Letters (first part: Migne letters 1-55) 39
Greek text: PG 77.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 39
39PG 77 77:173
Τῷ κυρίῳ μου, ἀγαπητῷ ἀδελφῷ, καὶ συλλειτουργῷ Ἰωάννῃ, Κύριλλος, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Εὐφραινέσθωσαν οἱ οὐρανοὶ, καὶ ἀγαλλιάσθω ή γῆ. » Λέλυται γὰρ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ, καὶ πέπαυται τὸ λυποῦν, καὶ διχονοίας ἁπάσης ἀνήρηται τρόπος, τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ Ἐκκλησίαις τὴν εἰρήνην βραβεύσαντος· κεκληκότων δὲ πρὸς τοῦτο ἡμᾶς καὶ τῶν εὐσεβεστάτων καὶ θεοφιλεστάτων βασιλέων, οἳ προγονικῆς εὐσεβείας ἄριστοι ζηλωταὶ γεγονότες, ἀσφαλῆ μὲν καὶ ἀκατάσειστον τὴν ὀρθὴν ἐν ἰδίαις ψυχαῖς φυλάττουσι πίστιν, ἐξαίρετον δὲ ποιοῦνται φροντίδα τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁγίων Ἐκκλησιῶν, ἵνα διαβόητον ἔχωσιν εἰς αἰῶνα τὴν δόξαν καὶ εὐκλεεστάτην ἀποφήνωσι τὴν ἑαυτῶν βασιλείαν· οἷς καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ τῶν δυνάμεων Χριστὸς Κύριος πλουσίᾳ χειρὶ διανέμει τὰ ἀγαθὰ, καὶ δίδωσι μὲν κατακρατεῖν τῶν ἀνθεστηκότων, χαρίζεται δὲ τὸ νι105 κᾷν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν διαψεύσηται λέγων ὅτι - Ζῶ ἐγὼ, λέγει Κύριος· ὅτι τοὺς δοξάσαντάς με δοξάσω. » Αφικομένου τοίνυν εἰς τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου συλλειτουργοῦ καὶ ἀδελφοῦ Παύλου, θυμηδίας ἐμπεπλήσμεθα καὶ σφόδρα εἰκότως, ὡς ἀνδρὸς τοιούτου μεσιτεύοντος, καὶ τοῖς ὑπὲρ δύναμιν πόνοις ἐλομένου προσομιλεῖν, ἵνα τὸν τοῦ διαβόλου νικήσῃ φθόνον, καὶ συνάψῃ τὰ διῃρημένα, καὶ τὰ μεταξὺ διεῤῥιμμένα σκάνδαλα περιελὼν, ὁμονοίᾳ καὶ εἰρήνῃ στεφανώσῃ τάς τε παρ' ἡμῖν, καὶ τὰς παρ' ὑμῖν Ἐκκλησίας. Τίνα μὲν γὰρ διήρηνται τρόπον, περιττὸν εἰπεῖν. Χρῆναι δὲ ὑπολαμβάνω τὰ τῷ τῆς εἰρήνης πρέποντα καιρῷ, καὶ φρονεῖν καὶ λαλεῖν. Ἤσθημεν τοίνυν τῇ συντυχίᾳ τοῦ μνημονευθέντος θεοσεβεστάτου ἀνδρός· ὃς τάχα που καὶ ἀγῶνας ἔξειν οὐ μικροὺς ὑπενόησεν, ἀναπείθων ἡμᾶς, ὅτι χρὴ συνάψαι πρὸς εἰρήνην τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τὸν τῶν ἑτεροδόξων ἀφανίσαι γέλωτα, ἀπαμβλῦναί τε πρὸς τούτῳ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου δυστροπίας τὸ κέντρον. Ἑτοίμως δὲ οὕτως ἔχοντας ἐπὶ τούτῳ κατέλαβεν, ὡς μηδένα πόνον ὑποστῆναι παντελῶς. Μεμνήμεθα γὰρ τοῦ Σωτῆρος λέγοντος· « Εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν· ἐν· εἰρήνην ἂν τὴν ἐμὴν ἀφίημι ὑμῖν. » Δεδιδάγμεθα δὲ καὶ λέγειν ἐν προσευχαῖς Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, εἰρήνην δὸς ἡμῖν· πάντα γὰρ ἀπέδωκας ἡμῖν. » Ὥστε εἴ τις ἐν μεθέξει γένοιτο τῆς παρὰ Θεοῦ χορηγουμένης εἰρήνης, ἀνενδεὴς ἔσται παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Ὅτι δὲ περιττὴ παντελῶς καὶ οὐκ εὐάφορμος ἡ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν διχοστασία γέγονε, νυνὶ μάλιστα πεπληροφορήμεθα, τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Παύλου ἐπισκόπου χάρτην προκομίσαντος 2, ἀδιάβλητον ἔχοντα τῆς πίστεως τὴν ὁμολογίαν, καὶ ταύτην συντετάχθαι διαβεβαιουμένου παρά τε τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος, καὶ τῶν αὐτόθι θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων. Ἔχει δὲ οὕτως ἡ συγγραφή, καὶ αὐταῖς λέξεσιν ἐντέθειται τῇδε ἡμῶν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ· Περὶ δὲ τῆς Θεοτόκου Παρθένου ὅπως καὶ φρονοῦμεν, καὶ λέγομεν, τοῦ τε τρόπου τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀναγκαίως, οὐκ ἐν προσθήκης μέρει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πληροφορίας εἴδει, ὡς ἄνωθεν ἔκ τε τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, ἔκ τε τῆς παραδό σεως τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων παρειληφότες ἐσχήκαμεν, διὰ βραχέων ἐροῦμεν, οὐδὲν τὸ σύνολον προστιθέντες τῇ τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ ἐκτεθείσῃ πίστει. Ὡς γὰρ ἔφθημεν εἰρηκότες, πρὸς πᾶσαν ἐξαρκεῖ καὶ εὐσεβείας γνῶσιν, πάσης καὶ αἱρετικῆς κακοδοξίας ἀποκήρυξιν. Ἐροῦμεν δὲ οὐ κατατολμῶντες τῶν ἀνεφίκτων, ἀλλὰ τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ τῆς οἰκείας ἀσθενείας, ἀποκλείοντες τοῖς ἐπιφύεσθαι βουλομένοις, ἐν οἷς τὰ ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον