(Updated July 15, 2025)
This Quote Archive collects pertinent quotes from the Church Father, St. Cyril of Jerusalem.
Next to each quote are the topic-based Quote Archives in which they are included.
This Quote Archive is being continuously updated as research continues.
Catechetical Lectures
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 2: On Repentance and Remission of Sins, and the Adversary (c. 350)
The Lord is loving unto man, and swift to pardon, but slow to punish. Let no man therefore despair of his own salvation. Peter, the chiefest and foremost of the Apostles, denied the Lord thrice before a little maid: but he repented himself, and wept bitterly. Now weeping shows the repentance of the heart: and therefore he not only received forgiveness for his denial, but also held his Apostolic dignity un-forfeited.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 3: On Baptism (c. 350)
(§4) …When going down, therefore, into the water, think not of the bare element, but look for salvation by the power of the Holy Ghost: for without both, you cannot possibly be made perfect. It is not I that say this, but the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the power in this matter: for He says, “Unless a man be born anew (and He adds the, words) of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Neither does he that is baptized with water, but not found worthy of the Spirit, receive the grace in perfection; nor if a man be virtuous in his deeds, but receive not the seal by water, shall he enter into the kingdom of heaven. A bold saying, but not mine, for it is Jesus who has declared it: and here is the proof of the statement from Holy Scripture. Cornelius was a just man, who was honored with a vision of Angels, and had set up his prayers and almsdeeds as a good memorial before God in heaven.
(§10) If any man receive not Baptism, he has not salvation; except only Martyrs, who even without the water receive the kingdom. For when the Savior, in redeeming the world by His Cross, was pierced in the side, He shed forth blood and water; that men, living in times of peace, might be baptized in water, and, in times of persecution, in their own blood. For martyrdom also the Savior is wont to call a baptism, saying, “Can you drink the cup which I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38)…
(§11) Jesus sanctified Baptism by being Himself baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly man is he that despises Baptism? But He was baptized not that He might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless; but being sinless, He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine and excellent grace. For since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same [Heb. 2:14], that having been made partakers of His presence in the flesh we might be made partakers also of His Divine grace: thus Jesus was baptized, that thereby we again by our participation might receive both salvation and honor…
(§12) For you go down into the water, bearing your sins, but the invocation of grace, having sealed your soul, suffers you not afterwards to be swallowed up by the terrible dragon. Having gone down dead in sins, you come up quickened in righteousness. For if you have been united with the likeness of the Savior’s death [Rom. 6:5], you shall also be deemed worthy of His Resurrection. For as Jesus took upon Him the sins of the world, and died, that by putting sin to death He might rise again in righteousness; so thou by going down into the water, and being in a manner buried in the waters, as He was in the rock, art raised again walking in newness of life.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 5: Of Faith (c. 350)
But in learning the Faith and in professing it, acquire and keep that only, which is now delivered to you by the Church, and which has been built up strongly out of all the Scriptures. For since all cannot read the Scriptures, some being hindered as to the knowledge of them by want of learning, and others by a want of leisure, in order that the soul may not perish from ignorance, we comprise the whole doctrine of the Faith in a few lines. This summary I wish you both to commit to memory when I recite it , and to rehearse it with all diligence among yourselves, not writing it out on paper, but engraving it by the memory upon your heart , taking care while you rehearse it that no Catechumen chance to overhear the things which have been delivered to you. I wish you also to keep this as a provision through the whole course of your life, and beside this to receive no other, neither if we ourselves should change and contradict our present teaching, nor if an adverse angel, “transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14) should wish to lead you astray. “For though we or an angel from heaven preach to you any other gospel than that you have received, let him be to you anathema” (Gal. 1:8-9). So for the present listen while I simply say the Creed , and commit it to memory; but at the proper season expect the confirmation out of Holy Scripture of each part of the contents. For the articles of the Faith were not composed as seemed good to men; but the most important points collected out of all the Scripture make up one complete teaching of the Faith. And just as the mustard seed in one small grain contains many branches, so also this Faith has embraced in few words all the knowledge of godliness in the Old and New Testaments. Take heed then, brethren, and hold fast the traditions [2 Thess. 2:15] which you now receive, and “write them on the table of your heart” (Prov. 7:3).
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 6: Concerning the Unity of God, the Article of the Creed “I Believe in One God,” and Heresies (c. 350)
(§14) The inventor of all heresy was Simon Magus…This man, after he had been cast out by the Apostles, came to Rome…And he so deceived the City of Rome that Claudius set up his statue, and wrote beneath it, in the language of the Romans, “Simoni Deo Sancto,” which being interpreted signifies, “To Simon the Holy God.”
