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Cyril and Nestorius

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Cyril and Nestorius CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA'S FIRST EPISCOPAL YEARS A. Davids• Cyril and Nestorius Not very much is known about Cyril of Alexandria (ca. 378-444), founder of classical Christology, prior to 428, in which year Nestorius, Archbishop of Constantinople, became his rival in Christological matters. In particular, the Councils of Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451) are linked with his name. Later, Cyril's theo­ logical views were honoured by the Councils of Constantinople in 553 and 680-81. When Nestorius' ideas about Christ as both God and man reached Egypt, they were soon disputed by the desert monks. Cyril was urged to act and, in the spring of 429, wrote a long letter "to the priests and deacons, to the fathers among the monks and to those leading a solitary life" in Egypt. 1 In this letter he pointed out that the anti-Arian formula of faith of the Council of Nicaea (325) implied that Mary was to be called "Mother of God" (OEOTOKoc;), a term which Nestorius had refused to use. Instead, he insisted on calling Mary "Mother of Christ" (Xpt<ITOTOl<oc;). In this, Cyril saw a revival of Arianism, which he had been attacking since about 423-25.2 Cyril's arguments are mainly drawn from the anti-Arian works of Athanasius (295-373), his predecessor at the See of Alexandria, who had most strongly opposed Arianism in the fourth century. Cyril's first anti-Nestorian reaction was directed at the churches and monasteries within the boundaries of his own ecclesiastical terri­ tory and was moderate: Nestorius is not even mentioned by name. But the whole issue would soon escalate. Both Nestorius and Cyril tried to gain support from Pope Celestine of Rome. Cyril won and, with the backing of Rome, he finally wrote a (third) letter to * I would like to thank Mrs. A. Lentz-Michaelis for the correction of my English text. 1 Cyr. Alex., Ep. l, ACO I, I, l, pp. I 0-23. 2 G.Jouassard, "Cyrill v. Alexandrien", RAC 3, 499-516, here c. 508. 188 DAVIDS Nestorius, in which he called his teaching blasphemous and in which he summoned Nestorius to disavow his "heresy": Consequently you must confess in writing and on oath that you anath­ ematise your foul and profane teachings and that you hold and teach what we all do, the bishops and teachers and leaders of the people throughout the West and East. 3 This threatening letter would become a central issue of Christological debate in the East. Notwithstanding Cyril's wishes, it was not canon­ ized by the Council of Ephesus in 431. Rivalry between the great Sees of the Church also played an im­ portant role. Cyril had every interest in evoking the Council of Nicaea. In the year 325, the fathers of the Council had defined the authority of the Bishop of Alexandria over Egypt, Libya and Penta­ polis "since a similar custom exists with reference to the Bishop of Rome".4 Antioch was only mentioned after Alexandria and Constan­ tinople had not yet been founded. Only in 381 at the Council of Constantinople was the See of Constantinople placed after the See of Rome in the official hierarchy, as "the new Rome".5 In Athanasius' time, there had been a great deal of friction between Alexandria and the imperial city. Cyril's immediate predecessor, his uncle Theo­ philus (385-412), had succeeded in having the Antiochene John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople since 398, removed from his See during the Synod of the Oak in 403. Cyril had accompanied his uncle on that occasion and had been present at the trial, after which Theophilus only narrowly escaped from a furious mob which demonstrated in John's favour. 6 In Cyril's view, Nestorius was an Antiochene-Constantinopolitan rival who had dared to have different ideas, was stubborn, and had to submit or be ousted. Cyril's letter of 429 to the monks of Egypt ends with a rebuke ofJews and heathens: Worship him [Christ] as one and do not divide him into two after the union [of the natures]. Then the insane jew shall mock in vain, for only 3 Cyr. Alex., Ep. 17, 2, ACO I, I, 1, p. 34, trans. J.A. McGuckin, St. Cyril rif Alexandria: The Christological Controver!!J. Its History, Theology, and Texts, Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae, 23 (Leiden, 1994), p. 267. 4 Council of Nicaea (325), c. 6, Decrees rif the Ecumenical Councils, I, ed. N.P. Tanner (London- Washington, 1990), pp. 8-9. 5 Council of Constantinople (381), c. 3, Decrees (n. 4), p. 32. 6 Sozomenus, Hist. Eccl. VIII, 19, PG 67, 1565 A and Cyr. Alex., Ep. 33, 4 (from 432), ACO I, I, 7, p. 147; trans. McGuckin (n. 3), p. 338.John Chrysostom's name would be inserted in the diptychs of Alexandria as late as the year 418. .
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