διασκεπτόμεθα. Ὁμολογοῦμεν τοιγαροῦν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ, θεὸν τέλειον, καὶ ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐκ ψυχῆς λογικῆς καὶ σώματος· προ αἰώνων μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννη - θέντα κατὰ τὴν θεότητα, ἐπ' ἐσχάτων δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν τὸν αὐτὸν δι᾽ ἡμᾶς, καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν, ἐκ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα · ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν αὐτὸν κατὰ τὴν θεότητα, καὶ ὁμοούσιον ἡμῖν κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα. Δύο γὰρ φύσεων ἕνωσις γέγονε · διὸ ἕνα Χριστὸν, ἕνα ἕνα Κύριον ὁμολογοῦμεν. Κατὰ ταύτην τὴν τῆς ἀσυγχύτου ἐνώσεως ἔννοιαν ὁμολογοῦμεν τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον Θεοτόκον, διὰ τὸ τὸν Θεὸν Λόγον σαρκωθῆναι, καὶ ἐνανθρωπῆσαι, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς συλλήψεως ἐνῶσαι ἑαυτῷ τὸν ἐξ αὐτης ληφθέντα ναόν. Τὰς δὲ εὐαγγελικὰς καὶ ἀποστολικὰς περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου φωνάς, ἴσμεν τοὺς θεολόγους· ἄνδρας, τὰς μὲν κοινοποιοῦντας, ὡς ἐφ᾿ ἑνὸς προσώπου, τὰς δὲ διαιροῦντας, ὡς ἐπὶ δύο φύσεων· καὶ τὰς μὲν θεοπρεπεῖς κατὰ τὴν θεότητα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὰς δὲ ταπεινὰς κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα αὐτοῦ παραδιδόντας. Ταύταις ὑμῶν ἐντυχόντες ταῖς ἱεραῖς φωναῖς, οὕτω τε καὶ ἑαυτοὺς φρονοῦντας εὑρίσκοντες (εἷς γὰρ Κύριος, μία πίστις, ἓν βάπτισμα), ἐδοξάσαμεν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Σωτῆρα Θεὸν, ἀλλήλοις συγχαίροντες, ὅτι ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις Γραφαῖς, καὶ τῇ παραδό σει τῶν ἁγίων ἡμῶν Πατέρων, συμβαίνουσαν ἔχουσι πίστιν αἵ τε παρ᾿ ἡμῖν καὶ αἱ παρ' ὑμῖν Ἐκκλησίαι. Ἑπειδὴ δὲ ἐπυθόμην τῶν φιλοψογεῖν εἰωθότων τινὰς σφηκῶν ἀγρίων δίκην περιβομβεῖν, καὶ μοχθηροὺς ἐρεύγεσθαι κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ λόγους, ὡς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατακο- ( μισθὲν, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου λέγοντος τὸ ἅγιον σῶμα Χριστοῦ, δεῖν ᾠήθην ὀλίγα περὶ τούτου πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰπεῖν. ῾Ὦ ἀνόητοι, καὶ μόνον εἰδότες τὸ συκοφαντεῖν, πῶς εἰς τοῦτο παρηνέχθητε γνώμης, καὶ τοσαύτην νενοσήκατε τὴν μωρίαν; Ἔδει γὰρ, ἔδει σαφῶς ἐννοεῖν, ὅτι σχεδὸν ἅπας ἡμῖν ὁ περὶ τῆς πίστεως ἀγὼν συγκεκρότηται, διαβεβαιουμένοις ὅτι Θεοτόκος ἐστὶν ἡ ἁγία Παρθένος. ᾿Αλλ' εἴπερ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξ αὐτῆς τὸ ἅγιον σῶμα γεγενῆσθαί φαμεν τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ, πῶς ἂν ἔτι νοοῖτο Θεοτόκος; Τίνα γὰρ ὅλως τέτοκεν, εἰ μή ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, ὅτι γεγέννηκε κατὰ σάρκα τὸν Ἐμμανουήλ; Γελάσθωσαν τοίνυν οἱ ταῦτα περὶ ἐμοῦ πεφλυαρηκότες. Οὐ γὰρ ψεύδεται λέγων ὁ μακάριος προφήτης Ησαίας· « Ἰδοὺ ἡ Παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει, καὶ τέξεται Υἱὸν, καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ· ὁ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, Μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός.» ᾿Αληθεύει δὲ πάντως καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Γαβριὴλ, πρὸς τὴν μακαρίαν Παρθένον εἰπών· «Μὴ φοβοῦ, Μαριάμ· εὖρες γὰρ χάριν παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ· καὶ ἰδοὺ συλλήψῃ ἐν γαστρὶ, καὶ τέξῃ Υἱὸν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν· αὐτὸς σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν.» Ὅταν δὲ λέγωμεν, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἄνωθεν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ιησοῦν Χριστὸν, οὐχ ὡς ἄνωθεν, καὶ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατενεχθείσης τῆς ἁγίας αὐτοῦ σαρκὸς, τοιαῦτά φαμεν, ἑπόμενοι δὲ μᾶλλον τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Παύλῳ, διακεκρα - γότι σαφῶς· «Ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκός· ὁ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ᾿ οὐρανοῦ. » Μεμνήμεθα δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος