Lectures on the Christian Sacraments: The Procatechesis and the Five Mystagogical Catecheses Ascribed to St Cyril of Jerusalem (Greek and English Edition) ... Patristics) (Popular Patristics Series)

by Cyril of Jerusalem

belong to the immediate post-Constantinian social, cultural, religious, and economic transformation of the mid-to-late fourth century.

Only very gradually did Jerusalem assume an important place in Christian history, and from then on it was the home of a purely Gentile Christian community. In the third century we hear of Christian bishops. But far from having any position of special privilege as occupants of the throne of the mother church of Christianity, they were subject to the authority of the neighboring see of Caesarea.

not until the fourth century that Jerusalem rose to a position of prominence. In 325 Canon 7 of the Council of Nicea stated that on the ground of “custom and ancient tradition” its bishop should have the place of special honor, but without prejudice to the proper dignity of the metropolitan see of Caesarea.

no text of the Creed used at Jerusalem exists as a separate text anywhere in our documents, the text has been reconstructed from the various titles of Baptismal Catecheses 6–18 as follows:

there is no question that explicit sacrificial terminology, including the use of the word ἱλασμός (“propitiation”), has come to characterize the theology of the Eucharist as offered for the living and the dead

explicit consecratory epiclesis of the Holy Spirit invoking the Spirit to “make” (ποιήσῃ) the bread and wine the Body and Blood of Christ by sanctifying (ἡγίασται) and changing (μεταβέβληται) them (Mystagogical Catecheses 5.7).40

our first witness to the use of the Lord’s Prayer, the “Our Father,” in the eucharistic liturgy,

The Mystagogical Catecheses, as noted above, are ascribed in the various manuscripts either to Cyril, to his successor John II (ad 387–417), to them both, or to no one at all.

John II succeeded Cyril as bishop of Jerusalem from 387 to 417.48 He was attacked by both Jerome and Epiphanius in the late fourth century (394) as being an “Origenist,” and again by Jerome in 414 as being “Pelagian,”

Pelagius himself, who was living in Jerusalem after the sack of Rome (410).

source of long-standing scholarly debates ever since the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformers’ challenge, based on their high sacramental theology and strong defense of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist,

Indeed, Cyril himself in the later years of his episcopacy may well have known the rites described in the Mystagogical Catecheses without being the “author” of the document itself.

According to Day, the baptismal liturgy of the Mystagogical Catecheses can be dated to no earlier than well after 397 (perhaps not yet even in Jerusalem until the end of the fifth century!),

Terian argues that it should be dated to ad 335. As

Whatever the date and provenance of this Apostolic Tradition, however, it is widely accepted that the Egyptian Canons of Hippolytus is the earliest derivative document from it. The original Greek version of the Canons, though not extant, is dated to between 336 and 340.86

necessarily follow that Day’s

“For these things happened to them as types, and were written for the instruction” (1 Cor 10.11)

so the soul cannot be purified except by the exorcisms.

12 Then, after the catechesis has been delivered, if a catechumen asks you what the teachers said, say nothing to an outsider.

For just as the bread and wine of the Eucharist, before the invocation of the holy and worshipped Trinity, were simple bread and wine, but (after) the invocation the bread becomes the body of Christ and the wine the blood of Christ, so also it is the same way with those foods of the pomp of the devil. Being ordinary according to their own nature, they become desecrated by the invocation of the demons (cf. 1 Cor 10.20–21).

In the former times death, being powerful, devoured, but God, through the holy “washing of regeneration” (Tit 3.5), has wiped away every tear from every face (Is 25.8; Rev 7.17).

mystagogical

you the sequel to yesterday’s mystagogical lecture, that you might learn of what the things, which were done by you in the inner room, were the symbols.

And each one was asked if he believed in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. You professed this saving confession and you descended three times into the water and ascended again, thereby also re-enacting through symbol the three-day burial of Christ.

O strange and incredible thing! We did not really die, we were not really buried, we were not really crucified and raised; our imitation was in an image, but our salvation was real.

the baptism of John only gave the forgiveness of sins.

also it is the sacramental representation of Christ’s sufferings.

we are rightly called “christs,” and concerning us God said: “Stop touching my christs” (Ps 105.15).

You became christs when you received the sacramental representation of the Holy Spirit, and all things happened to you in images, since you are the images of

Holy Spirit came upon him in substantial form,

6 And it is necessary for you to know that the symbol of this chrismation is contained in the Old Testament. For at the time when Moses gave over the commandments of God to his brother, making him high priest, after he washed himself in water, Moses anointed him, and he was called a “christ,” clearly from the figure of the chrismation.

But these things happened to them only in a figure, but for you not figuratively but really, inasmuch as you have been really anointed by the Holy Spirit.

you full assurance about the divine mysteries, of which you were made worthy

when you became members of “the same body” (Eph 3.6) and blood of Christ.

Therefore, since he himself said plainly about the bread, “This is my body,” who will dare to cast doubts from now on? And he, having also confirmed and said, “This is my blood,” who will ever doubt, saying, “It is not his blood?”

So with every assurance, we receive as of the body and blood of Christ. For in the figure of bread is the body given to you, and in the figure of wine the blood is given to you, in order that, having received the body and blood of Christ, you may become [his] one body and one blood of Christ. For in this way we become “Christ-bearers,” his body and his blood having been given into our bodily members. Thus, according to blessed Peter, we become “sharers of the divine nature” (2 Pet 1.4).

Stop, therefore, considering the bread and wine to be ordinary; for they are body and blood according to the Lord who made the declaration. For even if your senses suggest this to you, let faith confirm you. Do not judge this by taste, but be informed without doubt from faith that you have been made worthy of the body and blood of Christ.

9 Having learned and being informed, namely, that what appears to be bread is not bread—even if that is suggested by taste—but it is the body of Christ, and that that which appears to be wine is not wine—even if this is suggested by taste—but it is the blood of Christ.

Have you not heard blessed David’s mystagogical explanation of this, saying: “I will wash my hands in innocence and walk around your altar, O Lord” (Ps 26.6)? So, then, the washing of the hands is a symbol of the need to be guiltless of sin.

After this the priest cries out, “Lift up your hearts.”

Next, you answer, “We have [lifted] them to the Lord,” having made by this your agreement with him according

Next, the priest says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord.” For rightly we are bound to give thanks, that he has called us, being unworthy, to such great grace, that, being enemies, he has reconciled us, and that he has made us worthy of the “Spirit of divine adoption” (cf. Rom 8.15). Next, you say, “It is right and just.”

Next, we make memorial and commemoration of those who have fallen asleep before us, first patriarchs, prophets, apostles, (and) martyrs, so that by their prayers and intercessions God might receive our petition.

In the same way we also, offering our petitions to God for those who have fallen asleep, although they are sinners, we do not weave crowns, but we offer Christ slaughtered for our sins, propitiating God the lover of humanity both for them and for ourselves.

“Give us today our super-substantial bread.”

But this holy bread is super-substantial, on account of which it is ordered to the substance of the soul.

epiclesis

Stop making your decision on the basis of your bodily throat, but on the basis of your unquestioning faith. For when we are invited to taste, we taste not of bread and wine but of the sacramental representation of the body and blood of Christ.

But make a throne with your left hand for the right, as intending to receive the King, and having made a hollow in your hand,

receive the body of Christ, after which you say “Amen.”