(§15) As the delusion was extending, Peter and Paul, a noble pair, chief rulers of the Church, arrived and set the error right; and when the supposed god Simon wished to shew himself off, they straightway shewed him as a corpse. For Simon [Magus] promised to rise aloft to heaven, and came riding in a demon’s chariot on the air; but the servants of God fell on their knees, and having shewn that agreement of which Jesus spake, that “If two of you shall agree concerning anything that they shall ask, it shall be done unto them” (Matt. 18:19), they launched the weapon of their concord in prayer against Magus, and struck him down to the earth. And marvelous though it was, yet no marvel. For Peter was there, who carries the keys of heaven [Matt. 16:19]: and nothing wonderful, for Paul was there, who was “caught up to the third heaven, and into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful far a man to utter” (2 Cor. 12:2, 4). These brought the supposed God down from the sky to earth, thence to be taken down to the regions below the earth. In this man [Simon Magus] first the serpent of wickedness appeared; but when one head had been cut off, the root of wickedness was found again with many heads.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 17: Continuation on the Holy Spirit (c. 350)
In the power of the same Holy Spirit Peter also, the chief of the Apostles and the bearer of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, healed Aeneas the paralytic in the Name of Christ at Lydda, which is now Diospolis, and at Joppa raised from the dead Tabitha rich in good works…
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 19: First Lecture on the Mysteries (c. 350)
Moreover, the things which are hung up at idol festivals, either meat or bread, or other such things polluted by the invocation of the unclean spirits, are reckoned in the pomp of the devil. For as the Bread and Wine of the Eucharist before the invocation of the Holy and Adorable Trinity were simple bread and wine, while after the invocation the Bread becomes the Body of Christ, and the Wine the Blood of Christ, so in like manner such meats belonging to the pomp of Satan, though in their own nature simple, become profane by the invocation of the evil spirit.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 21: On Chrism (c. 350)
(§1) …And to you in like manner, after you had come up from the pool of the sacred streams, there was given an Unction, the anti-type of that wherewith Christ was anointed; and this is the Holy Ghost; of whom also the blessed Esaias, in his prophecy respecting Him, said in the person of the Lord, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me: He has sent Me to preach glad tidings to the poor” (Isa. 61:1)…
(§3) But beware of supposing this to be plain ointment. For as the Bread of the Eucharist, after the invocation of the Holy Ghost, is mere bread no longer, but the Body of Christ, so also this holy ointment is no more simple ointment, nor (so to say) common, after invocation, but it is Christ’s gift of grace, and, by the advent of the Holy Ghost, is made fit to impart His Divine Nature. Which ointment is symbolically applied to your forehead and your other senses; and while your body is anointed with the visible ointment, your soul is sanctified by the Holy and life-giving Spirit.
(§4) …For as Christ after His Baptism, and the visitation of the Holy Ghost, went forth and vanquished the adversary, so likewise ye, after Holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, having put on the whole armor of the Holy Ghost, are to stand against the power of the adversary, and vanquish it, saying, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 22: On the Body and Blood of Christ (c. 350)
(§6) Consider therefore the bread and the wine not as bare elements, for they are, according to the Lord’s declaration, the body and blood of Christ; for even though sense suggests this to you, let faith establish you. Judge not the matter from the taste, but from faith be fully assured without misgiving, that the body and blood of Christ have been vouchsafed to you…
(§7) …[David says] “You have anointed my head with oil” (Ps. 23:5). With oil He anointed your head upon your forehead, for the seal which you have of God; that you may be made “the engraving of the signet, Holiness unto God.”
(§9) Having learned these things, and been fully assured that the seeming bread is not bread, though sensible to taste, but the body of Christ; and that the seeming wine is not wine, though the taste will have it so, but the blood of Christ; and that of this David sung of old, saying, “And bread strengthens man’s heart, to make his face to shine with oil, strengthen your heart” (Ps. 104:15), by partaking of it as spiritual, and “make the face of your soul to shine” (Ps. 31:16).
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture No. 23: On the Sacred Liturgy and Communion (c. 350)
- Purgatory | §9
- The Communion of Saints: Intercession and Relics | §9
- The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist | §§7-8
(§7) Then having sanctified ourselves by these spiritual Hymns, we beseech the merciful God to send forth His Holy Spirit upon the gifts lying before Him; that He may make the Bread the Body of Christ, and the Wine the Blood of Christ; for whatsoever the Holy Ghost has touched, is surely sanctified and changed.
(§8) Then, after the spiritual sacrifice, the bloodless service, is completed, over that sacrifice of propitiation we entreat God for the common peace of the Churches, for the welfare of the world; for kings; for soldiers and allies; for the sick; for the afflicted; and, in a word, for all who stand in need of succor we all pray and offer this sacrifice.
(§9) Then [during the Eucharistic prayer] we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth.
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