λέγοντος· « Καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀνα- βέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβὰς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.» Καίτοι γεγέννηται κατὰ σάρκα, καθάπερ ἔφην ἀρτίως, ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἄνωθεν, καὶ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταφοιτήσας ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος κεκένωκεν ἑαυτὸν, μορφὴν δούλου λαβὼν, καὶ κεχρημάτικεν Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, μετὰ τοῦ μεῖναι ὁ ἦν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι Θεὸς (ἄτρεπτος γὰρ καὶ ἀναλλοίωτος κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶν), ὡς εἷς ἤδη νοούμενος μετὰ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκὸς, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ λέγεται κατελθεῖν. Ὠνόμασται δὲ καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, τέλειος ὧν ἐν θεότητι, καὶ τέλειος ὁ αὐτὸς ἐνε ἀνθρωπότητι, καὶ ὡς ἐν ἑνὶ προσώπῳ νοούμενος. Εἷς γὰρ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, κἂν ἡ τῶν φύσεων μὴ ἀγνοῆται διαφορὰ, ἐξ ὧν τὴν ἀπόῤῥητον ἕνωσιν πεπράχθαι φαμέν. Τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας ὅτι κρᾶσις, ἢ σύγχυσις, ἢ φυρμὸς ἐγένετο τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου πρὸς τὴν σάρκα, καταξιωσάτω ἡ σὴ ὁσιότης ἐπιστομίζειν. Εἰκὸς γάρ τινας καὶ ταῦτα περὶ ἐμοῦ θρυλλεῖν, ὡς ἢ πεφρονηκότος, ἢ εἰρηκότος. Ἐγὼ δὲ τοσοῦτον ἀφέστηκα τοῦ φρονῆσαί τι τοιοῦτον, ὥστε καὶ μαίνεσθαι νομίζω τοὺς οἰηθέντας ὅλως, ὅτι τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα περὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου φύσιν συμβῆναι δύναται. Μένει γὰρ ὅ ἐστιν ἀεὶ, καὶ οὐκ ἠλλοίωται · ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἀλλοιωθείη πώποτε, καὶ μεταβολῆς ἔσται ( δεκτική. ᾿Απαθῆ δὲ πρὸς τούτῳ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον ὑπάρχειν ὁμολογοῦμεν ἅπαντες, κἂν εἰ πανσόφως αὐτὸς οἰκονομῶν τὸ μυστήριον, ἑαυτῷ προσνέμων ὁρῶτο τὰ ἰδίᾳ σαρκὶ συμβεβηκότα πάθη. Ταύτῃ του καὶ ὁ πάνσοφος Πέτρος, Χριστοῦ, φησὶ, παθόντος σαρκὶ, καὶ οὐχὶ τῇ φύσει τῆς ἀῤῥήτου θεότητος. Ἵνα γὰρ αὐτὸς τῶν ὅλων Σωτὴρ εἶναι πιστεύηται, κατ' οἰκείωσιν οἰκονομικὴν εἰς ἑαυτὸν, ὡς ἔφην, τὰ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκὸς ἀναφέρει πάθη. Ὁποῖόν ἐστι τὸ διὰ τῆς τοῦ προφήτου φωνῆς προαναφωνούμενον, ὡς ἐξ αὐτοῦ· « Τὸν νῶτόν μου δέδωκα εἰς μάστιγας, τὰς δὲ σιαγόνας μου εἰς ῥαπίσματα, τὸ δὲ πρόσωπόν μου οὐκ ἀπέστρεψα ἀπὸ αἰσχύνης ἐμπτυσμάτων.» "Ὅτι δὲ ταῖς τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων δόξαις ἑπόμεθα πανταχοῦ, μάλιστα δὲ τοῦ μακαρίου καὶ πανευφήμου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν ᾿Αθανασίου, τὸ κατά τι γοῦν ὅλως ἔξω φέρεσθαι παραιτούμενοι, πεπείσθω μὲν ἡ σὴ ὁσιότης, ἐνδοιαζέτω δὲ τῶν ἄλλων μηδείς. Παρέθηκα δ᾽ ἂν καὶ χρήσεις αὐτῶν πολλὰς, τοὺς ἐμαυτοῦ λόγοὺς ἐξ αὐτῶν πιστούμενος, εἰ μὴ τὸ μῆκος ἐδεδίειν τοῦ γράμματος, μὴ ἄρα πως γένηται διὰ τοῦτο προσκορές. Καὶ κατ' οὐδένα δὲ τρόπον σαλεύεσθαι πρός τινων ἀνεχόμεθα τὴν ὁρισθεῖσαν πίστιν, ἤτοι τὸ τῆς πίστεως σύμβολον, παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἡμῶν Πατέρων, τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντων κατά καιρούς. Οὔτε μὴν ἐπιτρέπομεν ἑαυτοῖς, ἢ ἑτέροις, ἢ λέξιν ἀμεῖψαι τῶν ἐγκειμένων ἐκεῖσε, ἢ μίαν γοῦν παραβῆναι συλλαβήν, μεμνημένοι τοῦ λέγοντος· «Μὴ μέταιρε ὅρια αἰώνια, ἃ ἔθεντο οἱ πατέρες σου.» Οὐ γὰρ ἦσαν αὐτοὶ οἱ λαλοῦντες, ἀλλ' αὐτὸ τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός· ὁ ἐκπορεύεται μὲν ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἑστι δὲ οὐκ ἀλλότριον τοῦ Υἱοῦ κατὰ τὸν τῆς οὐσίας λόγον· καὶ πρὸς γε τοῦτο ἡμᾶς οἱ τῶν ἁγίων μυσταγωγῶν πιστοῦνται λόγοι. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων γέγραπται · · Ἐλθόντες δὲ κατὰ τὴν Μυσίαν, ἐπείραζον εἰς τὴν Βιθυνίαν πορευθῆναι· καὶ οὐκ εἴασεν αὐτοὺς τὸ Πνεῦμα Ἰησοῦ. Ἐπιστέλλει δὲ καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος· « Οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες, Θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται. Ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πνεύματι, εἴπερ Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. Εἰ δὲ τις Πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ οὐκ ἔχει, οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ. » Ὅταν δὲ τινες τῶν τὰ ὀρθὰ διαστρέφειν εἰωθότων τὰς ἐμὰς παρατρέπωσι φωνάς εἰς τὸ αὐτοῖς δοκοῦν, μὴ θαυμαζέτω, τοῦτο ἡ ση ὁσιότης, εἰδυῖα ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ πάσης αἱρέσεως ἐκ τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς τὰς τῆς ἑαυτῶν πλάνης συλλέγουσιν ἀφορμὰς, τὰ διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ὀρθῶς εἰρημένα, ταῖς ἑαυτῶν κακονοίαις παραφθείροντες, καὶ ταῖς ἰδίαις ἑαυτων κεφαλαῖς τὴν ἄσβεστον ἐπαντλοῦντες φλόγα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μεμαθήκαμεν, ὅτι καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν μακάριον Ἐπίκτητον ἐπιστολὴν τοῦ πανευφήμου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν ᾿Αθανασίου, ὀρθοδόξως ἔχουσαν, παραφθείραντές τινες ἐκδεδώκασιν, ὡς ἐντεῦθεν ἀδικεῖσθαι πολλοὺς, διὰ τοῦτο χρήσιμόν τι καὶ ἀναγκαῖον ἐπινοοῦντες τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, ἐξ ἀντιγράφων ἀρχαίων, τῶν παρ᾿ ἡμῖν, καὶ ἁπλῶς – ἐχόντων, ἀπεστείλαμεν τὰ ἴσα τῇ σῇ ὁσιότητι. Ἔρφωσο.
Tǭ kyriǭ mou, agapētǭ adelphǭ, kai sylleitourgǭ Iōannę̄, Kyrillos, en Kyriǭ chairein. Euphrainesthōsan hoi ouranoi, kai agalliasthō ē gē. » Lelytai gar to mesotoichon tou phragmou, kai pepautai to lypoun, kai dichonoias hapasēs anērētai tropos, tou pantōn hēmōn Sōtēros Christou tais heautou Ekklēsiais tēn eirēnēn brabeusantos; keklēkotōn de pros touto hēmas kai tōn eusebestatōn kai theophilestatōn basileōn, hoi progonikēs eusebeias aristoi zēlōtai gegonotes, asphalē men kai akataseiston tēn orthēn en idiais psychais phylattousi pistin, exaireton de poiountai phrontida tēn hyper tōn hagiōn Ekklēsiōn, hina diaboēton echōsin eis aiōna tēn doxan kai eukleestatēn apophēnōsi tēn heautōn basileian; hois kai autos ho tōn dynameōn Christos Kyrios plousią cheiri dianemei ta agatha, kai didōsi men katakratein tōn anthestēkotōn, charizetai de to ni105 kąn. Ou gar an diapseusētai legōn hoti - Zō egō, legei Kyrios; hoti tous doxasantas me doxasō. » Aphikomenou toinyn eis tēn ᾿Alexandreian tou kyriou mou tou theophilestatou sylleitourgou kai adelphou Paulou, thymēdias empeplēsmetha kai sphodra eikotōs, hōs andros toioutou mesiteuontos, kai tois hyper dynamin ponois elomenou prosomilein, hina ton tou diabolou nikēsę̄ phthonon, kai synapsę̄ ta dię̄rēmena, kai ta metaxy dierrhimmena skandala perielōn, homonoią kai eirēnę̄ stephanōsę̄ tas te par' hēmin, kai tas par' hymin Ekklēsias. Tina men gar diērēntai tropon, peritton eipein. Chrēnai de hypolambanō ta tǭ tēs eirēnēs preponta kairǭ, kai phronein kai lalein. Ēsthēmen toinyn tę̄ syntychią tou mnēmoneuthentos theosebestatou andros; hos tacha pou kai agōnas exein ou mikrous hypenoēsen, anapeithōn hēmas, hoti chrē synapsai pros eirēnēn tas Ekklēsias, kai ton tōn heterodoxōn aphanisai gelōta, apamblynai te pros toutǭ tēs tou diabolou dystropias to kentron. Hetoimōs de houtōs echontas epi toutǭ katelaben, hōs mēdena ponon hypostēnai pantelōs. Memnēmetha gar tou Sōtēros legontos; « Eirēnēn tēn emēn didōmi hymin; en; eirēnēn an tēn emēn aphiēmi hymin. » Dedidagmetha de kai legein en proseuchais Kyrie ho Theos hēmōn, eirēnēn dos hēmin; panta gar apedōkas hēmin. » Hōste ei tis en methexei genoito tēs para Theou chorēgoumenēs eirēnēs, anendeēs estai pantos agathou. Hoti de perittē pantelōs kai ouk euaphormos hē tōn Ekklēsiōn dichostasia gegone, nyni malista peplērophorēmetha, tou kyriou mou tou eusebestatou Paulou episkopou chartēn prokomisantos 2, adiablēton echonta tēs pisteōs tēn homologian, kai tautēn syntetachthai diabebaioumenou para te tēs sēs hosiotētos, kai tōn autothi theophilestatōn episkopōn. Echei de houtōs hē syngraphē, kai autais lexesin entetheitai tę̄de hēmōn tę̄ epistolę̄; Peri de tēs Theotokou Parthenou hopōs kai phronoumen, kai legomen, tou te tropou tēs enanthrōpēseōs tou monogenous Huiou tou Theou, anankaiōs, ouk en prosthēkēs merei, all᾽ en plērophorias