, τὴν Νεστορίου κακοδοξίαν ἐκκόψαντες ἵνα καὶ ἄσπιλον, καὶ ἀμώμητον, καὶ οὐδαμόθεν διαβεβλημένην ἔχοντες πίστιν, εὐαρεστεῖν ἰσχύσωμεν τῷ τὰ πάντα δι' ἡμᾶς καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ὑπομεμενηκότι Χριστῷ. Εὐφράνατε δὲ καὶ διὰ γραμμάτων ἡμᾶς· δεξόμεθα γὰρ ὡς ἱκανωτάτην τὸ πρᾶγμα παράκλησιν. Ἐῤῥῶσθαι ὑμᾶς εύχομαι, ἀγαπητοὶ καὶ ποθεινότατοι ἀδελφοί.
Kyrillos, tois eulabestatois kai theosebestatois Patrasi monachois tōn monachōn], kai tois syn hymin ton monērē bion askousi, kai en pistei Theou idrymenois, agapētois kai potheinotatois, en Kyriǭ chairein. Ho Kyrios hēmōn Iēsous Christos, hote tas para tōn anosiōn Ioudaiōn hypemeine paroinias, loidoroumenos kai rhapizomenos, kai mastizomenos, kai to teleutaion, tǭ di' hēmas kai hyper hēmōn staurǭ prosēloumenos, horōn hapantas tous plēmmelountas eis auton, kai tas anosious ep᾿ autǭ seiontas ; kephalas, ephaske; « Kai hypemeina syllypoumenon, kai ouch hypērxe, kai parakalountas, kai ouch heuron. » Toiouton ti kai nyn gegenēmenon horōmen. Mallon de, hina mē ton tōn pistōn kai gnēsiōn hybrizō zēlon, epi tais dysphēmiais Nestoriou pollous esche syllypoumenous, ei kai hēthetēsan tines auton tōn syntetag menōn eis hierōsynēn, symprattontes tǭ hairetikǭ, kai tois autǭ polemousin antitattomenoi; alla katargēsei Christos tas toutōn apaideusias, mallon de ēdē kai katērgēke. Pepautai gar to dysphēmon stoma, kai sesigēken hē miarōtatē glōtta, ouketi tas kata Christou propherousa blasphēmias en exousią didaskalikę̄ te kai archieratikę̄. Kai hoi tēn philian autou dysōpēthentes mallon, kai ouchi tēs pros Christon agapēs pephrontikotes, apimias echousi ta prosōpa mesta; touto gar autois ōpheileto. ᾿All' ei kai nenikētai loipon ho echthros, kai esmen en leipsanois tēs phrontidos, chrēzomen kai houtō tōn hymeterōn hiketeiōn pros ton Theon; kai estin anankaion hymas, hōs anathentas tǭ Theǭ tēn heautōn zōēn, hosias epairein cheiras, kai sychnōs touto prattein hyper hēmōn. Ennoēsate gar hoti Iēsous, ho tou Nauē, meta tōn epilektōn tou Israēl antepratteto tǭ Amalēk, ho de ge makarios Mōsēs, tas cheiras epairōn, ezētei para Theou to nikąn dynasthai tous en polemǭ kai machę̄. ᾿Andrizesthō toinyn hē theosebeia hymōn en proseuchais ', kai hōs tekna gnēsia Patrasi symprattete, noson hōsper tina loimikēn, tēn Nestoriou kakodoxian ekkopsantes hina kai aspilon, kai amōmēton, kai oudamothen diabeblēmenēn echontes pistin, euarestein ischysōmen tǭ ta panta di' hēmas kai hyper hēmōn hypomemenēkoti Christǭ. Euphranate de kai dia grammatōn hēmas; dexometha gar hōs hikanōtatēn to pragma paraklēsin. Errhōsthai hymas euchomai, agapētoi kai potheinotatoi adelphoi.
Cyril to the most reverent and most God-fearing fathers of the monks, and to those with you who practise the solitary life and are established in the faith of God, beloved and most dearly longed for: greeting in the Lord.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, when he endured the drunken insolence of the unholy Jews, being reviled, struck, scourged, and at last nailed to the cross for us and on our behalf, seeing all who were sinning against him and wagging their unholy heads at him, said, “I waited for one to grieve with me, and there was none; and for comforters, and I found none.” We see something of the kind happening now. Or rather, so as not to insult the zeal of the faithful and genuine, he had many who grieved with him over the blasphemies of Nestorius, even if some of those enrolled in the priesthood set him aside, acting with the heretic and opposing those who fight against him. But Christ will bring their ignorance to nothing, or rather has already done so. For the blaspheming mouth has been stopped, and the most foul tongue has fallen silent, no longer uttering blasphemies against Christ with the authority of a teacher and a high priest. And those who respected his friendship more and took no thought for love toward Christ have their faces full of dishonour; for this is what they deserved.
