Message to the most pious King Constantius about the sign of the cross made of rays of light appearing in heaven and seen in Jerusalem

“Message to the most pious king Constantius about the sign of the cross made of rays of light appearing in heaven and seen in Jerusalem” was compiled by St. Cyril of Jerusalem in May 351 on the occasion of the miraculous appearance of the sign of the cross in the sky of Jerusalem. This is the first appeal of St. Kirill to the Emperor. He expresses good wishes to him, and also compares the miracle of the appearance of the cross in the sky of Jerusalem that took place during his reign with the event of the discovery of the Cross under his father, St. equal to imp. Constantine the Great. The miracle itself is described in detail, even indicating the exact time of its appearance: “on the seventh of May, about the third hour.” The miracle of the cross that appeared in Jerusalem should strengthen the imp. Constantius in his fight against “enemies” (i.e., the usurper Magnentius and his supporters); There is an obvious parallel with the appearance of the cross of St. Constantine before the battle with Maxentius. The reference contained in the message to the finding of the Cross in Jerusalem is the oldest dated evidence of this event. Also noteworthy are the emphasis on the unique significance of Jerusalem for the entire Christian world. The final phrase of the message or part of it represents a later addition: “May the God of all, with all your house, grant us you, most God-loving King Augustus, always glorifying the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity, our true God! To Him belongs all glory forever and ever! Amen". Here the term “consubstantial” is not only used the only time in the entire corpus of works of St. Cyril, but also put into the mouth of the Arian emperor. Presented translation by Prof. prot. P.S. Delitsyn differs from others by an extremely high scientific level. *The title of the work in Greek is ᾿Επιστολὴ πρὸς Κωνστάντιον. *The title of the work in Latin is Epistula ad Constantium imperatorem. (Translation by Prof. Archpriest P.S. Delitsyn) To the most God-loving and pious King Constantius Augustus, Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, wishes to rejoice in the Lord. 1. To your God-loving royal majesty I send from Jerusalem this first beginning of messages, suitable for you to receive and for me to present, not filled with flattering words, but announcing the vision of God in heaven, and not containing ornate assurances, but actually testifying to you in an event about the truth of the prophecy in the Holy Gospel. 2. Others often crown your honorable head from what they have, bringing gold-plated crowns speckled with shiny stones. And we crown you not with what is from the earth, for what is given by the earth and the end is the earth, but about the divine action of heaven during the time of your God-loving reign that took place in Jerusalem, we carefully bring to the attention of your piety, not so that now only from ignorance you will come to knowledge of God (this you have already achieved, and teaching others with your piety), but in order to confirm to you what you already know, and, having accepted the ancestral inheritance of royal power, and also having learned that you are honored from above with even greater heavenly crowns, all the more so now to give due thanks to the All-Tsar God; From the fact that God works miraculously in your presence, having truly understood how much your kingdom is beloved by Him, you will be filled with greater firmness in the fight against your enemies. 3. Just as during the time of your most God-loving father, Constantine, of blessed memory, by the grace of God, which granted him, who beautifully sought piety, the discovery of hidden holy places, the saving tree of the cross was also found; So with you, sir, the most pious king, whose great reverence for God surpassed even parental piety, miracles are visible not from the earth, but from heaven, and the sign of victory over the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I mean the blessed cross, appeared in Jerusalem shining from rays of light. 4. On these holy days of Holy Pentecost, on the nones of May (i.e., the 7th day of May), around the third hour, a very great cross appeared in the sky, made up of light over Holy Calvary and extended to the Holy Mount of Olives. Not one or only two saw him; on the contrary, he was very clearly visible to the entire population of the city. And not soon, as someone else would have thought, did this vision pass, but for many hours the cross was clearly visible above the earth, with a lightning-fast radiance that surpassed the rays of the sun. For what they were surmounting would have been eclipsed if it had not produced for the spectators a brilliance that illuminated more powerfully than the sun itself. Therefore, the entire population of the city, overwhelmed with fear and at the same time with joy from this vision of God, immediately flocked in crowds to the holy church - both young and old, both men and women, people of all ages, even the very virgins who had already begun to hide inside the houses, city residents and Christian strangers, and pagans who had arrived from other places - all unanimously, as if with one mouth, glorified the miracle-working Christ Jesus, our Lord, The only begotten Son of God, having realized in fact and experience that the most pious Christian teaching consists “not in convincing words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and power” (1 Cor. 2:4), is not only proclaimed by people, but is testified by God Himself from heaven. 5. Therefore, we, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, having ascertained with our own eyes the extraordinary nature of the miracle, have given and will continue to render due worship with thanksgiving to the All-Tsar God and the only begotten Son of God, having made and will continue to make diligent prayers in holy places for your God-loving power. Since these heavenly visions of God were not supposed to be consigned to silence, but the gospel of them should also be preached to your God-inspired piety, we tried to immediately fulfill this with this message, so that on the good foundation of the faith that was previously in you, having received the knowledge of what was again revealed above, you would receive even more firm hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, and together, being filled with all your usual courage, as if having a supporter of God Himself, he zealously carried out the victorious sign of the cross, counting this sign revealed in heaven as the praise of praise, the image of which, having shown people, made heaven even more glorified for them. 6. This miracle, most God-loving King, in accordance with the testimonies of the prophets and with the holy words of Christ found in the Gospel, has now happened and will happen again on a large scale. For in the Gospel of Matthew, the Savior, giving knowledge of the future to the blessed apostles, and through them talking with their successors, very clearly foreshadowing, said: “And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven” (Matthew 24:30). And you, according to custom, having taken this Divine book into your hands, you will find in it written pre-announcement evidence of this miracle. And I beg you, sir, about them, especially most often, to pay attentive reflection, for the sake of the other things written there in order. For what our Savior foretold requires much reverent reflection, so that we do not suffer any harm from the opposing force. 7. I bring this firstfruits of my words to you, most God-loving King; This is my first broadcast from Jerusalem to you, the most sincere and most pious, together with us, honorer of Christ, the only begotten Son of God and our Savior, who, according to the Divine Scriptures in Jerusalem, accomplished universal salvation (Ps. 73:12), trampled death here, atoned for the sins of men with His precious blood, and bestowed upon all believers life and incorruptibility, and spiritual heavenly grace. And by His power and grace you, amused and protected, adorned with brilliant and great deeds of piety, glorified by the royal branches of your sons, may the giver of all goodness, the King God Himself, preserve all for many peaceful years with the whole house for the praise of Christians and all the world! 8. Healthy, adorned with every virtue, showing the usual care for the holy churches and the Roman Empire and distinguished by great rewards for piety, throughout many peaceful years, may the God of all with your whole house grant you to us, most God-loving King Augustus, always glorifying the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity of our true God! To Him belongs all glory forever and ever! Amen.