I came across this text being used to promote communion in the hand. I had heard some arguments and reasoning against this text of St. Cyril, but at face value it does seem a bit troublesome. There are many writings attributed to St. Cyril and lots of them a bit sketchy or suspect of being written by someone else. It would seem possible that a heretic could have written this passage and attributed it to St. Cyril, but the Real Presence of the Eucharist was not to be questioned by the Reformers for another 1300 years (when the practice was promoted).
Wondering what forum members think...
The Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem lecture 23
21. In approaching therefore, come not with thy wrists extended, or thy fingers spread; but make thy left hand a throne for the fight, as for that which is to receive a King. And having hollowed thy palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. So then after having carefully hollowed thine eyes by the touch of the Holy Body, partake of it; giving heed lest thou lose any portion thereof; for whatever thou losest, is evidently a loss to thee as it were from one of thine own members. For tell me, if any one gave thee grains of gold, wouldest thou not hold them with all carefulness, being on thy guard against losing any of them, and suffering loss? Wilt thou not then much more carefully keep watch, that not a crumb fall from thee of what is more precious than gold and precious stones?
Topic: Did St. Cyril really say this? (Read 394 times)