But even though the enemy has now been conquered and we are in the remnants of our anxiety, we still need your supplications to God; and you, who have dedicated your lives to God, must lift up holy hands and do this often for us. For consider that Joshua son of Nun fought against Amalek with the chosen men of Israel, while the blessed Moses, lifting up his hands, asked of God that those in the war and battle might be able to conquer. Let your Reverence, then, play the man in prayers, and, as true children, work together with your fathers, cutting out the false doctrine of Nestorius like a pestilential disease, so that, keeping a faith spotless, blameless, and in no way slandered, we may be able to please Christ, who endured all things because of us and for us. Gladden us also by letters; for we shall receive this as the greatest encouragement. I pray for your health, beloved and most dearly longed-for brothers.
Matt 27:39 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 69:20 (68:21 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 17:8–12 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: After Nestorius's deposition Cyril asks the Egyptian monks to keep praying for the bishops, as Moses prayed while Joshua fought Amalek.
- Written at Ephesus in 431. “Unholy Jews” is Cyril's language, translated as written. The psalm quoted is Ps 69:20 (LXX 68:21).
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 26 (PG 77 77:139; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/26
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-26) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 27
27PG 77 77:141
Ἐταράχθη λίαν ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος, ἀκούσασα ὅτι οὐ πάντα ὀρθῶς ἀνήνεγκεν ὁ μεγαλοπρεπέστατος καὶ ἐνδοξότατος κόμης Ἰωάννης, ὥστε βουλεύεσθαι τοὺς ἐκεῖσε καὶ περὶ ἐξορίας καθ' ἡμῶν· ὡς τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου καταδεξαμένης τὴν ἀκανόνιστον καὶ ἄθεσμον γενομένην καθαίρεσιν παρά τε Ἰωάννου, καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ αἱρετικῶν. Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν καὶ ἑτέρα γέγονεν ἀναφορὰ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου, διδάσκουσα, ὅτι καὶ λυπεῖται ἐπὶ τῷ δεσποτικῷ γράμματι, καὶ ὅτι οὐ κατεδεξάμεθα τῶν τριῶν τὰς καθαιρέσεις· καὶ ἐξαιρέτως μὲν, ἀκυροῦσθαι τὰ παρ᾿ ἐκείνων δυσσεβῶς καὶ ἀθέσμως γενόμενα, κρατύνεσθαι δὲ μᾶλλον τὰ παρ᾿ ἡμῶν. Ἐδίδαξαν γὰρ καὶ διὰ πρώτης ἀναφορᾶς, ὅτι ἄκυρα μὲν τὰ παρ' ἐκείνων ἀκανονίστως γενόμενα πεποιήκασι, κοινωνικοὺς δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ συν· επισκόπους ἔχουσι, καὶ ὅτι τῆς τοιαύτης οὐκ ἐξίστανται γνώμης. Μυρία δὲ πεποιηκότος τοῦ μνημονευθέντος μεγαλοπρεπεστάτου ἀνδρὸς, ὥστε ἐλθεῖν εἰς κοινωνίαν Ἰωάννην, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ τῇ ἀγίᾳ συνόδῳ μέχρι τῆς σήμερον, οὐδὲ ἀκοῦσαι ἠνέσχοντο τοιαύτης φωνῆς· ἀλλ᾽ ἐνίστανται μὲν πάντες ν, λέ παντελῶς. ἀντετάττετο. γοντες ὅτι ᾿Αδύνατον ἡμᾶς εἰς τοῦτο ἐλθεῖν, ἐὰν μὴ βασιλεὺς νῦν τοῦ μαθεῖν τὴν πίστιν, εἰδὼς αὐκαὶ τὸ παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀκανονίστως γενόμενον λυθῇ, καὶ προσπέσωσι τῇ συνόδῳ, ὡς πλημμελήσαντες, ἀναθεματίσωσι δὲ καὶ τὰ δόγματα αὐτοῦ ἐγγράφως· καὶ ἐν τούτοις ἡ πᾶσα ἔνστασις τῆς συνόδου. ᾿Αποτυχὼν δὲ τούτου ὁ μνημονευθεὶς μεγαλοπρεπέστατος ἀνὴρ, ἐπενόησε καὶ τοῦτο καὶ ἀπῄτει τὴν σύνοδον, ἔκθεσιν πίστεως ἐγγράφως ἐπιδοῦναι αὐτῷ, ἵνα κά κείνους ποιήσωσι - συνθέσθαι καὶ ὑπογράψαι, καὶ ἀνέλθῃ, λέγων ὅτι Συνῆψα αὐτοὺς εἰς φιλίαν, ἀνθρωπίνας λύπας ἔχοντας μεταξὺ ἀλλήλων. Τοῦτο νοήσασα ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος, πάλιν ἀνέστη ἄχρι παντὸς λέγουσα ὅτι Οὐχ ὑβρίζομεν ἑαυτούς. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς αἱρετικοὶ κεκλήμεθα· ἀλλὰ ἤλθομεν πίστιν ἀθετουμένην στῆσαι, ἣν καὶ ἐστήσαμεν· καὶ οὐ χρήζει ὁ τὴν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ βαπτισθείς. Οὐ προέβη τοίνυν οὐδὲ τοῦτο τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Ανατολῆς. Κἀκεῖνο δὲ γινώσκετε, ὅτι συνθέντες ἔκθεσιν πίστεως, ἐφιλονείκησαν πρὸς ἀλλήλους· καὶ εἰσὶν ἐν τῷ φιλονεικεῖν ἔτι. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν καταδέχονται Θεοτόκον εἰπεῖν τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον, μετὰ καὶ τοῦ ἀνθρωποτόκον, οἱ δὲ παντελῶς ἀρνοῦνται, καί φασιν ἑτοίμως ἔχειν ἀποτμηθῆναι τῶν χειρῶν, ἡ ὑπογράψαι τοιαύτῃ φωνῇ. Ασχημονοῦσι δὲ πανταχοῦ, αἱρετικοὶ δεικνύμενοι. Ταῦτα πάντες παρὰ τῆς θεοσεβείας ὑμῶν διδασκέσθωσαν, καὶ μάλιστα οἱ θεοσεβέστατοι καὶ ἀγιώτατοι ἀρχιμανδρίται· μήποτε ὑποστρέψας ὁ προῤῥηθεὶς, ἕτερα ἀνθ' ἑτέρων εἴπῃ, ἢ διδάξῃ, τέρπων τάς τινων ἀκοάς. Μὴ ἀποκνήσῃ δὲ ὑμῶν ἡ θεοσέβεια, μηδὲ ἀποκαμνέτω πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἰδρῶτας, εἰδυῖα ὅτι ἑαυτὴν παρατίθεται καὶ Θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα γὰρ διὰ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος χάριν, οἱ μηδέποτε ἡμᾶς εἰδότες τῶν θεοσεβεστάτων ἐπισκόπων, ἑτοίμως ἔχουσι τὴν ψυχὴν θεῖναι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, καὶ μετὰ δακρύων προσέρχονται, λέγοντες, καὶ δ συνεξορισθῆναι, καὶ συναποθανεῖν, δι᾽ εὐχῆς ἔχουσιν. Ἐν - πολλῇ δὲ θλίψει πάντες ἐσμὲν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ φρουρεῖσθαι παρὰ στρατιωτῶν, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἰδίων κοιτώνων ἔχειν αὐτοὺς καθεύδοντας, μάλιστα ἡμεῖς. Ἡ δὲ ἄλλη πᾶσα σύνοδος ἀπέκαμε καὶ κάμνει. Καὶ οἱ πλείους ἀπέθανον· λοιπὸν δὲ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τὰ ἑαυτῶν πιπράσκουσιν, οὐκ ἔχοντες ἀναλώματα.
Etarachthē lian hē hagia synodos, akousasa hoti ou panta orthōs anēnenken ho megaloprepestatos kai endoxotatos komēs Iōannēs, hōste bouleuesthai tous ekeise kai peri exorias kath' hēmōn; hōs tēs hagias synodou katadexamenēs tēn akanoniston kai athesmon genomenēn kathairesin para te Iōannou, kai tōn syn autǭ hairetikōn. Idou toinyn kai hetera gegonen anaphora para tēs hagias synodou, didaskousa, hoti kai lypeitai epi tǭ despotikǭ grammati, kai hoti ou katedexametha tōn triōn tas kathaireseis; kai exairetōs men, akyrousthai ta par᾿ ekeinōn dyssebōs kai athesmōs genomena, kratynesthai de mallon ta par᾿ hēmōn. Edidaxan gar kai dia prōtēs anaphoras, hoti akyra men ta par' ekeinōn akanonistōs genomena pepoiēkasi, koinōnikous de hēmas kai syn; episkopous echousi, kai hoti tēs toiautēs ouk existantai gnōmēs. Myria de pepoiēkotos tou mnēmoneuthentos megaloprepestatou andros, hōste elthein eis koinōnian Iōannēn, kai tous syn autǭ tę̄ agią synodǭ mechri tēs sēmeron, oude akousai ēneschonto toiautēs phōnēs; all᾽ enistantai men pantes n, le pantelōs. antetatteto. gontes hoti ᾿Adynaton hēmas eis touto elthein, ean mē basileus nyn tou mathein tēn pistin, eidōs aukai to par᾿ autōn akanonistōs genomenon lythę̄, kai prospesōsi tę̄ synodǭ, hōs plēmmelēsantes, anathematisōsi de kai ta dogmata autou engraphōs; kai en toutois hē pasa enstasis tēs synodou. ᾿Apotychōn de toutou ho mnēmoneutheis megaloprepestatos anēr, epenoēse kai touto kai apę̄tei tēn synodon, ekthesin pisteōs engraphōs epidounai autǭ, hina ka keinous poiēsōsi - synthesthai kai hypograpsai, kai anelthę̄, legōn hoti Synēpsa autous eis philian, anthrōpinas lypas echontas metaxy allēlōn. Touto noēsasa hē hagia synodos, palin anestē achri pantos legousa hoti Ouch hybrizomen heautous. Ou gar hōs hairetikoi keklēmetha; alla ēlthomen pistin athetoumenēn stēsai, hēn kai estēsamen; kai ou chrēzei ho tēn, kai en autę̄ baptistheis. Ou proebē toinyn oude touto tois apo tēs ᾿Anatolēs. Kakeino de ginōskete, hoti synthentes ekthesin pisteōs, ephiloneikēsan pros allēlous; kai eisin en tǭ philoneikein eti. Hoi men gar autōn katadechontai Theotokon eipein tēn hagian Parthenon, meta kai tou anthrōpotokon, hoi de pantelōs arnountai, kai phasin hetoimōs echein apotmēthēnai tōn cheirōn, hē hypograpsai toiautę̄ phōnę̄. Aschēmonousi de pantachou, hairetikoi deiknymenoi. Tauta pantes para tēs theosebeias hymōn didaskesthōsan, kai malista hoi theosebestatoi kai agiōtatoi archimandritai; mēpote hypostrepsas ho prorrhētheis, hetera anth' heterōn eipę̄, ē didaxę̄, terpōn tas tinōn akoas. Mē apoknēsę̄ de hymōn hē theosebeia, mēde apokamnetō pros tous hyper hēmōn idrōtas, eiduia hoti heautēn paratithetai kai Theǭ kai anthrōpois. Kai entautha gar dia tēn tou Sōtēros charin, hoi mēdepote hēmas eidotes tōn theosebestatōn episkopōn, hetoimōs echousi tēn psychēn theinai hyper hēmōn, kai meta dakryōn proserchontai, legontes, kai d synexoristhēnai, kai synapothanein, di᾽ euchēs echousin. En - pollę̄ de thlipsei pantes esmen, kai dia tou phroureisthai para stratiōtōn, kai pro tōn idiōn koitōnōn echein autous katheudontas, malista hēmeis. Hē de allē pasa synodos apekame kai kamnei. Kai hoi pleious apethanon; loipon de kai hoi loipoi ta heautōn pipraskousin, ouk echontes analōmata.