eidei, hōs anōthen ek te tōn theiōn Graphōn, ek te tēs parado seōs tōn hagiōn Paterōn pareilēphotes eschēkamen, dia bracheōn eroumen, ouden to synolon prostithentes tę̄ tōn hagiōn Paterōn tōn en Nikaią ektetheisę̄ pistei. Hōs gar ephthēmen eirēkotes, pros pasan exarkei kai eusebeias gnōsin, pasēs kai hairetikēs kakodoxias apokēryxin. Eroumen de ou katatolmōntes tōn anephiktōn, alla tę̄ homologią tēs oikeias astheneias, apokleiontes tois epiphyesthai boulomenois, en hois ta hyper anthrōpon diaskeptometha. Homologoumen toigaroun ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, ton Huion tou Theou ton monogenē, theon teleion, kai anthrōpon teleion ek psychēs logikēs kai sōmatos; pro aiōnōn men ek tou Patros gennē - thenta kata tēn theotēta, ep' eschatōn de tōn hēmerōn ton auton di᾽ hēmas, kai dia tēn hēmeteran sōtērian, ek Marias tēs Parthenou kata tēn anthrōpotēta ; homoousion tǭ Patri ton auton kata tēn theotēta, kai homoousion hēmin kata tēn anthrōpotēta. Dyo gar physeōn henōsis gegone ; dio hena Christon, hena hena Kyrion homologoumen. Kata tautēn tēn tēs asynchytou enōseōs ennoian homologoumen tēn hagian Parthenon Theotokon, dia to ton Theon Logon sarkōthēnai, kai enanthrōpēsai, kai ex autēs tēs syllēpseōs enōsai heautǭ ton ex autēs lēphthenta naon. Tas de euangelikas kai apostolikas peri tou Kyriou phōnas, ismen tous theologous; andras, tas men koinopoiountas, hōs eph᾿ henos prosōpou, tas de diairountas, hōs epi dyo physeōn; kai tas men theoprepeis kata tēn theotēta tou Christou, tas de tapeinas kata tēn anthrōpotēta autou paradidontas. Tautais hymōn entychontes tais hierais phōnais, houtō te kai heautous phronountas heuriskontes (heis gar Kyrios, mia pistis, hen baptisma), edoxasamen ton tōn holōn Sōtēra Theon, allēlois synchairontes, hoti tais theopneustois Graphais, kai tę̄ parado sei tōn hagiōn hēmōn Paterōn, symbainousan echousi pistin hai te par᾿ hēmin kai hai par' hymin Ekklēsiai. Hepeidē de epythomēn tōn philopsogein eiōthotōn tinas sphēkōn agriōn dikēn peribombein, kai mochthērous ereugesthai kat᾿ emou logous, hōs ex ouranou katako- ( misthen, kai ouk ek tēs hagias Parthenou legontos to hagion sōma Christou, dein ǭēthēn oliga peri toutou pros autous eipein. ῾Ō anoētoi, kai monon eidotes to sykophantein, pōs eis touto parēnechthēte gnōmēs, kai tosautēn nenosēkate tēn mōrian? Edei gar, edei saphōs ennoein, hoti schedon hapas hēmin ho peri tēs pisteōs agōn synkekrotētai, diabebaioumenois hoti Theotokos estin hē hagia Parthenos. ᾿All' eiper ex ouranou, kai ouk ex autēs to hagion sōma gegenēsthai phamen tou pantōn hēmōn Sōtēros Christou, pōs an eti nooito Theotokos? Tina gar holōs tetoken, ei mē estin alēthes, hoti gegennēke kata sarka ton Emmanouēl? Gelasthōsan toinyn hoi tauta peri emou pephlyarēkotes. Ou gar pseudetai legōn ho makarios prophētēs Ēsaias; « Idou hē Parthenos en gastri hexei, kai texetai Huion, kai kalesousi to onoma autou Emmanouēl; ho esti methermēneuomenon, Meth' hēmōn ho Theos.» ᾿Alētheuei de pantōs kai ho hagios Gabriēl, pros tēn makarian Parthenon eipōn; «Mē phobou, Mariam; eures gar charin para tǭ Theǭ; kai idou syllēpsę̄ en gastri, kai texę̄ Huion, kai kaleseis to onoma autou Iēsoun; autos sōsei ton laon autou apo tōn hamartiōn autōn.» Hotan de legōmen, ex ouranou, kai anōthen ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, ouch hōs anōthen, kai ex ouranou katenechtheisēs tēs hagias autou sarkos, toiauta phamen, hepomenoi de mallon tǭ thespesiǭ Paulǭ, diakekra - goti saphōs; «Ho prōtos anthrōpos ek gēs choïkos; ho deuteros anthrōpos ex᾿ ouranou. » Memnēmetha de kai autou tou Sōtēros legontos; « Kai oudeis ana- bebēken eis ton ouranon, ei mē ho ek tou ouranou katabas, ho Huios tou anthrōpou.» Kaitoi gegennētai kata sarka, kathaper ephēn artiōs, ek tēs hagias Parthenou; epeidē de anōthen, kai ex ouranou kataphoitēsas ho Theos Logos kekenōken heauton, morphēn doulou labōn, kai kechrēmatiken Huios anthrōpou, meta tou meinai ho ēn, tout᾽ esti Theos (atreptos gar kai analloiōtos kata physin estin), hōs heis ēdē nooumenos meta tēs idias sarkos, ex ouranou legetai katelthein. Ōnomastai de kai