RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Nestorius
hitherto weak, against Nestorius. Photius, a presbyter of Nestorius, now wrote against Cyril's letter, and Nestorius preached a sermon to prove that the Logos could be subject neither to birth nor suffering. Both the letter and the sermon were sent to Alexandria, but before they reached there Cyril heard of his opponents' disapproval of his attitude and wrote his first letter to Nestorius. For a time the correspondence was conducted with external courtesy, but soon the hostility between the two patriarchs became irreconcilable. This was due less to dogmatic reasons, however, than to calumnies uttered to Nestorius against Cyril. The latter now wrote his second letter early in 430, in which, after a brief mention of the Alexandrine charges, he proceeded to instruct Nestorius in the true faith. While it would seem from these letters that the controversy was essentially theological, Cyril's letter to the clergy in Constantinople, written almost at the same time, makes it clear that his real motive was his fear of being cited to appear at Constantinople to answer the charges brought against him.
His war of extermination against Nestorius now began. To this end he wrote three lengthy letters
covertly attacking his rival to the em-
4. Formal peror, his sister, and the empress, and
Attack, at the same time endeavored to win
over Celestine, of whose position he was uncertain. For the latter purpose, he wrote, early in 430, his five books " Against the Blasphemies of Nestorius," attacking in detail fortythree citations from the writings of his antagonist. In the spring of the same year he sent this work, together with numerous sermons of Nestorius, and his own two letters to him, to Celestine, with a clever letter of his own to the pope, not free from misrepresentations. The result was fully successful for Cyril, although the reason is somewhat problematical. It would seem that Cyril actually convinced Celestine that " at one time Nestorius made Christ mere man, and at another attributed to him participation in divinity." This is the attitude, at least, assumed by Cassian in De incarnations Domini contra Nestorium. At the same time Celestine was evidently offended at Nestorius by his kindly, but innocent, reception of Ccelestius, Julian, and three other bishops, who had been convicted of Pelagianism in the West. With their views Nestorius could not possibly have sympathized, nor did he intend to oppose the pope. He learned of the nature of the charges against them through the Commonitorium of Marius Mercator, which resulted in the expulsion of ther Pelagians from Constantinople. Nestorius had already written Celestine at least twice to learn the reason of their condemnation at Rome, but the pope was so offended by the patriarch's protection of the refugees that he left his letters unanswered. In Aug., 430, Celestine held a synod at Rome and excommunicated Nestorius unless he should publicly recant within ten days after learning of the decree. He wrote to the same effect to Nestorius, the clergy of Constantinople, John of Antioch, Juvenal of Jerusalem, the Macedonian bishops, and Cyril. The latter was formally authorized to pronounce anathema on Nestorius
unless he should recant within the appointed time. He accordingly held his synod at Alexandria early in November and wrote a synodical epistle to Nestorius, which was given him, together with a letter from Celestine, on Dec. 6, 430. Cyril could now consider himself close to his goal of crushing Nestorius if he could have equal success at court in parrying the charges against himself by accusing his opponent. But here he failed, and though the course of events is obscure, it is certain that his letter found very unfavorable reception at court and that the charges against him were still believed. Nestorius himself, who enjoyed the favor of the court, had purposed to hold a general synod in the summer of 430 to discuss primarily other ecclesiastical matters than his controversy with Cyril, though the latter was also doubtless intended to be considered. The Emperor Theodosius accordingly directed the synod to convene at Ephesus at Easter, 431, at the same time again manifesting his disapproval of Cyril. Under these circumstances Nestorius was little disturbed by the letters of Celestine and Cyril. He enjoyed the support of his clergy and speedily opposed twelve counter-anathemas to the twelve anathemas of Cyril attached to his synodical letter, which were equally offensive to John of Antioch, Theodoret, and Andrew of Samosata.
After some delay, the Council of Ephesus was opened on June 22, 431, with 198 bishops, fifty of these being partizans of Cyril, who was also supported by forty bishops from Asia and 5. The twelve from Pamphilia, while John of Council of Antioch with his bishops and the dele- Ephesus. gates from Rome were still on the way. The Imperial Commissary Candidian and sixty-eight dissenting bishops pleaded in vain that the council be not opdned until all had arrived. On the very first day of the council Nestorius was condemned and declared deposed from all clerical office. The emperor, however, on June 29, commanded further consideration of the matter. Meanwhile the Antiochian bishops had reached Ephesus and opened a counter-council on June 27 at which they excommunicated Cyril's partizans and declared Cyril and his chief adherent, Memnon of Ephesus, deposed. This condemnation was signed by forty-three bishops and both parties sought through their sympathizers to defend themselves at court. The Roman envoys came in July, joined Cyril, and held a second session with them on July 10, joining on the following day in the condemnation of Nestorius. Other sessions of Cyril's council were held on July 16, 17, 22, and Aug. 31; but the real decision now lay with the court since the factions both of Cyril and of Nestorius refused to change their position. While still maintaining his views, Nestorius declared himself ready to retire to his monastery at Antioch. In the first half of August the court sent the Comes Sacrorum Johannes and confirmed the deposition of both councils. Cyril and Memnon were interned and Nestorius was committed to the custody of his friend Candidian. Johannes was unable to reconcile the factions, and eight delegates of both sides were summoned to the imperial court. It is noteworthy
Nestorius Neuchatel