The holy synod was greatly troubled to hear that the most magnificent and most glorious count John did not report everything correctly, so that those there are even deliberating about exile for us, as though the holy synod had accepted the uncanonical and lawless deposition carried out by John and the heretics with him. See, then, another report has been made by the holy synod, explaining that it is grieved at the imperial letter, and that we have not accepted the depositions of the three; and in particular that what was done by those men impiously and lawlessly should be annulled, and what was done by us rather confirmed. For in their first report too they explained that they had made void what those men did uncanonically, that they have us as communicants and fellow bishops, and that they do not depart from this judgement.
Although the most magnificent man mentioned above has done countless things to bring John and those with him into communion with the holy synod, up to this day they have not borne even to hear such a proposal. All stand firm, saying, “It is impossible for us to come to this unless what they did uncanonically is undone, and they fall down before the synod as offenders and anathematize his doctrines in writing.” In this lies the whole resistance of the synod. Having failed in this, the most magnificent man mentioned above devised this too: he demanded that the synod hand him a written statement of faith, so that they might make those men also agree and sign it, and he might go up saying, “I have joined them in friendship; they had human grievances with one another.” Perceiving this, the holy synod again stood firm to the end, saying, “We do not insult ourselves. We were not summoned as heretics; we came to establish the faith that was being set aside, and we have established it. Nor does the emperor now need to learn the faith, since he knows it and was baptized in it.” So this did not succeed for the Easterners either.
Know this too: having composed a statement of faith, they quarrelled with one another and are still quarrelling. Some of them accept calling the holy Virgin Mother of God, together with “mother of a man,” while others deny it altogether and say they are ready to have their hands cut off rather than sign such a word. They disgrace themselves everywhere, being shown to be heretics. Let everyone learn these things from your Reverence, especially the most God-fearing and most holy archimandrites, so that the man mentioned before, when he returns, may not say or teach one thing for another, pleasing the ears of some. Let your Reverence not shrink or grow weary of your labours for us, knowing that you commend yourselves both to God and to men. For here too, by the Saviour's grace, some of the most God-fearing bishops who have never seen us are ready to lay down their lives for us, and come with tears saying that they pray to be exiled with us and to die with us. We are all in great affliction, being guarded by soldiers who sleep even before the doors of our bedrooms, we especially. The rest of the synod is all worn out and is suffering; many have died, and the rest are now selling their belongings, having no means for their expenses.
John 10:11 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril reports from Ephesus that the council refuses communion with John of Antioch's party or any compromise statement of faith, and that the bishops are under guard and in hardship.
- Written at Ephesus in the late summer of 431, probably to Cyril's agents in Constantinople. Count John was the imperial official sent to Ephesus; the “three” are Nestorius, Cyril, and Memnon of Ephesus, whose depositions the emperor's letter had accepted. Several lines are scrambled in the edition by stray words from the notes; the synod's statement about the emperor is translated by sense.
