For the Feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria

 St. Cyril of Alexandria is honored by Holy Mother Church with a feast day on February 9.  Even at a young age, Cyril's intelligence shone.  St. Cyril possessed a great zeal for the salvation of souls and for the defense of Holy Mother Church.  He later became bishop of Alexandria, a position he held for 32 years.  He worked tirelessly against heresy and is especially known for his defense against the Nestorian heresy.  

Preached by Nestorius, who at the time was the bishop of Constantinople, the Nestorian heresy taught that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary as man only; thus, he called our Lady Christokos, meaning mother of Christ, as opposed to Theotokos, meaning mother of God.  While  Nestorius believed in Christ's two natures, he heretically explained this as two separate persons, teaching only the human person of Christ suffered and died.  At the Council of Ephesus, over which St. Cyril presided, the Nestorian heresy was entirely condemned, as was Nestorius himself.  The doctrine of the Incarnation of Our Lord, as well as the truth of Christ's two natures united in one Divine Person  The Council of Ephesus also defined the dogma of Mary as Theotokos, Mother of God.  St. Cyril of Alexandria is known as the Defender of the Incarnation.  He died in 444 and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII.

Hail, O Mary, Mother of God 
By St Cyril of Alexandria 

 

Hail, Mother and Virgin, 

eternal Temple of the Godhead, 
Venerable Treasure of Creation, 
crown of virginity, 
support of the true faith, 
on which the Church is founded, throughout the world. 
Mother of God, 
who contained the infinite God under your heart, 
whom no space can contain. 

Through you, the most Holy Trinity, is revealed, 
adored and glorified, 
demons are vanquished, 
Satan cast down from heaven into hell
and our fallen nature again assumed into heaven. 

Through you, the human race, 
held captive in the bonds of idolatry, 
arrives at the knowledge of Truth. 
What more shall I say of you? 

Hail, through whom kings rule, 
through whom the Only-Begotten Son of God 
has become the Star of Light to those sitting in darkness 
and in the shadow of death. 
Amen

God bless!

+JMJ+