St Cyril of Alexandria Against Nestorius (Part 1 of 2)

Translated by P. E. Pusey

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Page 12

"some have fallen into sickness and some are dead;" 

the Council in its Relatio to the Emperors, says, 

"and some of the holy Bishops weighed down by age did not endure their stay in a strange place; some were imperilled in weakness; some have even undergone the close of their life in the Capital of the Ephesians;"

in its account to S. Celestine,

"although many both Bishops and Clergy were both pressed by sickness and oppressed by expense and some had even deceased."

After waiting a fortnight, during which time, if all had been there, the business might have been completed and the Bishops dismissed, S. Cyril wrote to John Archbishop of Antioch. John, in his Relatio to the Emperors, says,

"and Cyril himself of Alexandria sent to me of Antioch two days before the assembly made by them [the Council], that the whole Synod is awaiting my presence [49]."

S. Cyril too alludes to the Letter. He says of John,

"he who was ever friendly and dear, who never at any time found fault with my words, who wrote kindly and received letters from me [50]."

While this letter was on its way, some of the Bishops of John's party arrived, and with them a letter to S. Cyril in which John spoke of being only about four days off. The Bishops of John's party were Alexander Metropolitan of Apamea and Alexander Metropolitan of Hierapolis; and, to all appearance, though we are not told so, Theodoret and Meletius bishop of Neocaesarea. The Council, speaking of the arrival in their Eelatio to S. Celestine, says,

"[51] Nevertheless after the sixteenth day there preceded him some of the Bishops who were with him, two Metropolitans, Alexander of Apamea and another Alexander of Hierapolis; and when we complained of the tardy arrival of the most reverend Bishop John, they said not once but over and over, 'he bid us tell your Reverence that, if he should even yet loiter, the synod was not to be put off, but rather to do what was meet.' "

49. [c] Ep. Conciliab. Eph. (post Conc. Eph. Act.i.) ad Imp.

50. [d] S. Cyrilli Apol. ad Imp. p. 252 c. 

51.  * Conc. Eph. Act. v. n. 2. 

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