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 27 (PG 77 77:141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/27
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-27) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 28
28PG 77 77:143
"Ἴσον ἐπιστολῆς γραφείσης παρὰ τοῦ ἀρχιεπισκόπου Κυρίλλου τοῖς ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει, εὐλαβεστάτοις ἐπισκόποις Θεοπέμπτῳ, καὶ Ποτάμωνι καὶ Δανιήλῳ, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἔπαθε συσκευῶν, τῶν κατὰ Νεστορίου καὶ Ἰωάννου χαρτίων. Κύριλλος Θεοπέμπτῳ, καὶ Δανιήλῳ καὶ Ποτάμωνι, ἀγαπητοῖς καὶ συλλειτουργοῖς, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Πολλαὶ καθ' ἡμῶν γεγόνασιν ἐκεῖσε διαβολαί · τοῦτο μὲν, ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρέων ἀκολουθησάντων ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ βαλανείου πολλῶν, τοῦτο δὲ ὡς κανονικῶν ἐξελθουσῶν· ὡς δὲ φασιν, ὅτι εἴρηται παρὰ τῶν διαβεβληκότων, ὅτι κατὰ συσκευὴν ἐμὴν, καὶ οὐ κατὰ σκοπὸν τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου, τὴν καθαίρεσιν ὑπέμεινε Νεστόριος. ᾿Αλλ᾽ εὐλογητὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ, ὁ τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγοντας ἐλέγξας. Ἐλθὼν γὰρ εἰς τὴν Ἐφεσίων ὁ κύριός μου, ὁ μεγαλοπρεπέ στατος καὶ ἐνδοξότατος κόμης τῶν θείων λαργιτιώνων Ἰωάννης, κατέγνω τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα πεφλυαρηκότων, οὐδὲν εὑρὼν ἀληθές. Εἶδε δὲ ὅτι ἰδίαν ἔνστασιν ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος τῆς πίστεως ἔχει, καὶ οὔτε ἐμοὶ χαριζομένη, οὔτε ἐἑτέρῳ τινὶ, ἀλλὰ θείῳ ζήλῳ κινουμένη, καὶ οὐκ ἐνεγκοῦσα τὰς ἐκείνου βλασφημίας, κατεψηφίσατο αὐτοῦ. Ἀναγνωσθέντος δὲ καὶ τοῦ γράμματος τῶν εὐσεβεστάτων καὶ φιλοχρίστων βασιλέων, δι' οὗ αἱ τῶν τριῶν καθαιρέσεις ἐλέγοντο εἶναι δεκτέαι, ἐφρουρούμεθα τέως, οὐδὲ εἰδότες τὸ ἐκβησόμενον. Πλὴν εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ, ὅταν καταξιωθῶμεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ, οὐ δεσμῶται γενέσθαι μόνον, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἕτερα πάντα ὑπομεῖναι · οὐ γὰρ ἄμισθον τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν. Οὐκ ἦνέσχετο δὲ ἡ σύνοδος κοινωνῆσαι Ἰωάννῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνίσταται λέγουσα· Ἰδοὺ τὰ σώματα, ἰδοὺ αἱ ἐκκλησίαι, ἰδοὺ αἱ πόλεις, ἐξουσίαν ἔχετε· ἡμᾶς κοινωνῆσαι ἀδύνατον τοῖς ἀνατολικοῖς, ἂν μὴ λυθῇ τὰ κατασκευασθέντα ἐκ τῆς αὐτῶν συκοφαντίας κατὰ τῶν συλλει τουργῶν ἡμῶν, ὁμολογήσωσι δὲ καὶ τὴν πίστιν ὀρθήν. Καταγινώσκονται γὰρ τὰ Νεστορίου, καὶ λαλοῦντες, καὶ φρονοῦντες, καὶ ὁμολογοῦντες. Ἡ πᾶσα εὖν ἔνστασις ἐν τούτοις. Εὐχέσθωσαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντες οἱ ὀρθόδοξοι. Ὡς γάρ φησιν ὁ μακάριος Δαβίδ· · Ἐγὼ δὲ εἰς μάστιγας ἕτοιμος.»