anthrōpos ex ouranou, teleios hōn en theotēti, kai teleios ho autos ene anthrōpotēti, kai hōs en heni prosōpǭ nooumenos. Heis gar Kyrios Iēsous Christos, kan hē tōn physeōn mē agnoētai diaphora, ex hōn tēn aporrhēton henōsin peprachthai phamen. Tous de legontas hoti krasis, ē synchysis, ē phyrmos egeneto tou Theou Logou pros tēn sarka, kataxiōsatō hē sē hosiotēs epistomizein. Eikos gar tinas kai tauta peri emou thryllein, hōs ē pephronēkotos, ē eirēkotos. Egō de tosouton aphestēka tou phronēsai ti toiouton, hōste kai mainesthai nomizō tous oiēthentas holōs, hoti tropēs aposkiasma peri tēn tou Theou Logou physin symbēnai dynatai. Menei gar ho estin aei, kai ouk ēlloiōtai ; all᾽ oud᾽ an alloiōtheiē pōpote, kai metabolēs estai ( dektikē. ᾿Apathē de pros toutǭ ton tou Theou Logon hyparchein homologoumen hapantes, kan ei pansophōs autos oikonomōn to mystērion, heautǭ prosnemōn horōto ta idią sarki symbebēkota pathē. Tautę̄ tou kai ho pansophos Petros, Christou, phēsi, pathontos sarki, kai ouchi tę̄ physei tēs arrhētou theotētos. Hina gar autos tōn holōn Sōtēr einai pisteuētai, kat' oikeiōsin oikonomikēn eis heauton, hōs ephēn, ta tēs idias sarkos anapherei pathē. Hopoion esti to dia tēs tou prophētou phōnēs proanaphōnoumenon, hōs ex autou; « Ton nōton mou dedōka eis mastigas, tas de siagonas mou eis rhapismata, to de prosōpon mou ouk apestrepsa apo aischynēs emptysmatōn.» "Hoti de tais tōn hagiōn Paterōn doxais hepometha pantachou, malista de tou makariou kai paneuphēmou Patros hēmōn ᾿Athanasiou, to kata ti goun holōs exō pheresthai paraitoumenoi, pepeisthō men hē sē hosiotēs, endoiazetō de tōn allōn mēdeis. Parethēka d᾽ an kai chrēseis autōn pollas, tous emautou logous ex autōn pistoumenos, ei mē to mēkos edediein tou grammatos, mē ara pōs genētai dia touto proskores. Kai kat' oudena de tropon saleuesthai pros tinōn anechometha tēn horistheisan pistin, ētoi to tēs pisteōs symbolon, para tōn hagiōn hēmōn Paterōn, tōn en Nikaią synelthontōn kata kairous. Oute mēn epitrepomen heautois, ē heterois, ē lexin ameipsai tōn enkeimenōn ekeise, ē mian goun parabēnai syllabēn, memnēmenoi tou legontos; «Mē metaire horia aiōnia, ha ethento hoi pateres sou.» Ou gar ēsan autoi hoi lalountes, all' auto to Pneuma tou Theou kai Patros; ho ekporeuetai men ex autou, hesti de ouk allotrion tou Huiou kata ton tēs ousias logon; kai pros ge touto hēmas hoi tōn hagiōn mystagōgōn pistountai logoi. En men gar tais Praxesi tōn apostolōn gegraptai ; ; Elthontes de kata tēn Mysian, epeirazon eis tēn Bithynian poreuthēnai; kai ouk eiasen autous to Pneuma Iēsou. Epistellei de kai ho thespesios Paulos; « Hoi de en sarki ontes, Theǭ aresai ou dynantai. Hymeis de ouk este en sarki, all᾽ en pneumati, eiper Pneuma Theou oikei en hymin. Ei de tis Pneuma Christou ouk echei, houtos ouk estin autou. » Hotan de tines tōn ta ortha diastrephein eiōthotōn tas emas paratrepōsi phōnas eis to autois dokoun, mē thaumazetō, touto hē sē hosiotēs, eiduia hoti kai hoi apo pasēs haireseōs ek tēs theopneustou Graphēs tas tēs heautōn planēs syllegousin aphormas, ta dia tou hagiou Pneumatos orthōs eirēmena, tais heautōn kakonoiais paraphtheirontes, kai tais idiais heautōn kephalais tēn asbeston epantlountes phloga. Epeidē de memathēkamen, hoti kai tēn pros ton makarion Epiktēton epistolēn tou paneuphēmou Patros hēmōn ᾿Athanasiou, orthodoxōs echousan, paraphtheirantes tines ekdedōkasin, hōs enteuthen adikeisthai pollous, dia touto chrēsimon ti kai anankaion epinoountes tois adelphois, ex antigraphōn archaiōn, tōn par᾿ hēmin, kai haplōs – echontōn, apesteilamen ta isa tę̄ sę̄ hosiotēti. Erphōso.
To my lord, beloved brother and fellow minister John, Cyril: greeting in the Lord.
“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad.” For the middle wall of partition has been broken down, grief has ceased, and every occasion of discord has been removed, since Christ, the Saviour of us all, has awarded peace to his churches; and the most pious and God-beloved emperors have called us to this. They, being the best emulators of their ancestors' piety, keep the right faith safe and unshaken in their own souls and take exceptional care for the holy churches, so that they may have glory renowned for ever and make their reign most glorious. To them Christ the Lord of hosts himself distributes good things with a rich hand, grants them to prevail over their opponents, and gives them victory. For he does not lie when he says, “As I live, says the Lord, those who glorify me I will glorify.”
