Epistle to Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem

Letters to St. Cyril of Alexandria relates to the emergence and development of the Nestorian dispute, the Third Ecumenical Council, negotiations with Antioch and the achievement of peace, the controversy regarding Diodorus of Tarsus and Theodore of Mopsuestia, etc. In the “Epistle to Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem” (probably 431), St. Cyril denounces the heresy of Nestorius, who rejected the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Theotokos. The saint expresses regret that Nestorius, instead of following the right faith, became its persecutor, denying the theological term “Theotokos,” which indirectly undermines faith in the true Divinity of Christ. In his letter to St. Cyril reports that Nestorius tried to spread his views, including through correspondence with the Roman Church, but was condemned by Pope Celestine as a heretic. The saint calls on the bishop. Juvenal and other bishops to unity in the fight for the faith: jointly resist false teaching, admonishing Nestorius, and if he persists, turn to the emperor and secular authorities to defend Orthodoxy. The message is important for understanding the theological polemics of the 5th century and the role of St. Cyril in defending the dogmas of the Ecumenical Councils. To my lord, beloved brother and co-servant Juvenaly, Cyril wishes every good thing in the Lord. I would like the highly venerable Bishop Nestorius to follow the true faith, following the paths of pious men! And who among the sensible ones would not wish that those who are destined to be the leaders of the Savior’s flocks should be fully known for the correctness of their faith? And since our present affairs were not revealed as we had hoped, when in the one in whom we expected the true shepherd we found a persecutor of the right faith: we now need to remember the words of Christ, the Savior of us all: “I did not come to bring peace” to the earth, “but a sword: for I came to separate man from his father” (Matthew 10:34-35). If for us to fight against our parents is not reprehensible and blameless, when we know that we are striving for the glory of Christ, then how can we not consider it our indispensable duty, while we mourn the loss of our brother, to gird ourselves with the sword of zeal for God and say to all who live on earth these words: “If anyone is the Lord, let him come to me” (Ex. 32:26 )! In one or another of my letters, I urged him to follow not his opinions, but the right and apostolic faith, devoted to the holy churches, hoping to deviate him from the wrongness that was in his writings; but the medicine I suggested did not help at all, the advice was not followed. He not only did not want to follow the teaching of the truth, but also sent me a message signed by him, in which he reproaches me for allegedly upsetting him, and at the same time he directly stated that the Holy Virgin cannot be called the Mother of God. But doesn’t this mean to say directly that Emmanuel, in whom the basis of our hope for salvation is not truly God? Assuming that he could win over the Roman Church, he wrote to my lord, my most pious and God-loving brother and co-servant, Celestinus, bishop of the Roman Church, and set out his perverted teaching in his letters. He also sent there many interpretative works, from which it was discovered that he was thinking incorrectly. And he was decisively condemned as a heretic. The most pious and God-loving bishop of the Roman Church, Celestinus, wrote about him what he truly knew about him, and sent these letters to me. I considered it necessary to send them to you and with them to arouse in your piety zeal for the holy cause, which is always strong in you with its inner strength, so that we, with unanimity and zealous zeal, gird ourselves with the belt of love for Christ, save people in danger and support the Church in its light. Without a doubt, all of us, in unanimity among ourselves, having determined a plan for ourselves, will write to him and to the people. If we succeed and return him from his present way of thinking to the truth, then we have gained a brother (Matthew 18:15) and saved the shepherd. And if our intention remains unsuccessful, then he himself will be the author of his fate, and he will taste the fruits of his deeds from himself. We also absolutely need to write to the Christ-loving and most pious emperor and to all state dignitaries, and advise them not to put man above pious faith in Christ, but to establish the universe in it and deliver his flock from the evil shepherd, in the event that he does not accept admonition from all of us. Say our good wishes to the brothers who are with you. Those who are with me greet you in the Lord. You might be interested in: