βͺ Saint of the Day: January 27
ST. CYRIL became the Patriarch of Alexandria in 412. Having at first thrown himself with ardor into the party politics of the place, God called him to a nobler conflict. In 428, Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople, began to deny the unity of Person in Christ, and to refuse to the Blessed Virgin the title of "Mother of God." He was strongly supported by disciples and friends throughout the East. As the assertion of the divine maternity of Our Lady was necessary to the integrity of the doctrine of the Incarnation, so, with St. Cyril, devotion to the Mother was the necessary complement of his devotion to the Son. St. Cyril, after expostulating in vain, accused Nestorius of Pope Celestine. The Pope commanded retraction, under pain of separation from the Church, and intrusted St. Cyril with the conduct of the proceedings. The appointed day, June 7, 431, found Nestorius and Cyril at Ephesus, with over 200 bishops. After waiting twelve days in vain for the Syrian bishops, the council with Cyril tried Nestorius and deposed him from his see. Upon this the Syrians and Nestorians excommunicated St. Cyril and complained of him to the emperor as a peace-breaker. Imprisoned and threatened with banishment, the Saint rejoiced to confess Christ by suffering. In time it was recognized that St. Cyril was right, and with him, the Church triumphed. Forgetting his wrongs, and careless of controversial punctilio, Cyril then reconciled himself with all who would consent to hold the doctrine of the Incarnation intact. He died in 444.
βͺ Reflection βThe Incarnation is the mystery of God's dwelling within us, and therefore should be the dearest object of our contemplation. It was the passion of St. Cyril's life; for it he underwent toil and persecution, and willingly sacrificed credit and friends.
Source : Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
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- βͺ Saint Francis Xavier
- Saint Nicetius of Lyon: A Holy Bishop Who Trusted God
- βͺ Blessed Zofia Czeska-Maciejowska: Mother of Mercy and Education
- βͺ Saint Lodovico Pavoni: Apostle of Youth and Work
- βͺ Blessed Giuseppe Girotti: A Martyr of Charity and Truth
- βͺ Blessed Karl of Austria
- βͺ Saint Mary of Egypt: From Sinner to Desert Saint
- βͺ Saint Hugh of ChΓ’teauneuf: A Holy Shepherd of Faith
- βͺ Saint of the Day : January
- βͺ Saint of the Day : June
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- βͺ Saint Sylvester of Assisi
- βͺ Saint Conon the Gardener
- βͺ Saint John of the Cross
- βͺ Saint Peter of Pappacarbone - Bishop of Policastro
- βͺ Saint Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia - Martyrs
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- βͺ Saint Luke Casali - Monk & Priest
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- βͺ Saint Martina - Martyr
- βͺ Saint Hyacintha of Mariscotti - Religious
- βͺ Saint David GalvΓ‘n-BeremΓΊdez - Priest and Martyr
- βͺ Blessed Columba Marmion - Irish monk and the third Abbot of Maredsous Abbey
- βͺ Saint Francis of Sales
- βͺ Saint John Chrysostom
- βͺ Saint Polycarp - Bishop, Martyr
- βͺ Saint Paula of Rome - Patroness of the Order of Saint Jerome
- βͺ Blessed JosΓ© Gabriel del Rosario Brochero - Priest
- βͺ Blessed Francesco Zirano - Franciscan Priest, Martyr
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- βͺ Saint Ananias of Damascus - Missionary, Martyr & Patron of St. Paul
- βͺ Blessed Teresa Grillo Michel
- βͺ Saint Dwynwen
- βͺ Blessed Anthony of Amandola
- βͺ The Conversion of Saint Paul
- βͺ Blessed Henry Suso
- βͺ Martyrs of Podlasie or Martyrs of Pratulin
- βͺ Saint Artemas of Pozzuoli - Teenage Martyr