When my lord the most God-beloved fellow minister and brother Paul arrived at Alexandria, we were filled with gladness, and very rightly, since such a man was mediating and had chosen to undertake labours beyond his strength in order to overcome the devil's envy, join what had been divided, and, removing the scandals scattered between us, crown both our churches and yours with concord and peace. How they were divided it is superfluous to say; I think we ought to think and speak what befits a time of peace. We were delighted, then, by our meeting with the most God-fearing man mentioned above, who perhaps expected to have no small struggles in persuading us that the churches must be joined in peace, that the laughter of the heterodox must be done away with, and moreover that the sting of the devil's perversity must be blunted. But he found us so ready for this that he had to undergo no labour at all. For we remember the Saviour saying, “My peace I give to you; my peace I leave with you.” And we have been taught to say in prayers, “O Lord our God, give us peace, for you have given us all things.” So that if anyone comes to share in the peace supplied by God, he will lack no good thing.
That the division of the churches was wholly superfluous and without good reason we are now fully convinced, since my lord the most pious bishop Paul has brought forward a document containing an irreproachable confession of faith, and has affirmed that it was composed by your Holiness and by the most God-beloved bishops there. The text runs thus, and is inserted word for word in this letter of ours:
“Concerning the Virgin Mother of God, and how we think and speak, and the manner of the incarnation of the only-begotten Son of God, we shall of necessity speak briefly, not by way of addition but by way of full assurance, as we have received and hold it from of old both from the divine Scriptures and from the tradition of the holy fathers, adding nothing at all to the faith set out by the holy fathers at Nicaea. For, as we said before, it suffices for all knowledge of piety and for the rejection of every heretical false doctrine. We shall speak, not venturing on what cannot be attained, but, by confessing our own weakness, shutting out those who wish to attack us where we consider what is beyond man.
“We confess, therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, perfect God and perfect man of a rational soul and a body; begotten before the ages from the Father according to the Godhead, and in the last days the same one, for us and for our salvation, from Mary the Virgin according to the manhood; the same one consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead and consubstantial with us according to the manhood. For a union of two natures has taken place; therefore we confess one Christ, one Son, one Lord. According to this understanding of the unconfused union, we confess the holy Virgin to be Mother of God, because God the Word was made flesh and became man, and from the very conception united to himself the temple taken from her. As for the gospel and apostolic sayings about the Lord, we know that the theologians treat some as common, as of one person, and divide others, as of two natures, and hand down those befitting God as referring to the Godhead of Christ and the lowly ones as referring to his manhood.”
Having read these holy words of yours, and finding that we ourselves think the same (for “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism”), we glorified God, the Saviour of all, rejoicing with one another that our churches and yours have a faith in agreement with the divinely inspired Scriptures and the tradition of our holy fathers.
