Today Christ’s Church commemorates the feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria, leaving many to ask: Who was St. Cyril? Where is Alexandria? Why do weird popish – baby dunking – Christians like Andrew celebrate him? Besides the obvious reason that he’s slavishly devoted to men in robes, candles, and chants.
Well:
-St. Cyril expelled the Novationists from Alexandria.
What’s a Novationist you ask?
WELL. The Novationists were a group of super-devoted but unforgiving Christian legalists. During the pagan persecution of Christians, many Christians recanted their faith in Christ and made sacrifices to the old gods so as not to be killed. When they tried to return and repent, some of those who had endured much hardship became really angry at those who were so easily let back into the communion of the Church. Like the older son in Christ’s parable, they didn’t want to forgive their lesser brethren. Rather than remembering that the Lord Jesus is our righteousness (Jer. 23:6), they elevated their own virtue under trials to their righteousness and became legalists – those who wish to be justified by the law.
They also denied that the Church had the power to absolve such great sins, denying the sacrament of confession and absolution, which likewise is to doubt the promises of Christ.
As one could imagine, they did not remain in the orthodox church, believing themselves to be superior, these ‘Puritans’ of sorts, set up their own altars and departed from the one true faith. So as bishop of Alexandria, chief pastor in the town, Cyril expelled them along with the Jews. Perhaps a dubious political move, but nonetheless likewise a noble effort to console repentant sinners with the grace of Christ.
For the Scripture says: “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (Jn. 20:19-23)
Since the true Church has always understood these words in the context of Jesus’ other words: ” whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (Jn 6:37), and so it always proclaims forgiveness in Jesus’ name to all who wish to repent. This the Novationists did not do. Why not just forgive the Novationists and let the haters keep hating? The Church of the Patristic Age knew well the dictum of St. Cyprian “he is not joined to the Church who is separated from the Gospel” (Treatise 3:16). In their zeal for the Law and their own holiness the Novationists condemned the gospel, and those who do, can never be truly reckoned as joined to the Church.
Thus on this feast of St. Cyril, perhaps it’s best for you to confess your sins, receive absolution, and remember that there is no sin too great for God to forgive, and that this promise is proclaimed in his Church.