St Cyril of Alexandria was born in the year 376 in Alexandria, Egypt. He is recognised as being a great teacher of the Church who was the Archbishop of Alexandria. Cyril pillaged and closed the churches of the Novatian heretics (who required those who denied the faith to be rebaptized), participated in the deposing of St John Chrysostom and confiscated Jewish property, expelling the Jews from Alexandria in retaliation for their attacks on Christians. Cyril’s importance for theology and Church history lies in his championing the cause of orthodoxy against the heresy of Nestorius, who taught that in Christ there were two persons, one human and one divine. St Cyril died in 444 and became the Doctor of the Church in 1883. He is the patron saint of Alexandria.