But since I learned that some of those who are accustomed to find fault are buzzing around like wild wasps and belching out wicked words against me, as though I said that the holy body of Christ was brought down from heaven and not from the holy Virgin, I thought I should say a few words to them about this. You fools, who know only how to slander, how were you carried away to this opinion, and how have you fallen sick with such folly? You ought, you ought clearly to have understood that nearly the whole contest about the faith has been waged by us in affirming that the holy Virgin is Mother of God. But if we say that the holy body of Christ, the Saviour of us all, came from heaven and not from her, how could she still be understood to be Mother of God? Whom did she bear at all, if it is not true that she gave birth to Emmanuel according to the flesh? Let those who have talked such nonsense about me be laughed at. For the blessed prophet Isaiah does not lie when he says, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,” which means, “God with us.” And the holy Gabriel surely spoke the truth when he said to the blessed Virgin, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus; he will save his people from their sins.”
When we say that our Lord Jesus Christ is from heaven and from above, we do not say such things as though his holy flesh had been brought down from above and from heaven, but rather following the divine Paul, who cried out plainly, “The first man was from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven.” We also remember the Saviour himself saying, “And no one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.” Yet he was born according to the flesh, as I said just now, of the holy Virgin. But since God the Word, coming down from above and from heaven, emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and was called Son of Man while remaining what he was, that is, God (for he is unchangeable and unalterable by nature), being now understood as one with his own flesh, he is said to have come down from heaven. He has also been named man from heaven, being perfect in Godhead and the same perfect in manhood, and understood as in one person. For there is one Lord Jesus Christ, even though the difference of the natures, from which we say the ineffable union was made, is not ignored.
As for those who say that a mixing, or confusion, or blending of God the Word with the flesh took place, let your Holiness be so good as to stop their mouths. For it is likely that some are also spreading the report that I have thought or said this. But I am so far from thinking anything of the kind that I consider those mad who suppose at all that a shadow of change can occur in the nature of God the Word. For he remains what he is always, and has not been altered; nor could he ever be altered or become capable of change. Moreover, we all confess that the Word of God is impassible, even though, in his all-wise dispensation of the mystery, he is seen to ascribe to himself the sufferings that befell his own flesh. So the all-wise Peter says, “Christ having suffered in the flesh,” and not in the nature of the ineffable Godhead. For in order that he may be believed to be the Saviour of all, he refers to himself, as I said, by an appropriation belonging to the dispensation, the sufferings of his own flesh; just as was foretold through the voice of the prophet, as from him: “I gave my back to scourges, and my cheeks to blows, and I did not turn away my face from the shame of spitting.”
That we follow the opinions of the holy fathers in everything, and especially those of our blessed and all-praised father Athanasius, refusing to be carried outside them in any respect at all, let your Holiness be persuaded, and let no one else doubt it. I would have set out many quotations from them, confirming my own words from theirs, had I not feared the length of the letter, lest it become tiresome on that account. And we do not in any way allow the defined faith, that is, the symbol of faith, defined by our holy fathers who assembled in their time at Nicaea, to be shaken by anyone. Nor do we permit ourselves or others to change a word of what is contained there, or to transgress even a single syllable, remembering the one who says, “Do not remove the eternal boundaries which your fathers set.” For it was not they who spoke, but the very Spirit of God the Father, who proceeds from him, and yet is not foreign to the Son as regards the principle of substance. And the words of the holy initiators confirm us in this. For in the Acts of the Apostles it is written, “When they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.” And the divine Paul writes, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.”
When some of those who are accustomed to pervert what is right twist my words to their own opinion, let your Holiness not be surprised, knowing that those of every heresy too gather the occasions of their error from the divinely inspired Scripture, corrupting with their own ill will what was rightly spoken through the Holy Spirit, and pouring the unquenchable flame on their own heads. And since we have learned that some have published a corrupted version of the letter of our all-praised father Athanasius to the blessed Epictetus, which is orthodox, so that many are being harmed by it, we have therefore, devising something useful and necessary for the brothers, sent your Holiness copies made from ancient copies that are with us and are sound. Farewell.
Ps 96:11 (95:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 2:30 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 26:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 7:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 1:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 1:30–31 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 1:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:47 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Jas 1:17 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Pet 4:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 50:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 22:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 15:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 16:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:8–9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Pet 3:16 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril welcomes the reunion with John of Antioch, quotes the agreed Formula of Reunion, denies that he teaches a heavenly body of Christ or a mixing of natures, and insists the Nicene Creed must not be altered.
- Cyril's letter to John of Antioch of 433 (“Let the heavens rejoice”), later approved at Chalcedon (451). Compared with the public-domain translation in NPNF² 14. Footnote words printed inside the Formula (“born … presented”) are removed by a logged correction; “one Son” is printed as a repeated “one” and is translated as the Formula reads in Letter 38. The opening quotation is Ps 96:11 (LXX 95:11). “The Lord, give us peace” is Isa 26:12 (LXX). “Do not remove the eternal boundaries” is Prov 22:28. Athanasius's letter to Epictetus is his Letter 59.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (footnote variants (γεγονότα; προσκομίσαντες) leaked into the Formula): ἐκτεθείσῃ γεγονότα. Η προσκομίσαντες. πίστει. → ἐκτεθείσῃ πίστει..
Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Nic. 0 (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325); allusion); Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 1 (To Epictetus; allusion)
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 39 (PG 77 77:173; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/39). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/39
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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.