Living in the Light of Christ: Mystagogy in Cyril of Alexandria's Festal Letters

1. Auflage 2017
ISBN: 978-90-429-3424-5
Verlag: PEETERS PUB

Buch, Englisch, Band 15, 195 Seiten, Format (B × H): 168 mm x 246 mm, Gewicht: 499 g

Reihe: Late Antique History and Relig

While the original goal of the 'festal letters', written by the

archbishops of Alexandria, was to announce the dates of Lent, Easter,

and Pentecost, they developed into treatises with pastoral purposes, to

be read out in the parishes and monasteries throughout Egypt and Libya.

In this book, Hans van Loon studies the mystagogy of Cyril of Alexandria

(ca. 378-444) as it can be discerned in his twenty-nine extant festal

letters. After an introduction, which deals with the historical

background of the festal letters and gives an overview of their

contents, various aspects of Cyril's mystagogy are discussed in detail:

the centrality of the mystery of Christ; the role of the sacraments; the

archbishop's typological interpretation of the Old Testament, and his

attitude towards Judaism; how he encourages the faithful to fast and to

pray, and to live virtuous lives; and finally, how he envisages our

relationship with God.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Loon, H. van

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Kirchengeschichte Frühes Christentum, Patristik, Christliche Archäologie