"Ison epistolēs grapheisēs para tou archiepiskopou Kyrillou tois en Kōnstantinoupolei, eulabestatois episkopois Theopemptǭ, kai Potamōni kai Daniēlǭ, hyper hōn epathe syskeuōn, tōn kata Nestoriou kai Iōannou chartiōn. Kyrillos Theopemptǭ, kai Daniēlǭ kai Potamōni, agapētois kai sylleitourgois, en Kyriǭ chairein. Pollai kath' hēmōn gegonasin ekeise diabolai ; touto men, hōs apo tēs Alexandreōn akolouthēsantōn hēmin ek tou balaneiou pollōn, touto de hōs kanonikōn exelthousōn; hōs de phasin, hoti eirētai para tōn diabeblēkotōn, hoti kata syskeuēn emēn, kai ou kata skopon tēs hagias synodou, tēn kathairesin hypemeine Nestorios. ᾿All᾽ eulogētos ho Sōtēr, ho tous ta toiauta legontas elenxas. Elthōn gar eis tēn Ephesiōn ho kyrios mou, ho megaloprepe statos kai endoxotatos komēs tōn theiōn largitiōnōn Iōannēs, kategnō tōn ta toiauta pephlyarēkotōn, ouden heurōn alēthes. Eide de hoti idian enstasin hē hagia synodos tēs pisteōs echei, kai oute emoi charizomenē, oute heeterǭ tini, alla theiǭ zēlǭ kinoumenē, kai ouk enenkousa tas ekeinou blasphēmias, katepsēphisato autou. Anagnōsthentos de kai tou grammatos tōn eusebestatōn kai philochristōn basileōn, di' hou hai tōn triōn kathaireseis elegonto einai dekteai, ephrouroumetha teōs, oude eidotes to ekbēsomenon. Plēn eucharistoumen tǭ Theǭ, hotan kataxiōthōmen hyper tou onomatos autou, ou desmōtai genesthai monon, alla gar kai ta hetera panta hypomeinai ; ou gar amisthon to pragma estin. Ouk ēnescheto de hē synodos koinōnēsai Iōannę̄, all᾽ enistatai legousa; Idou ta sōmata, idou hai ekklēsiai, idou hai poleis, exousian echete; hēmas koinōnēsai adynaton tois anatolikois, an mē lythę̄ ta kataskeuasthenta ek tēs autōn sykophantias kata tōn syllei tourgōn hēmōn, homologēsōsi de kai tēn pistin orthēn. Kataginōskontai gar ta Nestoriou, kai lalountes, kai phronountes, kai homologountes. Hē pasa eun enstasis en toutois. Euchesthōsan hyper hēmōn pantes hoi orthodoxoi. Hōs gar phēsin ho makarios Dabid; ; Egō de eis mastigas hetoimos.»
Copy of a letter written by archbishop Cyril to the most reverent bishops in Constantinople, Theopemptus, Potamon, and Daniel, about the plots he suffered over the papers against Nestorius and John.
Cyril to Theopemptus, Daniel, and Potamon, beloved fellow ministers: greeting in the Lord.
Many slanders have been spread about us there: on the one hand, that many from Alexandria followed us from the bath-house; on the other, that women of the canonical order came out; and, as they say, it has been said by the slanderers that Nestorius underwent deposition by my plotting and not by the decision of the holy synod. But blessed be the Saviour, who has refuted those who say such things. For when my lord, the most magnificent and most glorious count of the divine largesses, John, came to Ephesus, he condemned those who had talked such nonsense, finding nothing of it true. He saw that the holy synod has its own firm stand on the faith, and that it condemned him not to please me or anyone else, but moved by divine zeal and unable to bear his blasphemies. When the letter of the most pious and Christ-loving emperors was read, by which the depositions of the three were said to be accepted, we were put under guard for the time being, not knowing what would come of it. Yet we give thanks to God whenever we are counted worthy, for his name's sake, not only to become prisoners but also to endure everything else; for the thing is not without reward.
The synod has not consented to be in communion with John; it stands firm, saying: “Here are our bodies, here are the churches, here are the cities; you have the power. It is impossible for us to be in communion with the Easterners unless what was contrived by their slander against our fellow ministers is undone, and they confess the right faith.” For they are convicted of saying, thinking, and confessing the views of Nestorius. This is the whole of its resistance. Let all the orthodox pray for us. For as the blessed David says, “I am ready for scourges.”
