MEMORIAL: MARCH 18
St. Cyril of Jerusalem was born in the 4th century AD and little is known about his early life. He was ordained a priest and was widely known as a scripture scholar. As a priest, he was put in charge of preparing catechumens during Lent for the Baptism on Easter Sunday. From this experience, he wrote his famous work “Catecheses,” which is still widely used in the Church today.
When he became a Bishop, St. Cyril was exiled, probably due to political matters and theological differences. He was even accused of theological heresy surrounding His Trinitarian beliefs. Despite these claims, his exile was lifted, and he was brought back to Jerusalem. He even was part of the Council of Constantinople which clarified the Nicene Creed in the wake of the Arian heresy. St. Cyril was declared a doctor of the Church in 1822.
