Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria

St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, Pillar of Orthodoxy.

St. Cyril was Archbishop of Alexandria in the fifth century and one of the great theologians of the Church. When Nestorius denied that the Virgin Mary may be called Theotokos, Birth-Giver of God, Cyril rose in defense of the truth that the one born of her is truly God the Word made flesh. He presided at the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus in 431, which upheld the Orthodox faith.

Called the Pillar of Orthodoxy, he reposed in 444, leaving writings that remain foundations of the Church's teaching on Christ. He is commemorated on June 9, and with St. Athanasios on January 18.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria is commemorated on June 9. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on June 22 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Cyril, Kyrillos, Kyril

Also commemorated on June 9

• Thecla, Mariamne, Martha, Mary and Ennatha, Virgin Martyrs of Persia

  Holy Woman, Θέκλα, Μαριάμνη, Μάρθα, Μαρία και Ενναθά

  Holy Five Virgin Martyrs Thecla, Mariamne, Martha, Mary and Ennatha, beheaded in Persia under Shapur II.

• Alexander of Prusa

  Hierarch, Αλέξανδρος Επίσκοπος Προύσας

  Hieromartyr Alexander, Bishop of Prusa in Bithynia, beheaded for Christ.

• Cyril of White Lake

  Venerable, Κύριλλος ο εν τη Λευκή Λίμνη

  Venerable Cyril, founder and abbot of the monastery of White Lake (Belozersk), a great father of Russian monasticism.

• Columba of Iona

  Venerable, Κολούμβας ο εν Ιόνα

  Venerable Columba, abbot of Iona and enlightener of Scotland.

  Name days: Columba, Colm

• Alexander of Kushta

  Venerable, Αλέξανδρος του Κούστα

  Venerable Alexander, abbot of Kushta in Vologda, a hermit of the Russian north.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.