Acts 5:41 (echo, medium confidence) · Ps 38:17 (37:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril answers slanders that Nestorius was deposed by his intrigue, reports that the council is under guard but refuses communion with John of Antioch's party, and asks for prayers.
- Written at Ephesus in 431. The charges in the first sentence are only briefly stated; “from the bath-house” and “women of the canonical order” (consecrated women) are literal renderings of obscure references. The psalm quoted is Ps 38:17 (LXX 37:18).
Topics: Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 28 (PG 77 77:143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/28
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 29
29PG 77 77:145
Τῷ ἀγιωτάτῳ καὶ θεοφιλεστάτῳ καὶ ἀρχιερουργῷ Κυρίλλῳ · ᾿Αλύπιος πρεσβύτερος τῶν ᾿Αποστόλων, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Μακάριος ἄνθρωπος, ὃν καταξιώσει ὁ ὁ Θεὸς πρῶτον τοῖς τῆς ἀγάπης ὀφθαλμοῖς ἰδεῖν τὴν θεοφιλῆ καὶ ἁγίαν σου κεφαλὴν, τῆς ὁμολογίας τὸν τοῦ μαρτυρίου στέφανον φέρουσαν ο. Σὺ γὰρ, ἁγιώτατε Πάτερ, τὴν τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ὁδὸν ἐγρηγόρῳ τῷ ὄμματι α περιεπάτησας, καὶ τοὺς χωλαίνοντας ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς ἰγνύαις ὀρθοποδεῖν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐδίδαξας· σὺ τὴν παῤῥησίαν τοῦ Ἠλία ἐνεδύσω, καὶ τὸν ζῆλον τοῦ Φινεὲς μόνος ἀνείληφας· σὺ τὸ δυσσεβὲς στόμα τοῦ ἰοβόλου δράκοντος ἐνέφραξας· καὶ τὸν πολυφάγον Βὴλ κατέστρεψας· καὶ τὴν μάταιον αὐτοῦ ἐλπίδα διὰ ὁ χρημάτων αὐτῷ ἐπιγενομένην, προστασίαν, ἀργὴν καὶ ἀνίσχυρον 8 κατέστησας · καὶ τὸ κατασκεύασμα τῆς χρυσῆς εἰκόνος νεκρὸν γενέσθαι ἐποίησας. Καὶ ποῖον στόμα, μύρων ἀπογέμον πνευματικῶν, δυνήσεται φθέγξασθαι τοῦ ζήλου τοῦ σοῦ τὰ ἐγκώμια ; ὁπότε ἴσος ἐγένου τοῦ μακαρίου Θεοφίλου τοῦ σοῦ θείου μιμητής· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ μαρτύριον τοῦ μακαρίου Αθανασίου ἐνεδύσω. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τῶν ἀνόμων αἱρετικῶν τὰς συσκευὰς ὡς σπιλάδας ἐξέφυγε, ταῖς προσευχαῖς ἀπωσάμενος, οὕτω καὶ ἡ σὴ ἁγιωσύνη τὰς συσκευὰς τοῦ ἀνόμου ὥσπερ λαίλαπας ἀσθενεῖς κατεκοίμισας ἱ, τῷ καθαρῷ τῆς συνειδήσεως βίῳ. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ μακάριος ὁ ᾿Αθανάσιος μετὰ πολλὰς τὰς ψευδεῖς ἐπαγγελίας τὰς ὑπὸ αἱρετικῶν αὐτῷ προσγενομένας, ἑώλους ἀπέδειξε, καὶ ἀλλοδαπὴν οἰκῆσαι κατεδέξατο ἐξορίας λόγῳ, τῶν τότε κρατούντων τοῦτο κατασκευασάντων· καὶ ὅσον ἔσπευδον τὰ μιαρὰ ἐκεῖνα στόματα πλέκειν ψευδῆ ἐγκλήματα, τοσούτῳ καθαρώτερος καὶ λαμπρότερος ἀνεδείκνυτο τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ, διαλάμπων τούτοις τοῖς πλεονεκτήμασι. Καὶ τούτοις τοῖς ἄθλοις τὸν στέφανον τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἑαυτῷ πλέξας, τὸ ὁμοούσιον ἔστησε, καὶ τὴν ᾿Αρείου κακοδοξίαν κατεπάτησε, καὶ τὴν ὀρθοδοξίαν ἀνέστησε, καὶ τὸν ἅγιον τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ Μάρκου θρόνον ὕψωσεν· οἷς καὶ αὐτὸς χρησάμενος, κατόπιν ἐκείνου τοῦ ἁγίου περιεπάτησας. Εύχομαι τοίνυν, ἁγιώτατε Πάτερ, καταξιωθῆναι αὐτοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἰδεῖν τὸ ἅγιόν σου πρόσωπον, καὶ κρατῆσαι σῶν γονάτων, καὶ ἀπολαῦσαι μάρτυρος, ἐν καιρῷ εἰρήνης τοὺς στεφάνους ἀναδησαμένου. "Απαντα δὲ τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, ὡς ἐπαῤῥησιασάμεθα, θαρσήσαντες τῇ σῇ προσευχῇ, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων, καὶ ὅσα ἐποιήσαμεν, λέξει ὁ ἀγαπητὸς διάκονος Κανδιδιανός, ὃς καὶ τὰ γράμματα τῆς ἐμῆς βραχύτητος ἐπιδίδωσι τῇ σῇ ἁγιωσύνῃ. Προσαγορεύω πᾶσαν τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον τῶν ἀναδησαμένων τὸν στέφανον τοῦ μαρτυρίου μετὰ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος. Ἐῤῥωμένος, εὔθυμος, ἐν Κυρίῳ διαπρέπων, ἀγωνιζόμενος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας χαρισθείης ἡμῖν ἀπὸ Θεοῦ.
Tǭ agiōtatǭ kai theophilestatǭ kai archierourgǭ Kyrillǭ ; ᾿Alypios presbyteros tōn ᾿Apostolōn, en Kyriǭ chairein. Makarios anthrōpos, hon kataxiōsei ho ho Theos prōton tois tēs agapēs ophthalmois idein tēn theophilē kai hagian sou kephalēn, tēs homologias ton tou martyriou stephanon pherousan o. Sy gar, hagiōtate Pater, tēn tōn hagiōn Paterōn hodon egrēgorǭ tǭ ommati a periepatēsas, kai tous chōlainontas ep᾿ amphoterais tais ignyais orthopodein pros tēn alētheian edidaxas; sy tēn parrhēsian tou Ēlia enedysō, kai ton zēlon tou Phinees monos aneilēphas; sy to dyssebes stoma tou iobolou drakontos enephraxas; kai ton polyphagon Bēl katestrepsas; kai tēn mataion autou elpida dia ho chrēmatōn autǭ epigenomenēn, prostasian, argēn kai anischyron 8 katestēsas ; kai to kataskeuasma tēs chrysēs eikonos nekron genesthai epoiēsas. Kai poion stoma, myrōn apogemon pneumatikōn, dynēsetai phthenxasthai tou zēlou tou sou ta enkōmia ? hopote isos egenou tou makariou Theophilou tou sou theiou mimētēs; alla kai to martyrion tou makariou Athanasiou enedysō. Kathaper gar ekeinos tōn anomōn hairetikōn tas syskeuas hōs spiladas exephyge, tais proseuchais apōsamenos, houtō kai hē sē hagiōsynē tas syskeuas tou anomou hōsper lailapas astheneis katekoimisas hi, tǭ katharǭ tēs syneidēseōs biǭ. Houtō gar kai ho makarios ho ᾿Athanasios meta pollas tas pseudeis epangelias tas hypo hairetikōn autǭ prosgenomenas, heōlous apedeixe, kai allodapēn oikēsai katedexato exorias logǭ, tōn tote kratountōn touto kataskeuasantōn; kai hoson espeudon ta miara ekeina stomata plekein pseudē enklēmata, tosoutǭ katharōteros kai lamproteros anedeiknyto tę̄ makrothymią, dialampōn toutois tois pleonektēmasi. Kai toutois tois athlois ton stephanon tou martyriou heautǭ plexas, to homoousion estēse, kai tēn ᾿Areiou kakodoxian katepatēse, kai tēn orthodoxian anestēse, kai ton hagion tou euangelistou Markou thronon hypsōsen; hois kai autos chrēsamenos, katopin ekeinou tou hagiou periepatēsas. Euchomai toinyn, hagiōtate Pater, kataxiōthēnai autois ophthalmois idein to hagion sou prosōpon, kai kratēsai sōn gonatōn, kai apolausai martyros, en kairǭ eirēnēs tous stephanous anadēsamenou. "Apanta de ta kath᾽ hēmas, hōs eparrhēsiasametha, tharsēsantes tę̄ sę̄ proseuchę̄, kai tōn hagiōn Paterōn, kai hosa epoiēsamen, lexei ho agapētos diakonos Kandidianos, hos kai ta grammata tēs emēs brachytētos epididōsi tę̄ sę̄ hagiōsynę̄. Prosagoreuō pasan tēn hagian synodon tōn anadēsamenōn ton stephanon tou martyriou meta tēs sēs hosiotētos. Errhōmenos, euthymos, en Kyriǭ diaprepōn, agōnizomenos hyper tēs alētheias charistheiēs hēmin apo Theou.
To the most holy and most God-beloved chief priest Cyril, Alypius, presbyter of the church of the Apostles: greeting in the Lord.
Blessed is the man whom God will count worthy to be the first to see with the eyes of love your God-beloved and holy head, wearing the crown of martyrdom for confession. For you, most holy father, have walked the road of the holy fathers with a watchful eye, and have taught those who limp on both their knees to walk straight toward the truth. You have put on the boldness of Elijah and alone have taken up the zeal of Phinehas. You have stopped the impious mouth of the venomous dragon, overthrown the gluttonous Bel, made idle and powerless his vain hope, the patronage that came to him through money, and caused the construction of the golden image to become a dead thing. What mouth, though overflowing with spiritual perfumes, will be able to utter the praises of your zeal, since you have become an equal imitator of the blessed Theophilus, your uncle, and have also put on the martyrdom of the blessed Athanasius? For as he escaped the plots of the lawless heretics like reefs, repelling them by his prayers, so your Holiness has lulled to sleep the plots of the lawless one like weak squalls, by the pure life of your conscience. So too the blessed Athanasius, after the many false promises made to him by heretics, showed them to be stale, and consented to live in a foreign land by way of exile, the rulers of that time having contrived it; and the more those foul mouths hastened to weave false charges, the purer and more brilliant he was shown by his long-suffering, shining with these advantages. Weaving for himself the crown of martyrdom by these contests, he established the consubstantial, trampled on the false doctrine of Arius, raised up orthodoxy, and exalted the holy throne of the evangelist Mark. You too, using these, have walked in the footsteps of that saint.
I pray, then, most holy father, to be counted worthy to see your holy face with my own eyes, to clasp your knees, and to enjoy a martyr who has bound on his crowns in a time of peace. All that concerns us, how we spoke boldly, trusting in your prayer and that of the holy fathers, and all we did, the beloved deacon Candidian will tell you, who also delivers the letter of my littleness to your Holiness. I greet the whole holy synod of those who, with your Holiness, have bound on the crown of martyrdom. May you be granted to us by God in good health and good spirits, distinguished in the Lord, contending for the truth.
1 Kgs 18:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 25:7–13 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 3:1 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Alypius, a presbyter of Constantinople, praises Cyril as a confessor who, like Elijah, Phinehas, and Athanasius, has overthrown Nestorius.
- Letter of Alypius, presbyter of the church of the Holy Apostles at Constantinople, to Cyril (431). The images of the dragon, Bel, and the golden image (from Bel and the Dragon and Dan 3) refer to Nestorius; “his vain hope … through money” is a garbled phrase in the edition, translated by sense.
Extrabiblical texts: Bel 1-27 (Bel and the Dragon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 29 (PG 77 77:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/29). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/29
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-cyril-alexandria-epistulae-29) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.